April is one of my favourite months in Japan – the temperature in Tokyo clearly rising, with it usually hitting at least 20 degrees by the end of the month. It really is the perfect weather – blue skies, without the humidity we are burdened with in the summer months. April in Tokyo reminds me a bit of when I visited Monterey in California during August. You are just content to just sit outside all day, watching the world go by.
I was lucky enough to enjoy the sakura in three different parts of Japan this year, with each place blooming at different dates. We didn’t plan it that way, but the end result was a full month of enjoying the cherry blossoms. With an extended spring break for the both of us, Mrs IKIMASHO and I made two separate trips to Naoshima in Kawaga, as well as Matsumoto up north in Nagano. On top of that, there was the usual wandering about local neighborhoods in Tokyo.
Looking back on the pics, I’m reminded how many nice experiences we had, and I hope you enjoy the mood too.
It was so good to be by the sea in Naoshima. I’ll post a little photo essay at some point. 
We were able to cycle around the whole island, discovering lots of art museums and secret nature spots. The way of life down here is so slow – there’s only one convenience store on the whole island, and not many places to eat. Such a different way of life from Tokyo. 
Soft colours by day… 
And as night falls. 
Our second trip in April took us up north to Matsumoto. Like Naoshima, this was my first time visiting and the castle really is a striking sight. With the cherry blossoms and the snow-capped mountains, it was a surreal moment – I imagined I was in Tibet or something! 
Cherry blossom trees lining the moat of Matsumoto Castle 
Meanwhile, in Tokyo, the sakura have disappeared for another year… 
But that means there is now plenty of green 
We visited an area called Tennocho near Yokohama 
It had a nice rustic feel 
With lots of interesting store fronts like this… 
this… 
this… 
… and this. 
The market area was bustling 
And really reminded me of some of the markets you would see somewhere like Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam; lots of low buildings, awnings, mopeds, and people shouting. 
In Tennocho, we stopped for sushi. I liked the lanterns and wood hanging from the counter. 
The lunch set was cheap! Just 1000yen (about 7USD / 6GBP). There was a big prawn head in the soup, with the antenna poking out. I kept thinking of my mum, who would have enjoyed literally zero elements of this meal ha. 
Coffee time 
Yellow & red vending machines basking in the sun 
One rainy Saturday, we headed over to Nakano. It’d been a year or so since we were there. 
The interior of the Vietnamese restaurant we went to for lunch was random and cute 
Though the meal was kind of so-so. I am a banh-mi and pho snob – it needs to be good to impress me! 
Colourful koinobori for Chidren’s Day were hanging all along the covered arcade. The Japanese consider koi to be the most spirited fish — so full of energy and power that it can fight its way up swift-running streams and cascades. I guess then that koinobori are to encourage children to fight and try their best in life. 
It’s a wonder manga companies make any money considering how many people just stand and read them at the shop for free 
A soba lantern swings in the rain 
While others take a break at an udon restaurant 
From one suburb… 
To another. It was an eventful April.
I hope you are all well!
IKIMASHO! 