More Sakura

After visiting the cherry blossoms last Friday, we decided we wanted to see more.  Sunday afternoon brought a trip to Yoyogi Park near Harajuku.  Sunday in Harajuku is always a crazy and crowded experience, but the weather was great so we headed out.  I had heard that Yoyogi Park was a big party spot during cherry blossom season, but nothing could have prepared me for this.

The video does not do the madness justice.  I could barely hold out my phone long enough to take this 15 second clip for fear of being trampled.  There were people as far as the eye could see.  I didn't even realize the park was this big.  It was insane!

Everywhere you looked, people were eating, drinking, and laughing.  DJ's were playing music.  People were singing karoke, dancing, and just enjoying life.  It was incredible.  We both wished our friends were here to share in the festivities with us!  We know some of you back home would have been right at home here.  We enjoyed the people watching for as long as we could.  The lines for the bathrooms were frightening, so we soon left the park.

Even the guys waited for almost an hour to use the facilities!

Still wanting more sakura, we headed to Nakameguro for a somewhat calmer experience.  This area of Tokyo feels very European.  There is a long river lined with trees and cute Japanese lanterns dangle in between.  The river is bordered by restaurants and cafes on both sides.  Each shop had a small table set up outside to sell wine, sake, beer, and pink champagne to match the flowers.  I even found one shop selling Boursin on crackers!

 

Even as darkness fell, people still sat around eating and enjoying

One shop lined up empty champagne bottles as they sold them

Admiring cherry blossoms is exhausting.  We had planned to come home and cook dinner together, but we ended up at a cute Italian restaurant instead.  After a day of crazed drunken people in the park, and long walks along the river, there's nothing better than sharing a bottle of red wine and eating pasta with the person you like most.  Another great Tokyo day!