Thank you for joining our East Garden of the Imperial Palace tour on March 14th.
On this day, we welcomed 10 guests from Germany, the United States, Spain, and Mexico. Among them was a cute 10-month-old baby who brightened our tour even more, together with the gentle spring sunshine. The baby’s cheerful presence brought many smiles to the group and made the day even more memorable.
We truly hope you enjoyed the tour and the many interesting conversations we shared along the way. As promised, we have attached some group photos and snapshots to help you remember the fun time we spent together.
Group A
Group B
Group C
Although a few early-blooming cherry blossoms could be seen here and there in the garden, the peak of the cherry blossom season is just around the corner. Have you ever heard of the “cherry blossom front”?
The cherry blossom front is a map that shows when cherry blossoms begin to bloom across Japan. The variety used for this measurement is Somei-yoshino, the most common type of cherry blossom tree in Japan. These trees are propagated from clones of a single original tree, which means they tend to bloom at almost the same temperature.
Because Japan stretches a long distance from north to south, the cherry blossom front gradually moves northward each spring, starting in the southern regions around March. This year, the blooming is forecast to begin between March 17 and 21 in cities such as Tokyo, Nagoya, and Kochi.
In Japan, people have special feelings about cherry blossoms. One reason is that they symbolize farewells and new beginnings. In Japan, the school and business year starts on April 1st and ends on March 31st, which coincides with the cherry blossom season. Cherry blossoms also last for only about two weeks, which is often said to represent the beauty and transience of life.
For these reasons, when many Japanese people see cherry blossoms bloom, they feel emotions connected with partings and new encounters. That is why people in Japan pay close attention every year to when the cherry blossoms will begin to bloom in each region. The weather forecast even announces the Sakura Zensen, or cherry blossom front.
As already announced, Tokyo Free Walking Tour will offer a special volunteer tour during the Chidorigafuchi Sakura Festival.
Tour Dates
March 26, 27, 29, 31
April 2, 5
Start Time
10:00 AM
Meeting Point
Chidorigafuchi Green Way Tourist Information Center
(next to the boat pier)
Tour Route
We will walk along the famous cherry blossom path at Chidorigafuchi, then enter the Imperial Palace East Gardens and explore the park where Edo Castle once stood. The tour will finish at Otemon Gate.
Duration
About 2 hours
Capacity
20 people
No reservation is required.
Please come to the meeting point by 10:00 AM.
Join us for a special spring walk through history and cherry blossoms!
We are always striving to improve our tours, and we sincerely appreciate your feedback on TripAdvisor, Google, and other platforms. Your kind comments motivate us to continue our volunteer activities. Please feel free to share your experience with your family and friends.
The next time you visit Tokyo, we hope you will join us on another tour—we would love to see you again!
For more information about our tour, please visit our website, Facebook, or “Tokyo Free Walking Tour” on Tripadvisor.
(Posted by Mari)