This is the order they bloom in: little frilly weeping kind first, then the pom-pom varieties explode from light to dark.

This is by far the best place to see yaezakura in Tokyo. Lots of late-blooming trees, in every color of pink you can imagine.

The best grove starts beyond this bridge that goes over the big pond.

See what I mean?

There are a few exceptions, like this cluster of perfect pink princesses along the main swath of lawns.

I think that yaezakura are more beautiful up close than the more famous kind.

Worth the wait, right?

In case you couldn’t tell in the other pictures, the trees at Shinjuku Gyou-en aren’t petite little specimens like we have in San Francisco – they’re HUGE!

Even if it’s raining, I highly suggest that you pull on your wellies and get thee to this garden, pronto!

Some choice pink yaezakura cascade over the tea bushes at the Imperial Palace East Garden

Double yaezakura start blooming just as the regular sakura start to fade.

The flowers on this rare kind start out white , then turn green!

Outside Takebashi Station, a lovely cluster of late-blooming trees turns the walkway into a fairytale wonderland.

Here’s the view, looking toward the Takebashi Bridge.

Old stones, new blossoms

On the right day, the moat is an improbable shade of blue.

This small garden has the latest-blooming yaezakura I’ve found – they’re still gorgeous well into the third week of April!

You can stand under the trees at Kyu-Shiba-Rikyu and feel like you are in a pink and white room.

You seldom see tourists at this wonderful northwest Tokyo park.

And they have an amazing variety of late-blooming trees.

Wow. Just…wow.

Somehow, these trees are so spectacular, you barely even notice the boring old skyscrapers in the background.

For nine years, Tokyo Detective Kenji Nakamura thought his mother’s death was an accident. Then he gets a call, and his life begins to unravel. Because if it wasn’t an accident…what was it? Read more