Cherry blossoms and chaos in Tokyo

Tokyo during cherry blossom season is magical and maddening in equal measure. The city transforms as pink petals blanket parks and line streets, but so do the crowds. I quickly learned that the key to enjoying hanami season is to adjust your expectations and your schedule.

Early mornings became my favorite time. I’d head to Ueno Park around 6 AM, when the light was soft and the crowds hadn’t arrived yet. The cherry trees created tunnels of pink overhead, and watching the city slowly wake up beneath them felt almost meditative. By 10 AM, the same paths would be shoulder-to-shoulder with tourists and locals having picnics.

Beyond the sakura hype, Tokyo’s neighborhoods each have their own personality. Shimokitazawa felt like a miniature Brooklyn, full of vintage shops and tiny cafes. Yanaka retained an old Tokyo charm with its narrow streets and traditional shops. And Shibuya, well, Shibuya is exactly as chaotic as you’d imagine, but there’s an energy to it that’s intoxicating.

The food was predictably incredible. I made it my mission to try as many different types of restaurants as possible: standing sushi bars, basement ramen shops, department store food halls, and even a conveyor belt sushi place that was way better than it had any right to be. The quality, even at convenience stores, consistently amazed me.

One evening I got lost trying to find my way back from Shinjuku’s Golden Gai district. I ended up in a tiny yakitori restaurant where I was the only foreigner. The chef didn’t speak English, I barely spoke Japanese, but somehow we communicated through gestures and lots of nodding. He grilled skewer after skewer of chicken parts I couldn’t identify, each one more delicious than the last.

Tokyo is overwhelming in the best possible way. Just when you think you’ve figured out a neighborhood, you turn a corner and discover something completely unexpected.