Ueno Park Hanami

Hanami means flower-viewing, and hanami parties dot the landscape during sakura (cherry-blossom) season all over Japan. Ueno park in Tokyo is a hotbed of hanami parties, as work groups, families, and friends gather to party under the blossoms.

We visited Ueno park the morning after arriving, getting there at 7:00 or so. It was cold and the blossoms weren't yet in full swing, but folks were camped out to reserve spots for the parties to come.