Our 2nd visit since 2004 koyo season. This time is for peak sakura season though. We strolled around the hilly onsen town, dotted by temples and two public onsen for daytime visitors. As usual, we did not go for the public ones but saved the soak in the onsen ryokan instead.
World Heritage. 2nd visit since April 2000 for sakura.
After 15 years since 2000, we returned to Kyoto during peak sakura season 🙂
from Gion, walk towards Yasaka shrine and up further then you arrive at this park. During the sakura season, it is spectacular to have several hundred trees blossoming at the same time. Besides, in the middle, there is a huge Shidarezakura (weeping sakura) tree which is gorgeous in the day as well as being light up in the evening. Sadly, compared to when we last visited in 2000, it has shrunk. Upon return, 3 Japanese ladies in kimono were playing traditional music in Yasaka Shrine.
Having visited many sakura spots in Japan, by far this is still the most impressive. In other sakura spots the Somei Yoshino (slightly pink, but almost in white) are widely planted. However, the ones in Heian Jingu are predominantly of Yaeshidare-zakura (pink overhanging). It happened that a Japanese couple was holding their wedding ceremony.
visited Ito onsen town and Izu Kogen. Sakura blossom was later than yearly average by about 1 week. We had gone to Kyoto prior to this but were disappointed as almost all sakura trees were still in budding stage. Thus, we were so glad that we made the right decision to detour back to Kanto as sakura was in full bloom in Ito and Izu Kogen. At the end of the 4km long sakura boulevard (tunnel) uphill we arrived at the Sakura-no-sato (hometown).
Visited during peak Sakura blossom in late Feb for super-early species Kawazu-zakura (河津櫻), with larger pink petals. Isn’t it amazing that prior to visiting this we were skiing in Hakuba ? It’s like we have visited 2 different countries in a single trip.
The Kawazu-zakura were planted on both sides of the Kawazu river, which stretched for 4km+ from the river mouth upstream.
Before returning to Tokyo, we stayed in an onsen hotel in nearby Imaihama, with a beach by the sea.
Visited Hokkaido in May for the 2nd time for Shibazakura and Tulips before end May. We were lucky to catch the Lilac Festival in Sapporo on the last day before we left.
4th stay in onsen ryokan there right after landing and before embarking on long road trip. Clear views of mountains surrounding the lake this time.
This park is in the southern outskirts of Sapporo. The park is huge and we only covered the central area where the tulips were grown, and pansies from locals for exhibition. Weather was in low 20C for few days – warmer than normal, thus some tulips had pelted.
2nd visit since May 2006. Stopped by before arriving at Asahikawa for an overnight stay.
Visited Shibazakura 10 years ago in Higashi-Motoko Park. The Takinoue Park is to the north east of Asahikawa, almost reaching Monbetsu. Unlike the Higashi-Motoko Park which was privately managed, this is operated by the Takinoue Machi Government. Size is about 100,000 square metre, according to its official website. The Shibazakura here has more pink and violet whereas the other in white and pink.
Kamiyubetsu is less than 100km from Takinoue. Based on its historical reports I had decided to visit before end May and that proved to be a correct call. Spoke to a staff and she mentioned that some tulips had started to pelt prior to our arrival due to warmer weather for several days. The tulip park was huge and we spent probably 3hrs including lunch.
