Top 10 Readers’ Photos: April 2019

Farewell Heisei.

April is an exciting month in Japan packed with tons of festivals and prime time for cherry blossom viewing. April in 2019 literally made history as it marked the end of the Heisei era and a new emperor was crowned on May 1. We hope you made some lasting memories in Heisei and if you missed the infamous Penis Festival during the first week of April, don’t worry there’s always next year.

Every month, we select our favorite travel images from readers. Tag your photo on Instagram with #GaijinPotTravel for a chance to be featured on our site.

10. A relaxing stroll through Hikawa Shrine in Kawagoe, Saitama.

9. Getting crafty at the Annual Hobby Show and craft fair in Odaiba.

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20160426. Thought & Shares from 43rd Annual Hobby Show Japan 2019 ( 6 of 6 ) "Hello Circus Project" ? ❤️ ? . . . . . . Covering Tokyo ? Rainbow Parade today at YoYogi Park. It is an honor to share some of our images to our Instagram community. Thank you for the likes and follow. Releasing our mechanics soon for our fine art giveaway. Special thanks to @minipoche_bag @grandolce100 @tobimatsu_shoichiro @atelier44hosea @small00right @hobbycookingfair_official @hellocircus777 @hellocircus77777 . . . . #art_of_japan_ #art_spotlight #gaijin #goldenweek #gaijinpottravel #tokyoweekender #visitjapan #rainbowparade #gaypride #lovewins #lovewins? #artistssupportingartists #artistry #artists_insta #artists_community #artistlife #artfair #nippon_lovers #nipponpic #knitted #knittinginspiration #knittersofinstagram #artsandcrafts #fineartists #feltingwool #silkpress #fineartprints #lightoverdarknessimages #tokyo2020

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8. Cherry blossom trees made entirely of legos at Legoland in Nagoya! Will this become a sakura viewing trend in the new Reiwa era??

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Sakura tree in perfect full bloom ?????? Made by LEGO bricks. At night it is illumitaded with its LEGO bricks lanterns ??? In April 2018 Legoland Japan in Nagoya (Aichi) set a new Guiness World Records title by building a life-sized sakura tree using over 800.000 LEGO bricks. • • • • #legolandjapan #レゴランドジャパン #レゴランド #legoland #レゴランドジャパン #guinnessworldrecord #ギネス世界記録 #sakuratree #桜の木 #名古屋 #nagoya #愛知県 #aichiprefecture #aichi #日本 #japan #japon #kawaiiaichi #bestaichipics #aichinow #visitjapan #explorejapan #ilovejapan #japan_gram #gaijinpot #gaijinpottravel #histrip_japan #japan_photogroup #japantravelphoto #unknownjapan

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7. These Azaleas at Nezu Shrine in Yanaka, Tokyo just might be even more beautiful than cherry blossoms.

6.  Carp streamer festivals are a quintessential part of spring.

5. Did you know Sunshine Aquarium in Ikebukuro has freaking transparent fish??

4. Tokyo Tower glowing behind swimming carp streamers.

3. Phallic vegetables at the annual Penis Festival in Kawasaki, Kanagawa. All hail the sacred carrot penis.

2. The Edo Yoshiwara Oiran Procession in Asakusa. Not to be confused with geisha, who are simply entertainers, oiran were very highly-regarded (and expensive) prostitutes. Make that money, honey.

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. 春 浅草⑨ . 江戸吉原おいらん道中 . . Spring in Asakusa⑨ . Edo Yoshiwara Oiran Parade . Oiran(花魁(おいらん)) means that a high-ranked prostitute that is not only beautiful but also sophisticated in Edo's pleasure district called "Yoshiwara(吉原)" . *Edo is a name of Tokyo that used to be called and a period between1603 and1868 CE in Japan. . It's said that the gorgeous and elaborate kimono she's wearing weighs around 30 kg. . . ?Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan . . . ●ポートレート専用のアカウント My Portrait Account . @photo_samurai_ . Feel free to follow me?✨ . . . #花魁道中#springinjapan#tokyo??#淺草#instatokyo#tokyogram#ig_tokyo#tokyophotography#bunnytokyotag#kimonogirl#kimonolove#visittokyo#traveltokyo#exploretokyo#tokyotrip#lovetokyo#gaijinpottravel#nipponpic_anniversary2019#tokyoartsandculture#tokyoluxey#art_of_japan_#nipponpic#loves_united_japan#japanawaits#bestphoto_japan#loves_nippon#visitjapanjp#jpkrtravel#japantravelguide#カメラが好きな人と繋がりたい

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1. Farewell Heisei. It’s been real, but it’s time to leave you… behind.

Don’t forget to tag your photo on Instagram with #GaijinPotTravel for a chance to be featured on our site! See you next month.