A return to sakura normalcy at Yoyogi Park [SPOT REPORT]

Since yesterday was a public holiday for the vernal equinox, my family and I took the chance to head to Tokyo for the day to enjoy some more spring-feeling weather and scenery than what we currently have in Niigata. We live close to a shinkansen stop, so getting to Tokyo only takes around 90 minutes – definitely easy enough to head there and back with plenty of time to explore in between.

Our first blossom stop was Yoyogi Park, which was a favorite sakura destination for us when we lived in the city. It seemed like a *lot* of people had the same idea to visit yesterday as we did, though, and the park was absolutely jam-packed with people celebrating spring’s arrival. If you can visit on a day that isn’t a public holiday or a weekend, I’d highly recommend that if you want a less crowded cherry blossom experience!

In saying that, there was something nice about seeing so many people out enjoying the season, especially reflecting upon the last few years where large gatherings were a big no-no. Perhaps that’s a big part of what saw so many people turn out in force – a bit of a return to normalcy (or something resembling it), if you will.

Even though the park was crowded, it felt like a return to normalcy after the last few years – it was a welcome feeling, indeed.

When it comes to the blossoms, a lot of the trees were already at full bloom or very close to that point. If you’re planning on a visit here, I’d recommend sooner rather than later – anytime this week would be ideal. However, it does look like there is some rain on the forecast over the coming few days, so keep that in mind as well!