I just got back last night from a great food-focused weekend in Tokyo and then suddenly remembered I hadn’t done a post for today. Racking both my brain and photo archives, I realized that I’m nearly out of manhole pictures. Luckily, I snapped a picture of this one over the weekend:
Yes, astute readers, those are cherry blossoms on the cover and if you’ve ever been in Tokyo in April, you’ll know that Ueno Park is one of the top places to have a hanami party. Hanami literally means “flower viewing” and the original purpose of these gatherings was to spread out a blanket and enjoy the beauty of these fleeting blossoms. Obviously, alcohol plays a huge role in the hanami experience, though you don’t have to be all drunk and disorderly like the salarymen let out of the office early for the day. You can make your own hanami party anywhere – all you need is a few friends, a ground cover (no shoes on it though!) and a tree full of candy-colored flowers. Enjoy!
Outside of sakura season, Ueno Park is still worth a visit. Check out my earlier Better Know a Neighborhood post to find out why!
Uncover Japan 
Ueno Park is one of the best spots in Tokyo for hanami (cherry blossom viewing). I usually love visiting a park, a castle or just sitting along the banks of a river to enjoy the beautiful cherry blossoms.
Just for fun… It’s just my feeling but this manhole cover was post-surrender. The kanji 弱電 means weak electrical power (I think) but its written left to right.
Interesting insight, Mustang.Koji. Thanks for sharing!