The Sakura trees of Aoyama

Aoyama Cemetery is a Tokyo curiosity and, in my opinion, one of the most pleasant spots to admire the Sakura blossoms in spring. It’s not one of the capital’s best-known addresses, but it’s well worth a visit. First and foremost, its location. It’s close to Roppongi and Omotesando, two neighborhoods I really appreciate. Close to home, I often have the opportunity to stroll through them. But it’s also a pleasant place to stroll and find the graves, some of them very old, of Japanese personalities from many eras. Among them is the tomb of the faithful dog Hachiko and his master. As the story goes, Hachiko used to accompany and pick up her master from Shibuya station when he went to teach at the University. The latter eventually died on the job, but Hachiko never stopped going to the station every day, as was her wont. Today, a statue has been erected in Shibuya in honor of her loyalty, and it’s common practice to meet in front of Hachiko.

Sakura trees, symbols of ephemeral life thanks to their spectacularly short flowering period, have been the guardians of these tombs for centuries.