Flowers of Tokyo

I might have been back and forth to Tokyo in the past 15 months but there was one important period of time when I should have been there but was not: the cherry blossom blooming season. So many people travel to Japan just for this season and even the locals make a party out of this season, so I definitely feel I missed out on one pivotal part of the Japanese tradition.

Well, I didn't go watch a sumo-wrestling match either, but I have a lot less regret about not watching two huge men wrestle each other wearing next to nothing, to be honest.

Even so, missing out on sakura season didn't mean you'll be missing out on sakura altogether! If the time is right, you'll see them already blooming towards the end of winter, like I did just last month (and also in March last year!). I was surprised to see so many of them already popping out in Shinjuku Gyoen (my favourite park EVER possibly) which made a very picturesque scene, with the sky so blue and the grass still mostly a soft shade of brown.

All from Shinjuku Gyoen, February 2016

I'm not just about the sakuras though; there are so many different types of the prettiest flowers blooming freely in the wild in Tokyo that captured my heart—by "in the wild" I really mean in these everyday places that your eyes naturally wander at: by the roadside, in a park, in your own garden—something that I normally don't get to witness in tropical Malaysia. I constantly wish Malaysia could have beautiful green gardens like the ones I've seen in Tokyo but I suppose even if we do, the comfortably cool weather can't be duplicated here!

I mean, guys, THESE FLOWER BEDS. They NEED to be in my own garden.

Shinjuku Gyoen, November 2014

Shinjuku Gyoen, November 2014

Every ounce of my will was used to not jump on this flower bed. Again, how insanely beautiful is this, guys?

Shinjuku Gyoen, November 2014 (see more here)

If you're all about the roses, Yoyogi Koen is where you need to be.

Yoyogi Koen, August 2015

Yoyogi Koen, May 2015

Yoyogi Koen, May 2015

Even the zoo in Tokyo has sprinkles of prettiness like this!

Ueno Zoo, December 2014 (see more here)

One truly spectacular scene that I will never forget is the stunning vast field of sunflowers in Zama—which, granted, isn't exactly in the heart of Tokyo but the 50-minute trip to Kanagawa prefecture really felt like a short one from the city centre that I barely felt I was out of Tokyo. I may have missed sakura season but to experience the sunflower season absolutely helped healed the wound!

Zama, August 2015 (see more here)

Zama, August 2015

Want to be indoors but still enjoy your flowers? Then you should definitely check out Aoyama Flower Market, located in Omotesando. This cafe is probably the most gorgeous, most quaint cafe I've ever seen in my life; the inside is brimmed with beautiful vibrant flowers, making it really extra special.

I found out about this cafe (and its supposedly legendary French toast) only in my last trip last month, but alas, when I went, their oven was broken, so I never did find out how good their French toast is. I cried so hard on the inside, I wanted them French toast So. Bad. (PS: There was a 60-minute line to get into the cafe, by the way!) Nevertheless, I spent some time admiring the pretty flowers inside right outside the entrance of the cafe.





I don't know when I'll ever see all these flowers again (and get a taste of that French toast) but here's to hoping it's very soon! If you've been keeping up with Affordorable, you'd know how amazingly in love I am with Japan, and I think you should totally visit if you haven't. If you have a free spot for a vacation left opened in your calendar, guys, go visit Japan! My personal favourite cities are Kyoto and, of course, Tokyo.
PS: Sakura season is coming up, you can check out their blooming forecast in different Japan cities here (seriosuly, they even have sakura forecast!)

To find an accommodation in Tokyo can be pretty tricky (because they're mostly relatively pricey!) so here's one useful tip: visit HotelsCombined to compare the best accommodation deals for your next trip to Tokyo, or really, anywhere else in the world. Good luck, and happy vacationing!