After leaving Hanamaki onsen, we headed north to Morioka by Tohoku Shinkansen in about 10 min.

Ishiwarizakura (石割桜)

After dropping our luggage in Morioka hotel in the city centre, we visited the Ishiwarizakura (stone-splitting sakura) of 350 years old. It’s amazing that it could split up a core of granite rock in the middle.

Takamatsu-Koen  (高松公園)

Top 100 sakura spot – about 1200 sakura trees were planted around a small lake.  Though sakura was in full bloom, it was not crowded.

As temperature was hovering around 10C with occasional strong wind and drizzle, we stayed for about an hour.

Morioka Castle Ruins Park  (盛岡城跡公園)

About 10 min on foot from our hotel we visited this park. While sakura was in full bloom, there was so much petals on the ground as if it had snowed.  From time to time, petals were swirling in the wind as if it was snowing – a beautiful Hanafubuki scene (花吹雪).

===>   Kakunodate  ====>