Hanami in Tokyo & Yokosuka

This year I took a bus tour to see the cherry blossoms (sakura) in Tokyo. It was a beautiful day and the flowers were at their peak. Many people were enjoying hanami (flower viewing), which typically involves lounging on blue tarps and eating and drinking under the trees...with lots and lots of other people!

Sumida Koen

Tokyo Skytree

Weeping sakura (shidarezakura)

Skytree and Sumida River

The most popular place for hanami in Tokyo - Ueno Koen

Hanami time

Awesome setup with shoe cubbies and everything!

Kaneiji Temple

Unusual tree from Kyoto with single/double flowers within the temple grounds

Chidorigafuchi near the Imperial Palace

Yasukuni Shrine

Jizō statues at Zojyoji Temple at the base of the Tokyo Tower

The next set of pictures are from our neighborhood, Sakuragaoka (which literally means "cherry blossom hill"). This year the trees started blooming March 25 and now they are all falling down. In general, the blossoms only last two weeks or less.

Hashi with the sakura in full bloom at a park by our house

Sakura falling

The lanterns are lit up at night

Yozakura - "night sakura"

This is the best my camera can do at night

We walk around this ravine every day

Tokyo skyline with the Skytree way across the bay from our house

Yaezakura - sakura with more than 5 petals

Looking down the hill towards our house

Welcome to the Neighborhood

View from the park across the street looking over Maborikaigan. The island is Sarashima Island, the only natural island in Tokyo Bay.

Sakuragaoka (桜が丘) is the name of our neighborhood in Yokosuka. It means "cherry blossom hills" (or heights). In actuality, we almost part of the neighborhood of Maborikaigan. The train station and the shopping area around it are about a 7 minute walk from our house.

Maborikaigan is one of the most popular neighborhoods in Yokosuka for military families since it's only about 4 miles from the base/central Yokosuka and very walkable. The homes are also quite large for Japan (not American large--we're talking 1300 sqft!). We're only about an hour by train from Tokyo so a lot of people live here and commute -- feels like Tacoma/Seattle in that way.

Walking down the street - our house is on the right. As you can see, we're on a slight hill.

You pass under the tracks and get to our local train station

Convenience store across from the station named "Three F"

Yakitori stand on the road to the station

Tiny (12 seats) tea cafe in the other direction where they have giant dessert waffles

Less than  minute from the station is our local grocery store, which is owned by Wal-Mart. Go figure! There is also a McDonald's.

Garden shop next to grocery store

Japanese-French bakery...think lots of cream or bean filled doughy pastries and melon pan

Vegetable store - our area is known for fresh produce

Florist and barber above

The stuff always flies off the shelves at this French bakery. They say it's one of the best in Yokosuka and I have to agree. Real crusty bread is so hard to find in Japan!

One of the many, many hair salons in our neighborhood. Taking care of your hair is important here!

Lovely walking path through the neighborhood - these pictures was taken in the summer, can you tell? :)

There is also a nice palm tree-lined promenade along the water (Yokosuka Kaigan Dori)

Peaceful place to go fishing

Our New House!

We signed the contract for our new house today! It's in the Sakuragaoka neighborhood of Yokosuka--a lovely neighborhood up only a bit of a hill (it's a challenge in Japan to find a house in a totally flat area). It's less than a 10 minute walk from Maborikaigan station, where there are a bunch of restaurants and a grocery store, etc.

Believe it or not, it used to be a SIX bedroom house (two of the bedrooms were converted into a large living room). At approx. 1300 sqft, that is a really small six bedroom house! It was built in 1975, so it's pretty ancient in terms of Japanese houses, but it's been renovated since then.

Carport on the side

Entry with shoe closets

Our dining room, a former bedroom

Hideous bathroom...but I don't think we'll be spending most of our time in there ;)

Equally hideous tub and shower room

Giant kitchen (supposed to be a kitchen/dining room). This is by far the biggest kitchen we saw.

Note that there is no dishwasher and oven!

Kitchen storage and washer/dryer hookup

Huge living room--one of the reasons we chose this house!

Stairway is steep, but we saw steeper ones!

Master bedroom

Bathroom off master bedroom

Balcony off master bedroom--you can see Tokyo Bay a little bit

Second bedroom/office

Neighbors across the street

Tatami guest bedroom

Backyard/2nd parking spot

Ready for my garden!