"A perfect cherry blossom is a rare thing.
You can spend your whole life looking for one,
and it will not be a wasted life."
Kusamoto (Ken Watanabe)
The Last Samurai
Spring at Inokashira Park.
Tokyo.
Japan's capital and largest city to boot is well known for its tightly
packed skyscrapers, convenient and timely public transit systems, and
bustling, exciting atmosphere. What many may not realise, however, is
the number of beautiful parks and tree-lines lanes that smatter this
great metropolis. These verdant oases provide residents and visitors
alike a respite from the steel and concrete hustle and bustle, and in
the spring many parks, gardens, medians and even curbside explodes with
colourful cherry blossoms.
One
of the popular hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spot is Inokashira Park,
a spacious and well-kept park in the somewhat bohemian,
counterculture-centric neighborhood of Kichijoji in the far west end of
central Tokyo. The park, known as one of Japan's top 100 cherry blossom
spots, is located south of Kichijoji Station of JR Chuo Line, at a 5
minutes walking distance. The entrance to the park is free.
Enjoying the cherry blossoms from the boat.
The wooden fences along the
paths are very characteristic to Inokashira park.
The cherry trees hang out over the park's large central pond.
Hanami from the rowing boay.
Hanami from the pond in Inokashira Park.
Lots of space under the trees for hanami parties.
The
land was given to Tokyo in 1913. On May 1, 1918, it opened under the
name Inokashira Onshi Kōen (井の頭恩賜公園), which can be translated as,
"Inokashira Imperial Gift Park". Thus the park was considered a gift
from the Emperor to the general public. This was the first time in Tokyo
that a park was founded in such a manner.
Spring
in Inokashira Park is the season of the blooming cherry trees that line
a central pond. There are nearly 500 cherry blossom trees in this park,
which are primarily concentrated around the scenic pond, which
constitutes the center of much of the park's eastern side and feeds
Kanda River.
Break open a cherry tree and
there are no flowers, but the spring breeze brings forth myriad
blossoms (Ikku Sojun).
Blossoms are scattered by
the wind and the wind cares nothing, but the blossoms of the heart no
wind can touch (Yoshida Kenko).
Life without love is like a
tree without blossoms or fruit (Khalil Gibran).
Under the cherry blossom
trees, hope resides, safety embraces and its devastating beauty sweeps
over, blindly mesmerizing you.
Inokashira
Park has lots of space under its trees for picnicking and is an
extremely popular place for hanami parties. Young and old will gather
throughout the day to eat and drink. The parties used to go on all
night, but complaints about noise and litter now mean all parties finish
at 10 p.m. during the cherry blossom season.
In
addition to the cherry blossoms, the park has some well known places to
visit. Visitors here can rent rowboats and swan-shape paddle boats to
explore the pond, Inokashira Park Zoo, bird sanctuary, aquatic life
park, the surrounding town of Kichijoji itself, and perhaps even the
Ghibli Museum which lies on the Mitaka side of the park opposite
Kichijoji Station. The park also popular with artists, musicians,
joggers, photographers, and dog walkers.
A pond is featured in the
park where people can rent a boat to get close to the cherry trees.
Cherry trees along the shores in Inokashira Park.
A fountain found on the edge of the pond.
Inokashira Park Zoo, a popular spot for the kids.
Looking
from the Nanai Bridge, which crosses the pond near the center, the
branches of the cherry trees extending from the shore bloom so densely
as to all but cover the surface of the pond. The pale color of the
blossoms contrasts with the sky and water's surface. During the blooming
period of cherry blossoms the park receives many visitors.
In
addition, on the west side of the park there are many flowers to be
seen in the flowering plum grove before the blooming period of the
cherry trees. On the north side of the plum grove, on the edge of the
pond, there is a spring, but its flow is nowadays weak.
My favourite shot from Inokashira Park.
Although
the park is not as spacious as Shinjuku Gyoen Park, another popular
hanami spot in Tokyo, Inokashira Park is certainly worth a visit during
the cherry blossom season. The light sprinkling of sakura petals
enhanced the atmosphere, and the park should be very nice for hanami
parties.
2 comments:
Beautiful~~^^
@ daisyadve:
Thanks Desi for the lovely comment! :D
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