Images of Japan: March 2023

A selection of images of life in Japan during March 2023. All of the photos were taken by the City-Cost editorial team.

[Above] Late afternoon on the coast of the Shonan region, south of Tokyo. Mt. Fuji looms over a SUP border paddling out into the waters of Sagami Bay.

Related: BEACH LIFE NEAR TOKYO: Living in Shonan [VIDEO]

[Above] Shizuo Ito, president of the Tokyo Marathon Foundation, said in a press conference the day prior to the 16th edition of the Tokyo Marathon, that the event would be welcoming a full capacity of 38,000 Japanese and overseas runners for the first time in four years.

Here are some of them in action during the marathon on Sunday.

[Above] Is this some of that “flying sakura?” A couple of early blooming cherry trees in the south of Tokyo’s Ueno Park put on a show for the cameras. 

[Above] Outside Tokyo Dome ahead of Japan’s clash with South Korea in the World Baseball Classic. 

[Above] Lunch among the fake plastic cherry blossoms in Tokyo’s Shimbashi district. 

[Above] Excitement at the hyouhon boku tree at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo’s Chiyoda district Monday March 13. 5-6 flowers in bloom on the standard-bearing tree and the somei yoshino cherry blossom is declared officially in bloom. Alas, we were a day early. Tokyo's cherry blossoms were announced in bloom on March 14.   

[Above] The grounds of Okamoto-Otaki shrine where the Echizen washi papermakers of Fukui Prefecture come to pay their respects to Kawakami Gozen, the goddess of paper.

[Above] Nice to take pause, even in a garden designed for strolling like Kenrokuen (兼六園) in the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture.

[Above] Morning in the village of Ainokura in Japan's Gokayama region, straddling southwestern Toyama Prefecture and northern Gifu Prefecture.

The village of Ainokura is a World Heritage Site and home to a population of around 40 people. 

[Above] From the Yaesu side of Tokyo station follow the aptly named Sakura-dori Avenue all the way to Kayabacho for some impressive, and uncrowded, tunnels of cherry blossom. 

[Above] Plenty of boaters and blossoms out on a fine day at Chidorigafuchi, on the banks of the imperial palace moat in Tokyo’s Chiyoda ward on March 22. It was the last day of fine weather before Tokyo’s cherry blossom peak met with a spell of cool, damp days.

[Above] Frenzied crowds trying to get a copy of “gougai” special edition new bulletins outside Shimbashi station following Japan’s victory over the U.S. in the final of the World Baseball Classic on March 22.

[Above] This cherry tree on the street by the entrance to Joenji temple on the fringes of Shinjuku’s skyscraper district provided a nice distraction during a damp wait on a Friday afternoon in Tokyo.

More images from life in Japan:

February

January