Beautiful Nihonbashi

One of the more successful redevelopment experiments in Tokyo recently, the revitalised Nihonbashi area celebrates sakura season with a packed programme of events. Although actual cherry trees here are scarce and limited to the newly re-planted ones along Edo Sakura-dori, hanami-themed light-ups will be arranged to make up for the deficit: every day between 6.30pm and 11pm, major landmarks like the Mitsukoshi department store will be illuminated in pink, while the recently renovated street leading to Fukutoku Shrine will be beautified by sakura decorations, LEDs and traditional lanterns. There's also something to look forward to for foodies: restaurants inside and around the Coredo complex are putting on bar-hopping events between March 28 and April 5.