Cherry blossom season might be the most anticipated time of the year in Japan. As the weather gets warmer, the bare, leafless branches of the trees get fully covered in delicate blooms, creating a surreal scenery that fills us with wonder and awe. 

Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo is one of the prime places to admire and celebrate cherry blossoms in Tokyo. Chinzanso Garden is home to around 100 cherry trees of 20 variations; this makes it possible for visitors to enjoy the blooms from around mid-February until April. Moreover, the hotel offers sakura and tsubaki-themed ‘Flower Sensation’ events and special menus from February 8 until April 9, 2023, allowing patrons to celebrate cherry blossoms through all senses. This year, the beauty of the blooms is enhanced by the mesmerizing sea of clouds and the 10,000 lights that adorn the garden. For a truly unforgettable cherry blossom season, visit Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo in spring!

Cherry Blossom Season Lasts Two Months! Chinzanso Garden Highlights in Spring

At Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo, spring starts as early as February, when the Kawazu-zakura cherry tree variation goes in bloom. These vivid pink flowers with large petals are a sign that spring is just around the corner. They are followed in early March by Okame Sakura, whose flowers are small with almost transparent, pink petals, and Yoko-zakura, which have large blooms with deep pink hues. 

The star of the season is the Somei Yoshino variation, whose blooms are light pink, very delicate, but also infamously short-lived. The Somei Yoshino trees in Chinzanso Garden bloom at the same time as the row of cherry trees lining Kanda River, one of the most famous places to view the sakura in Tokyo. After walking along the river through a tunnel of blooms, climb the stone steps of the hill in Chinzanso Garden to enjoy the view of the cherry trees in full bloom with the six-century-old Three-Story Pagoda in the background. The cherry blossoms are lit up at night, creating a dreamlike scenery in which history and the present overlap. 

After the Somei Yoshino blooms, look forward to the Yaezakura variation with its two-fold, gorgeous blooms that grace the garden until mid-April. In other words, visit Chinzanso Garden anytime between mid-February and mid-April, and you can enjoy the view of sakura blooms! Visitors can pick up a map of all the cherry trees in Chinzanso Garden at the lobby of the hotel.  

What makes this year’s cherry blossom season even more anticipated than usual is the Tokyo Sea of Clouds, introduced as a feature of the garden in October 2020. The veil of mist released several times a day and the 10,000 lights that give the garden a magical atmosphere at night enhance the beauty of the cherry blossoms. For photography lovers, this is a chance to take pictures of a breathtaking scenery that can rarely be spotted elsewhere. Of course, staying at Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo allows you to enjoy the blossoms at leisure both during the day and at night, but visiting one of the hotel restaurants for lunch or dinner is also a great way of relishing the highlights of Chinzanso Garden.

A Feast for the Eyes and the Palate! Sakura and Tsubaki-Inspired Menus

Celebrating the seasons through flavors and festivals is a distinct feature of Japanese culture. It is considered auspicious and elegant to enjoy seasonal flavors and motifs that reflect the natural scenery. In this way, the sakura season at Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo is a feast for all senses.

The dining facilities within the hotel offer special cherry blossom-inspired menus all season long. Every delicate and appetizing dish is made using flavorful spring ingredients and is designed with seasonal motifs that bring the vibrant spring colors to the table.

For a truly special, celebratory Japanese meal, consider dining at Ryotei Kinsui, where you can enjoy seasonal kaiseki cuisine from March 6 to April 9, 2023. Savor the aroma of early spring with the finest seafood and spring vegetables. Standout dishes include delicacies such as simmered sea bream cooked in Kinsui’s traditional broth, Tokyo Sea of Clouds and cherry blossom-inspired grilled lobster, and rice cooked in an earthenware pot with an abundance of seasonal firefly squid.

The Japanese restaurant Miyuki offers festive lunch and dinner menus made with spring-time ingredients such as Spanish mackerel, bamboo shoots, and sakura shrimp. We also invite you to try our popular beef stew cooked with Hatcho miso, which adds richness and umami to the dish. The ‘La Brezza Primeverile’ course at Italian restaurant Il Teatro includes gorgeous meals that use an abundance of spring ingredients, while casual dining restaurant The Bistro features the ‘Flower Banquet,’ an exquisite spring course menu to refresh your body and mind for the new year. The main bar of the hotel, Le Marquis, offers a series of delightful tsubaki and sakura-inspired cocktails during this season. 

All special menus mentioned above are available from February 8 to April 9, 2023. 

Last but not least, at the lobby lounge Le Jardin, visitors can enjoy a luxurious cherry blossom afternoon tea. Available from March 1 until April 2, the afternoon tea features the floral flavor of cherry blossoms perfect for this time of year, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. The service is from 12:00 to 18:00, and reservations can be made online on the Japanese website. 

Special Events! Spring Flower-viewing Lunch & Dinner Buffets

Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo holds a series of camellia, cherry blossom, and spring-themed lunch and dinner events at the Banquet Hall between February 10 and April 9. They provide an excellent chance to enjoy exquisite dishes along with a stroll through the garden.

The lunch buffet features both Japanese and Western cuisine. The flavors and colors of this menu reflect the bright, majestic atmosphere of spring. This lunch buffet can be enjoyed at several different time slots on specific days (*1) during the cherry blossom season.

The dinner buffet consists of delightful dishes representing spring at its height. It includes a live cooking station, where guests can have a taste of the popular roast beef. Guests can also enjoy chirashi sushi with their choice of seafood, compote with flambeed strawberries and cherry compote, and much more. They may also freely enjoy a wide range of drinks, from sparkling cocktails and wines to whisky, shochu distilled alcohol, and soft drinks. 

Patrons are welcome to enjoy a walk in the garden before or after dinner and take in the views of the cherry blossoms and sea of clouds illuminated in the evening. Dinner can be enjoyed at several different intervals, depending on the day. 

For details on buffet times, prices, and dates, please refer to our website. You can book online or by phone at 03-3943-1140.

*1 Please note that the events will be held only on certain days between February 13 and April 10, 2022. Check the date of preference when making your reservation.

Cherry Blossom-Inspired Sweets at the Hotel Shop

The sweets lineup available at the shop of Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo features three limited-time items from March 1st until April 30th. 

The popular Cherry Blossom Mont Blanc is made with sakura-flavored cream combined with strawberries and matcha green tea cream. These sweets are ideal as souvenirs of your visit at Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo during the cherry blossom season, but also make great gifts to family and friends.

Two new additions this year are the Mimosa Cake and Sakura Sea of Clouds Roll Cake. The Mimosa Cake is made with vanilla-flavored rare cheese and apricots, which add a nice tartness to the sweetness of the cake. The Sakura Sea of Clouds Roll Cake is inspired by the Tokyo Sea of Clouds and our cherry blossom-enshrouded garden. The soft and light cake is filled with fresh cream mixed with cherry blossom bean paste, spreading the essence of spring across your tongue.

A Gorgeous Season! Welcome Spring at Chinzanso Garden

Thanks to its splendid garden, home to over 20 varieties of sakura trees, and its location by the Kanda River, Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo is the best place to relish the beauty of the cherry blossoms. 

Chinzanso Garden, with its century-old monuments and lush scenery, is a place where you can connect with nature in Tokyo. We recommend staying at the hotel in order to enjoy the seasonal views, events, and features introduced above at leisure and turn this spring into a truly unforgettable memory. 

Updated on December 6, 2022