Finally the first Spring post this year! Tokyo’s cold gloomy winter was slowly transitioning to a warmer pre-spring weather when I was there on end March. This is my third time being in Tokyo around these months and having missed the cherry blossom seasons TWICE already, I hoped that I could get a chance to finally see the first trees blooming… and I did! Sadly I had to return before the full bloom so still no hanami experience, but fingers crossed for next year. It was also my first time wearing kimono #yay. I’ll rave about how much I love it and also skip about the difficulty in walking in it, in a moment.

It was still chilly and raining a lot when I was there. Ok, chilly is an understatement. I was freezing and arrived unprepared, outfit wise. The smartass (me) left all the winter coats at home due to the lack of research (also I wanted to look less of a stuffed bear on my holiday photos) and only brought the thin spring jackets. Not. Smart. Guess what it’s PRE-SPRING not the official spring. Succeeded in looking less like a bear more like a normal human, but followed by incessant shaky hands and grindy teeth. (Tho bless the AirBnb owner for the electric quilt that he provides in the apartment.)

Destinations wise, this time I was being less adventurous than usual. So even no visit to my favorite neighborhoods Shimokitazawa and Koenji. Probably due to the fact that it was raining almost everyday and all the bones inside my body kept telling me to enter any shop, cafe, restaurants or other establishment nearby with heater inside.

After having no luck in Shinjuku Gyoen and Ueno Park with the cherry blossom trees, I finally got my rows of pink goodness in Yoyogi-Koen. Obligatory spring 2017 selfie, check! I guess what they all say about sakura is true. They’re so sublime and magical (and short-lived) like none other. I wish I could stay longer to see all the trees in full bloom and delicate petals flying around. I also so so wished I get better luck with the weather but it was an overcast sky instead of a bright blue sky. Still feel grateful to have a short chance to stay and take a few photos though because the rain poured hard right after that.

Anyway, cut the self-pity moment right here because there were indeed sunnier days on the last days and it was wonderful! Also I finally got the chance to wear a kimono and roam around Asakusa for a few hours in it. I probably have never worn anything that colorful in my life so that day I felt like a full spectrum rainbow AND I LOVED EVERY SINGLE SECOND OF IT.

There are lots of kimono rental around Asakusa, I went with Yae Kimono that I found online. The shop is within 4 minutes walk from the station and the staff are professional, english-speaking and so friendly. You need to make a reservation online before you come, try to get an earlier spot so you can have a longer time before you have to return the kimono at 5.30 pm. ps: they will also do your hair and put cute accessories, and you can put all your stuff in their locker so you really have nothing to worry about.

Yae Kimono
Quatre Chic 6th Floor 1-16-2 Asakusa Taito-ku Tokyo
Open Everyday 9.30am-5.30pm (by appointment only)

The weather began to get popsicle/gelato friendly later on, so I urge you guys to try the delicious (and OH SO INSTAGRAMMABLE) popsicle selections at Paletas Daikanyama, and to get your organic brunch fix at Si・Empre Cafe & Market right next to it.

Si・Empre Cafe & Market / Paletas Daikanyama
20-23 Daikanyamacho, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0034, Japan
Open Everyday 11am-9pm

 

And coffee, of course.

Little Nap Coffee Stand
5-65-4 Yoyogi, Shibuya Tokyo 151-0053
Open everyday 9:00am-7:00pm

Sarutahiko Coffee Shinjuku Stand
3-32-6 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku,Tokyo BEAMS JAPAN 1F

Til next time, Tokyo. You’ve been very good!

Also check out my 2015 April trip here and 2016 May trip here and here.

13

You May Also Like

One comment

Reply

Halo Nicoline, saya seseorang yang sangat mengidolakan kamu, foto-foto kamu sangat bagus dan berkarakter. Saya mempunyai suatu keinginan yaitu memajang foto kamu di kamar saya dengan ukuran besar, jika kamu tidak keberatan saya ingin meminta file besar foto diri kamu, foto diri yang terbaik dan tercantik, saya akan mencetak sendiri fotonya. Karena tidak mungkin saya akan mengambil foto kamu sendiri dengan kamera saya, hahaha… Saya berharap sekali kamu bisa mengirimkan fotonya ke email indaklupo@gmail.com

Thanks Nicoline

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *