Inokashira Park

Inokashira Park in western Tokyo centers on a spring-fed pond that supplied the city with drinking water during the Edo period. Around 500 cherry trees ring the water and create one of the city's most atmospheric hanami settings each spring, petals drifting across the surface while rowboats pass beneath the branches. A small zoo specializing in Japanese wildlife, a weekend open-air art market, and a Benzaiten island shrine make the park worth visiting beyond blossom season. The Ghibli Museum sits just beyond the western edge (tickets must be booked in advance). The park connects directly to Kichijoji, one of Tokyo's most walkable and characterful neighborhoods.