#98 Season of fresh greenery
Take advantage of this very short season when the mountains are sprouting and moving.
The cherry blossoms have fallen in Tokyo, but the news of cherry blossoms from Hokkaido is just beginning. In the Tokyo area, where the cherry blossoms were late in blooming, the cherry trees in full bloom have just started to fall and turn into leafy cherry trees. This weekend, the cherry blossom fever may have died down, and the cherry blossom viewing spots may be quieter again. This year, the delay in the cherry blossoms' blooming has allowed some of the trees to turn green, and there are many places where you can see an unexpected collaboration of cherry blossoms and fresh greenery. From now until early summer, new trees will sprout all at once after waiting all winter. Although cherry trees are more elegant and showy than others, this is the time of year when the trees are most active. I hope to share with you this week how to enjoy the season.
In Tokyo, broadleaf trees such as beech, oak, maple, and cherry blossoms can be enjoyed in many parts of the city. The best time to view the trees is from April to May when the cherry blossoms are about to fall.
The new shoots grow faster than you might expect, and within a few weeks, the leaves are so firm that we can hardly call fresh green. The absolute pleasure of tasting fresh greenery lies in the supple leaves that adorn the trees as if the sky were transparent through them. Therefore, the best time to enjoy fresh green leaves is very short.
Today, I can recommend three of my favorite fresh greenery.
Jingu Gaien: This place is famous for its ginkgo trees that turn yellow all over in autumn, but the fresh green season also creates a lovely atmosphere with fresh green all over the place. It is rare to see so many ginkgo trees in Tokyo. For autumn, I’d like you to please take a look at my previous post.
Mawarime-daira: 3 to 4 hours by car from the center of Tokyo. The larch forests on the north side of the Okuchichibu mountain range become like a yellow carpet in autumn leaves and are nothing short of beautiful. In early summer, usually in late May, the mountains are covered in a soft green carpet as new buds sprout on the brown mountain surface.
For those from overseas, it may not be an opportunity to visit, but if you have the chance, you should do so. The most famous example is Mawarime-daira, Japan's Mecca of free climbing.
Yoyogi Park(roses bloom in May): In the heart of Tokyo, Yoyogi Park is as green as the Imperial Palace. From May to June, the park is full of roses.
There is no better time to visit Japan than the autumn leaves, but if you pay attention to the trees in Tokyo from now until early May, you will indeed feel the vibrancy of the trees in the new buds that will sprout.
Even if the new leaves have already grown in central Tokyo, in the western Okutama area, the new leaves will appear one to two weeks later than in central Tokyo. It takes two hours from central Tokyo by taking the Chuo Line and the Ome Line. However, it is a beautiful place with the clear stream of the Tama River flowing through it, and it is hard to believe it is in Tokyo. It is a place where one can feel the multifaceted nature of Tokyo. It is a good idea to seek out other aspects of Tokyo in search of fresh greenery this time of year.
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I like the word 若葉 (young leaves) for new leaves in Japanese -- more focus on the process of growth. Lovely photos and, as usual, information that is useful even for people who have been in Japan a long while. Thanks!