ll Travel Notes ll Japan Series 1.0 - Meguro River’s cherry blossoms & nostalgic Kamakura style

Mount Fuji in winter&White snow in Hokkaido

Meguro River’s cherry blossoms&Nostalgic Kamakura style

Nara’s Reindeer&Summer Temple

©CrystalYe

Japan series 1.0

Meguro River’s cherry blossoms&Nostalgic Kamakura style

High energy warning at the forefront

Japan must not just leave. Because Japan has four distinct seasons, the scenery in each season has its own unique charm. However, the duration of these scenery is very short. Basically, if it lasts for about three weeks to a month, the best viewing period will be missed. For those who are finally able to get a vacation to travel, if you want to enjoy the most beautiful scenery in Japan during the season, it is not an exaggeration to plan your travel date three months in advance. People who can travel at any time will pretend that I didn’t say anything :)

The following is an incomplete guide to the four seasons of Japan travel. If necessary, you can save it for the next time you plan your trip.

©CrystalYe

This time I chose Tokyo to see the cherry blossoms. The air tickets should be purchased about one month in advance. The departure time is at the end of March. I bought it directly from the HongKong Express official website and paid for round trip luggage within 2000rmb. As an aside, since I bought air tickets on Fliggy during the epidemic, all flights have been canceled when I was told to cancel, and changed when I was told to change. Then the third-party customer service said they would not refund the tickets, and they were unable to negotiate with Fliggy. The air ticket cost 2,000 yuan. Since I can't refund a single point, I don't want to find a third-party ticket agent anymore, because it's actually only a hundred or two hundred yuan different from the official website. If you can buy it on the official website, just buy it on the official website. There is also a guarantee after the sale and so on. Generally speaking, airlines The company’s official website customer service will not directly handle orders placed on third-party platforms.

In addition, Japan visa has actually been simplified a long time ago, and the application materials are different depending on the region you are in. However, most areas do not require deposits or proof of bank statements. When I applied on Taobao, I submitted the work certificate of my unit, the fake approval certificate, etc. Nothing complicated at all. It usually takes about ten working days to sign.

There is also the accommodation issue that everyone is more concerned about. Hotel accommodation in Japan is notoriously expensive and small. In hotels with relatively good transportation in central Tokyo, a room costing 600+ RMB per night is usually only 10+ square meters, let alone during the peak tourist season. Among them, 2 square meters are used as toilets and 1 square meters are used as bathtubs. The Japanese really want to find a bathtub for you even if it is only 1 square meter. So if I go to Japan to stay in the city for several nights, I will choose Airbnb. Because there are Airbnb coupons on Moubo, if you choose to stay in some B&Bs that are eligible for discounts, and the total price exceeds a certain amount, you will usually get a 40% discount. However, because it is not allowed to sell coupons in this way on certain websites, such merchants will be blocked or disappear after a period of time, so there is still a certain risk. But I tried it two or three times and there was no problem for the time being. Please be careful when using it. Through this, I once rented a Japanese B&B with two bedrooms and one living room. It only cost 500+ per night, but it was a full 40+ square meters. If I share it with three or four friends, it is a great deal.

The remaining phone cards and traffic cards can be ordered in advance on Taobao. If you have other questions about the itinerary information, you can leave a comment and ask.

In fact, when I arrived in Tokyo at the end of March, cherry blossoms were basically in full bloom everywhere, but some parks had denser cherry blossoms. People spread out blankets in the park for picnics, or go out in groups for classic outings during the cherry blossom blooms. To sum up, wherever there are cherry blossoms, there will be crowds of people.

Meguro River cherry blossoms

©CrystalYe

Looking around, two rows of cherry blossoms are in full bloom along the Meguro River. That was the first time I saw such lush and dense cherry blossoms with my own eyes. Being in a sea of pink and white flowers is so intoxicating that you will never want to leave. Even though the endless stream of people keeps passing you by, it can't destroy the pleasure of watching this sea of cherry blossoms.

©CrystalYe

In addition to Meguro River, Sensoji Temple is also a popular spot for cherry blossom viewing. In addition to enjoying cherry blossoms, you can also visit temples to ask for fortune-telling. There are also places to rent kimonos near Sensoji Temple, usually around 300+ for half a day. You can slowly walk around the stalls and shops around Asakusa wearing a kimono, but female friends with respiratory problems should think twice, because the aunts at the rental shop will tighten your waist when they help you put on the kimono, which will make you I feel out of breath. Japanese people really go to great lengths for beauty. In order to avoid the suspicion of advertising, if you want the reservation website for kimono rental shops near Asakusa, you can send me a private message.

©CrystalYe

The cherry blossoms at Ueno Onshi Park are also not to be missed. And many Japanese and tourists in the park have picnics under the cherry blossom trees. Moreover, the park provides public picnic mats. If you are lucky, you can find a place to rest or have a picnic. Seeing many Japanese people picnicking and playing games in groups under the blooming cherry blossom trees makes me feel that this kind of life is so leisurely and comfortable.

©CrystalYe

However, Ueno Onshi Park is quite far away from Asakusa and requires a few minutes of subway ride. If you plan to rent a kimono for travel, you need to pay attention to the time.

©CrystalYe

There is also Sumida Park which is within walking distance next to Sensoji Temple. You can see the Tokyo Skytree on the other side from here.

There are other parks in Tokyo where cherry blossoms bloom densely. Because of time issues, I didn’t check in one by one. I just envy the Japanese people for seeing such beautiful scenery every spring. Whether it is the route to work or school, the bustling and blooming scenery can make the day full of energy.

Nostalgic Kamakura style

©CrystalYe

When mentioning Kamakura, the one that probably comes to mind is Slam Dunk. Most of the boys who come to Kamakura have a passion for this manga, which is like a kind of worship for the passion of youth. I feel that Japanese comics are really amazing. Comics from different periods represent the youth of a generation, regardless of nationality.

From Tokyo Shinjuku Station , take the JR Shonan Shinjuku Line to go directly to Kamakura . It takes about an hour. The cost is about 1,000 yen. But because we wanted to walk around a bit, we got off at Kita Kamakura . The next stop in Kita-Kamakura is Kamakura. After visiting Kita-Kamakura, you can get on the train directly at Kita-Kamakura Station and head to Kamakura.

©CrystalYe

Don’t miss the Enoden Train when you come to Kamakura. Most tourists taking Enoden will choose to get on the train at Kamakura Kogakumae Station. A section of the train tracks in this part of the train is right next to the sea, and it will also shuttle into buildings in residential areas. It has a unique flavor.

It's a pity that I didn't take a good picture of this section of the railway track at the time. It was a very Kamakura-style scene. Just like when you see the Eiffel Tower, you think of Paris, and when you see Enoden, you know Kamakura. The reason why I couldn't take a picture is that there are too many tourists checking in and taking pictures. Whenever the Enoden train passes by this section of the track, a group of tourists rush forward to try to take a picture of the train passing by within a few seconds. There are also quite a few tourists who simply change into Japanese school uniforms and reenact a Slam Dunk comic scene here. So unless you wait patiently for Enoden to pass by one after another and wait in line for the opportunity to take a photo, while avoiding the cars driving towards you, it will be difficult to capture it.

You can also reach Enoshima station by taking the Enoden train. Then walk for about 20 minutes to reach Eshima Shrine . But when I saw the steep stone steps, I felt too tired to climb them, and because time didn’t allow, I didn’t go up. However, there will be a watchtower on the top of Enoshima, Sea Lighthouse (lower right, there will be a lighting ceremony in winter), and Lovers' Bell (lower left). Friends who are interested and have time can go up and have a look.

©CrystalYe

If you are tired after a day of shopping, I suggest you have dinner at Komachi Street . A wide variety of souvenir shops and restaurants and snack bars can satisfy all your wishes. But there are really many people and there will be a long queue. The location is right next to Kamakura Station . It is recommended to visit when returning to Tokyo, so that you don’t have to travel around Kamakura with a bunch of souvenirs.

©CrystalYe

Overall, Kamakura is a very suitable place for a casual day trip around Tokyo. If you are tired of seeing the bustling city, you can choose to come to Kamakura to relax and experience the local leisurely Japanese style. Every frame is a nostalgic Japanese style painting.

The next article in Japan Series 2.0, is it better to write about the snow season in Hokkaido or the summer in Nara?