During the sakura (cherry blossom) season, the whole country of Japan is in a festive mood. It is the time when the "blossom report" becomes more important than the weather report. Here are five best places to see these beautiful flowers here.
Hirosaki Castle, on the tip of Japan's main island of Honshu, is arguably the nation's most popular cherry blossom viewing spot. According to According to Silver Kris, "the castle grounds pretty much cover the complete cherry blossom hit parade: thousands of trees, views of snow-capped mountains, cherry blossom tunnels, petal-filled moats, boats that can be rented to float romantically through said moats, and night illumination events."
For centuries, the Mt Yoshino mountain range in the middle of Nara Prefecture has been Japan's most famous cherry blossom viewing spot. There are over 30,000 cherry trees are planted on a mountain slope where there are temples, villages, and parks. One can view 1,000 cherry trees at once at Yoshimizu-jinja Shrine.
Rather than abundance, it is variety that one notices in the blossom experience at the Osaka Mint Bureau. More than a hundred varieties are planted into a long pathway that curves through the garden of the Japan Mint headquarters.The Mint s well-known for its double blossom varieties, which can have even 100 petals per flower, resulting in amazing blooms that hangs from the trees.
Another one is Ueno Park in Tokyo. The central path is lined with some 800 cherry trees. Each side is usually filled with revellers for their annual picnics. Aside from going into picnics, one can visit the four museums and a zoo , as well as go boating on a pond.
Displaying a collision of beautiful cherry blossoms with ancient samurai culture is the quiet riverside town of Kakunodate in Tohoku. It is the best place to see samurai architecture, with a number of beautifully preserved residences for the veiwing public. Cherry blossoms abound around the old samurai houses, most of which are surrounded by dark black fences with magnificent gates. There are more spots in Japan where you can see cherry blossoms.
