Spring-Enjoy Cherry Blossom Viewing!

Cherry blossom trees extend for approximately eight kilometers along the banks of the Shiroishi River, from Ogawara-cho through to neighboring Shibata-cho. This area is known as “1,000 cherry trees in once glance”. A third of the approximately 1,200 cherry trees that make up this tunnel of trees are over 90 years old.

The Okitama Cherry Blossom Corridor is located in the Okitama Basin in the south of Yamagata Prefecture, and extends from Akayu Hot Spring through to Shiratakimachi. It runs for about 43 kilometers alongside Yamagata Railway’s Flower Nagai Line, which is a well-known cherry blossom tour route. Around twenty locations along the route are of historical interest, featuring ancient trees that are over 1,200 years old, famous trees and very large trees.

Miharu Takizakura is counted among the top three cherry blossom locations in Japan. It is said that the name “Takizakura”, which means “cherry blossom waterfall”, comes from the fact that the thick branches extending in all directions and festooned with countless tiny crimson flowers look just like a cascading waterfall.

Takada Castle is known as one of the three top locations for nighttime cherry blossom viewing. During the “Takada Castle One Million Visitor Cherry Blossom Party”, approximately 3,000 paper lanterns light up the evening. The castle lights and the roughly 4,000 cherry trees adorned with paper lanterns reflecting in the waters of the moat make for a truly magical viewing experience.

Approximately 300 Yoshino cherry trees and Double Blossom cherry trees surround the enclosure and moat of Matsumoto Castle. It is an evocative location, whether in the daytime when the blossoms can be seen against the backdrop of the snow-capped Northern Alps, or at night, when they can be viewed against the illuminated castle tower.