sakura walk (kamata & ikegami)

Last Sunday started off overcast, Satoshi had an errand to run, so we met up afterwards.

I walked past Misono Shrine, the cherry blossoms have started to flutter here.

We went to check out the Hamazushi that I spotted from MOS, it is a smaller shop, but at the time that we went, we didn't have to wait for a table!

When we came out though, the line was krazy!

Still, we'll be back because this location is a little closer for us.

The weather was quite warm so after some grocery shopping, we had our first shave ice of the year...Tamaya is a shop from Imabari, Ehime and has been serving shave ice since 1903!

Satoshi had the milk seiki (sugar added to milk), I had the strawberry…1650 yen (tax included)

So delicious! the texture was similar to guri guri

Afterwards, we went home, put the groceries away then went up the street to Ikegami Honmonji

It was also Hanamatsuri, the Buddha's birthday, so we ladled some sweet tea over a tiny statue of the Buddha 

The sakura was in full bloom here and every one was out and about

It was supposed to be rainy, but turned out to be quite sunny, hot even 

Lots of walking and lots of eating.

sakura walk (sakurazaka & tamagawa)

Last Saturday it was forecast for clouds, Satoshi had something to do so I went to check out Sakurazaka.

I’ve mentioned this before but this is the area which inspired Fukuyama Masaharu to write the song "Sakurazaka".

 

Caught this furry one enjoying the blooms

I then walked along Tamagawa

How’s this family?! I am a wimp and cannot sit in the grass like this, for fear of crawly things, I need a bench or chair! ha

So many people having hanami (cherry blossom viewing) parties

These two found a bench on a street corner to have their hanami.

The overcast weather made for gloominess, but it was still nice to be out and about.

semi-sakura walk (kanda)

When I went to Kanda Shinoda, I also went a couple of doors up to Omiya Yogashiten because I wanted to try their sakura butter roll, this was a "drier" cake, which kind of reminded me of dacquoise, an almond cake filled with buttercream, this version was topped with salted sakura flowers.

The buttercream actually had bits of sour cherry in it, I'm glad it didn't overpower anything...500 yen plus tax

I'm glad I got to try this.

And this rolled cake for Satoshi...350 yen plus tax

This looked like a moist sponge filled with lots of whipped cream and fruit in the middle

I also picked up their baked piroshiki, small curry pan and tuna sandwich...580 yen plus tax 

The tuna sandwich had big pieces of onion in it, glad the onion didn't have a bite to them

The curry pan was spicy and the piroshiki was meaty

I'm glad I tried these and will try others items the next time I am here. 

Shohei bridge on the way back to JR Akihabara station

(photos uploaded wonky)

Waterras, an office complex across the street from Omiya Yogashiten had several cherry trees around their entrance

It was forecast to rain, so I wanted to make it home before it did.

Still, I'm glad I got to see a little more cherry blossoms.

sakura walk (meguro & shinagawa)

Thursday, I went to the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien (Garden) Art Museum to see their cherry blossoms

If you remember, I was here back in November
 

There were still some camellias in bloom

They have a handful of sakura trees

Apparently this particular sakura tree is the same as the type that was sent to the Potomac area in Washington DC 100 plus years ago, this tree was planted at the museum 20 plus years ago…huge!

Osaki's sakura as seen looking down from the walkway of the JR Osaki station

The blooms are at the top of the tree, so it was best to look down at them 

Caught the Chandon boat, taking people on a sakura tour on the Meguro river, they were sipping champagne and eating pupus, cool! (looked up the price and it was $800-ish for a weekday, more for weekends)

Along the Meguro River near Shinagawa

Loved the colors of this tile

Kita Shinagawa

At least it wasn't raining, but the cloudiness was kind of gloomy

(indoor) sakura walk (haneda)

Wednesday was forecast for rain at about lunchtime...it actually started to rain earlier

I decided to check out the sakura display at Haneda airport.

By bus, what should have taken half an hour took me almost an hour to get there because of traffic

This beautiful sakura ikebana display was super impressive

Most of the other sakura around Terminal 3 was fake

This was a teeny but real ikebana display

Other fake displays at Haneda Airport Garden

Loved the walls inside the Hanayama Udon shop

Even though most of the displays were fake, it was nice to walk around Haneda and see some sakura.

sakura walk (omori)

Tuesday, finally went to check out Oisuijin Park which can be seen from the JR Keihin Tohoku line near Omori.

Unfortunately the cherry blossoms were only about 10% in bloom

Wednesday was supposed to rain, so everyone was out and about on this day

It doesn't look like a lot of people in my photos but there were quite a number of people.

Even though there weren't many blooms yet, I'm glad I got to check out this area.

sakura walk (kamata)

Monday, went to physical therapy then out for groceries

Lunch at MOS...tobikiri bacon cheese and iced oolong tea

As I was walking to the market, spotted this tree at the Nishi Kamata Park.

I think it might be two trees next to each other.

Was kind of warm walking home, so I made myself a matcha tea soda

1/2 teaspoon matcha, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, hot water (just a little to "melt" (liquify) sugar and matcha, whizz with milk foamer thingy

ice and carbonated water

The weather for Tokyo will be rainy off and on for the next couple of days, hopefully I’ll be able to get out to see more sakura in the coming days