The cherry blossom season is probably one of the most famous events in Japan and is certainly the most celebrated both at home and abroad.  It's very short, all over in a couple of weeks at most but really at it's most superb for only a few days.  Because Japan is such a long country though, it is possible to follow the hanami as it works it's way up the country from Okinawa in the south to Hokaido in the north.  We were very lucky to arrive back in Tokyo from New Zealand just at the peak of the season in Tokyo.

There are many places in Tokyo to view the blossom, but one of the most famous is the cemetary in Aoyama.  Aoyama Botchi is a very beautiful, peaceful place at any time of year, but at hanami time, it's peace is shattered by a festival atmosphere, with crowds coming to see the blossom and to attend hanami parties.  I was there quite early on a weekday before the partying really got going, but there were already some parties in full swing.

After Aoyama, I went on to Kudanshita, near the Imperial Palace.  The cherry trees are planted all along the moat and make a spectacular sight.  As well as the cherries, there are beautiful wildflowers all over the banks of the moat, contrasting their yellows and blues with the cherry blossom.

This last photo is of the Sotobori canal just down the hill from where we live.  On weekends during hanami, the road is packed with people driving slowly past to view the flowers.