Cherry Blossoms Galore in Tokyo's Sumida Park, Late March to Early April

[Marian Goldberg]

Sumida Park Aligned with Blossoming Cherry Tress

From late March to Early April, Tokyo's Sumida Park (https://www.gotokyo.org/en/spot/506/index.html) erupts in cherry blossoms in hues from subtle white to blushing pink. The park has been selected as one of the 100 best cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan by the Nihon Sakura Association. The park is located near TOKYO SKYTREE (https://www.tokyo-skytree.jp/en/), which at 634 meters, is the tallest freestanding tower in the world.

TOKYO SKYTREE with Blossoming Sumida Park Cherry Trees as Seen from Across the Sumida River

From Sumida Park, sakura enthusiasts can snap photos with the edifice in the frame.

Sumida Park is divided into two districts on either side of the Sumida River: Taito Ward, including Asakusa Sensoji Temple -- Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple (https://www.senso-ji.jp/english/) -- and Sumida Ward featuring TOKYO SKYTREE. Comely and calming blossoms behold visitors from both vantage points. That's because in 1717, during the Edo era, the Eighth Shōgun, Tokugawa Yoshimune, started planting cherry trees. Now there are nearly 600 trees on the Taito side and about 330 on the Sumida side. One of the best ways to experience the blossoms is to take a leisurely stroll (about ten-minutes) east or west across the SUMIDA RIVER WALK. This elevated promenade, completed in summer 2020, runs along the TOBU SKYTREE line railway bridge.

SUMIDA RIVER WALK and TOBU SKYTREE Line Railway Bridge

It is connected to the newly opened TOKYO mizumachi (https://www.tokyo-mizumachi.jp/en/) waterfront destination development, replete with shops, restaurants, and even the Wise Owl Hostel (https://www.tokyo-mizumachi.jp/en/shop/8).

Tokyo Mizumachi and Wise Owl Hostel

"TOKYO Solamachi^®" Major Renewal

Tokyo Solamachi (https://www.tokyo-solamachi.jp/en/), a commercial complex at the base  of TOKYO SKYTREE, has been under revival and renewal since summer 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic's new normal. A total of 30 establishments (14 restaurants, 13 fashion and miscellaneous goods stores, 3 food sales facilities) are renewing, along with 22 additional stores opening this spring. The renewal theme is Solamachi-style micro tourism, where locals are immersed in a travel-like experience within Tokyo. Solamachi, a space that would otherwise be occupied by national and international visitors if the global pandemic had not halted travel.

Already Open and Revitalized (*) or Soon to Be Open and Revitalized at Tokyo Solamachi:

★International Brands: GRAND CASTELLA (Taiwan), Din Tai Fung (Taiwan) *, MIGUEL y JUANI (Spain) *

★Japanese Brands: Horiuchi Fruit Farm (Nara), Okonomiyaki Mitchan Sohonten (Hiroshima), Dotonbori Kamukura (Osaka), KYO-TO-TO (Kyoto), KANEKO GANKYO-TEN (Fukui), Kurasuwa (Nagano) *

★Local Shitamachi (Downtown Tokyo) Brands: Nidaime Noguchi Fresh Fish Dealer Nidaime Noguchisengyoten (Sumida), Bunkoya Ozeki BUNKOYA OOZEKI (Sumida), Tenfura Tempura Uzukino (Sumida) *, Varco (Koto) *, Third Sugar THIRD SUGAR (Nihonbashi) *

For those who love to stroll after dusk, the illustrious blossoms will be illuminated at night.

More Information

TOBU Spring Festival HP: https://www.tobu.co.jp/en/sightseeing/cp/tobuspring/

TOBU FB: https://www.facebook.com/tobugroup.en/

About Tobu Railways

TOBU Railway Company, Ltd. is a major Japanese corporation consisting of approximately 90 companies. The Tobu Railways cover the longest operating distance in Metropolitan Tokyo, leading to numerous tourist attractions including: Asakusa and TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN in Tokyo; Nikko and Kinugawa-Onsen, famous for its world heritage sites and hot springs; the Tatebayashi and Ashikaga areas, known for their blooming flower fields; and Kawagoe, where the atmosphere of the old Edo era lives on. Tobu is also invested in a portfolio of hotels, including the newly opened The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko and FUFU Nikko Onsen Resort.