On Monday, Katie and I decided to check out a couple spots in Tokyo with beautiful Sakura. The first place we visited was the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. We met at the Kanazawa-Hakkei train station. It was about an hour on the train ride to the closest station and then a quick 10 minute walk to the garden. Several articles we read listed Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden as the number one spot in Tokyo for Sakura viewing. It is easy to see why. The trees were magnificent.

We arrived by 10:30 and were glad we did. The garden was already becoming quite crowded. It was another beautiful day and I think many people had the same idea!

The Sakura trees were everywhere throughout the garden. There were a variety of colors. From white to pale pink to the deep pink. I tried to capture all the colors in this photo.

Here are a couple of my favorite photos of the Sakura trees within the park.

Katie pointed out the beautiful contrast between the serene gardens and the city skyscrapers in the background. Ahhh, wabi-sabi indeed.

We had fun trying to hide in the Sakura and take selfies.

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is my favorite Sakura spot so far. It was absolutely magical. After visiting Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, we caught the Tokyo Metro to Meguro to see the Sakura along the Meguro River. The blossoms were spectacular.

The pathways along the river stretched out for such a long way. It was serene.

These blossoms were more of the blush color. Team Blush had a strong presence today.

The lanterns created a fun ambiance and great for snapping a few portraits.

I’m so excited to have such wonderful weather this year during Sakura season. I’ve strategically planned out my week to capture different parks and gardens. I hope you enjoy seeing the pictures as much as I do chasing down the Sakura!