3rd visit but first time by car. Had lunch before strolling along the lake rim. Good to see Komagatake again in the distance.
Trappistine Convent
Before returning the rental car in Hakodate, dropped by this convent which we visited 10 years ago. Even in late afternoon there were several tour groups.
Hakodate at dusk
As we went up to Mt Hakodate for night view in 2008, we did not go this time. On next morning we returned to Tokyo by domestic flight.
On the next morning, picked up a rental car and headed to Matsumae Castle about 100km away from Hakodate. As there was no expressway, it took about 2 hours to reach there. Dropped by Cape Shirakami (白神岬) at the southern tip of Hokkaido. Had lunch in Matsumae road station which was crowded with locals visiting the same destination 🙂
Another top 100 sakura spot, the Matsumae Castle was renowned for having 10,000 sakura trees in over 200 sakura varieties. Most of the sakura in full bloom was pinky Naden (南殿), which is an early blooming species, with many other sakura trees yet to be blooming.
Cape Shirakami – the southern tip of Hokkaido
Matsumae road station
Matsumae castle
The huge park extended slightly uphill. We walked around it and arrived at the northwestern corner where there were temples with 300-year old sakura trees.
Sakura park
sakura boulevard leading uphill
small patch of Shibazakura
Matsumae Jinja
Kozenji (光善寺) with early blooming 300-year old Ketchimiku-zakura (血脈桜), and Meoto-zakura (夫婦桜) literally husband-and-wife – a pinky Naden sakura fused with Somei Yoshino.
entrance to Kozenji
300-yr old Kechimiku-zakura
“husband and wife” sakura
Left after 3pm. Heading to Shiriuchi onsen ryokan for overnight stay.
Visited the Aomori Museum of Art. Lucky to bump into a special exhibition of Marc Chagall – The Third Dimension, apart from other works by local artists such as Nara-san.
Had lunch in museum and headed to the Aomori Port.
Took Hokkaido Shinkansen to Hakodate through the undersea Seikan tunnel for the first time. As it was a Sunday and the beginning of the golden week, it was quite crowded.
Hakodate Park
Sakura was in full bloom in the park, at the foothill of Mt Hakodate. Locals were having a good time there enjoying with family and friends.
Goryokaku (五稜郭)
Visited this top 100 sakura spot in full bloom with 1600 Somei Yoshino trees. Went up to the tower observation levels for panoramic views of the city and the park below. When we first visited in 2004 we bumped into sakura blossom at about 50% but this time it was gorgeous and more crowded as expected.
inside the tower
Tea time in former British Consulate for the third time
After 2 days in Morioka, we headed to Aomori and stayed there for another 2 days. Took about 2 hours to reach Hirosaki with a connection in Shin-Aomori. The local train was very crowded and we had to stand for about 30min. Outside the station, a temporary express bus took visitors direct to the Hirosaki Castle in about 15min. Though we took the first Hayabusa Shinkansen train leaving Morioka before 9am, we arrived at Hirosaki Castle at around 11:30.
Hirosaki Castle
It was a sunny day with temperature at high teens. Sakura was again in full bloom in this top 100 sakura spot while the outer moat was covered in sakura petals ! Only then we noticed we were lucky to visit Hirosaki Castle on its 100th Sakura festival 🙂
We crossed the outer moat into the garden area, which was huge and planted with various varieties of sakura trees. It was crowded even on Friday. As we had been to other top 100 sakura spots in the last few days, we picked the historical sakura trees, such as the Otakizakura (big waterfall) to focus. There were plenty of food stalls selling cooked food, snacks and drinks. Took a break and had a quick yaki-udon bento.
Entrance fee was required in order to enter into the Honmaru area – where the Hirosaki castle was relocated few years ago for renovation. Lined up for about 20min to enter the small castle. Nice views of distant Mt Iwaki and sakura up there. Left around 3pm.
From Morioka, visited Kakunodate as a day trip by Akita Shinkansen in less than 1 hour direct.
Kakunodate is famous for the pink Shidarezakura, whose shoots were brought over from Kyoto more than 300 years ago.
Kakunodate Samurai houses (角館武家屋敷)
Top 100 sakura spot. Took a taxi from station which would otherwise be a 30min walk.
Sakura was in full bloom. There were about 400 trees spread out in the former Samurai houses. Though it was still cold at 11-12C, it was cloudy, less windy, and with sunshine from time to time.
Hinokinai River Dyke (桧木内川堤)
After about 1.5 hours, we headed towards the river dyke, about 15 min on foot from the Samurai houses. 400 Somei Yoshino sakura trees were planted along this 2km river dyke. Apart from adults, small kids led by teachers were having picnic lunch along the dyke.
Inaniwa Udon and Akita dog
Had lunch in an udon shop serving famous Akita Inaniwa udon by former Samurai family. It was so delicious !
After lunch we strolled around and bumped into a gentle Akita dog. He was a 4-year old dog and had previously served in the local police.
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.
Ume
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).
Visited World Heritage in Hiraizumi, which was fairly close to Hanamaki onsen by JR Tohoku local train in less than 1 hour.
From Hiraizumi station we took a shuttle loop bus stopping by Motsuji, Chusonji and a few other spots. As it was a rainy day, we visited the two temples only.
Motsuji (毛越寺)
As it was raining quite heavily at times, we skipped the treasure house and walked around the Pure Land garden in less than 1 hour.
Hondo
Kaizando
Chusonji (中尊寺)
Walked uphill in about 15min reaching the Treasure Hall. It contained some impressive treasures and artifacts. A video explained the Konjikido (literally gold-coloured hall) in details (in Japanese). Not only was it covered in gold foils but also decorated by beautiful sea shells. Though it was much smaller than Kinkakuji in Kyoto, it was the resting place for 3 generations of the Fujiwara family.
The Konjikido nearby was housed inside another hall for protection. Inside, all visitors could only watch it behind glass at a distance. Photography was prohibited in both the Treasure Hall and Konjikido.
After visiting the Hitachi Seaside Park and Ashikaga Flower Park, we headed to northern Tohoku for sakura in late April as per original plan.
The first stop was Kitakami in Iwate Prefecture – a top 100 sakura spot. Arrived from Tokyo by Hayabusa Shinkansen train in about 2.5 hours direct. The venue was along a 2km river dyke on the other side of a river. We took a temporary boat service crossing the river in 5min, landing in the middle of the venue.
There were well over 1000 sakura trees – mainly of Somei Yoshino, of which 500 of them were over 90 years old. Sakura was in full bloom with temperature in low teens – about 10C cooler than in Tokyo. As usual, the pink Shidarezakura (weeping sakura) attracted more crowds.
Though there were more sakura trees to the south of the venue where lots of temporary food stalls were selling cooked food, we left the venue after 2 hours.
Kitakami Tenshochi (北上展勝地)
sakura tunnel
horse carriage – a rare scene in sakura matsuri
Koi-nobori hanging over the river
Hanamaki onsen (花巻温泉)
After late lunch in Kitakami station, we headed to Hanamaki onsen where we stayed for 2 nights in 1 of 4 onsen hotel premises belonging to the same group. According to its exhibits, some of the premises were nearly a century old and the Japanese royal family members had stayed.
Just opposite to our onsen hotel there was an indoor rose plantation, while sakura was in full bloom. Roses were totally unexpected in April.
Daily performance after dinner – local folk dance, traditional singing and sanmisen performance.
On the next day we visited the Ashikaga Flower Park for Fuji (wisteria), also in full bloom, manifested by the fact that the entrance fee was raised to JPY1,800 right on the day we visited.
Took Tohoku Shinkansen to Oyama and changed JR Ryomo local train to Ashikaga Flower Park station, which was newly opened in April. Though it was a Friday, we had to stand on the local train on both ways for 30min each due to huge crowds.
Fuji flowers can be in purple, pink, white and yellow. The last two varieties are late bloomers. While the purple and pink ones were in full bloom, the white Fuji were starting to bloom when we visited.
In the featuring photo is the big Fuji tree of 150 years old with a large span. Apart from small flower petals it also emitted a pleasant scent which attracted bees.
white Fuji in early blooming
Sea of Azaleas and others
Apart from Fuji the sea of Tsutsuji (Azaleas) were blooming at the same time. As these were in red, pink and white it formed a colourful palette with the purple and pink Fuji.
dogwood
Odemari
handkerchief
During the weekend we visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. It happened that the masterpieces of French landscape paintings from the Pushkin Museum in Moscow were on special exhibition till July.
We also dropped by the new Tokyo Midtown Hibiya, which attracted huge crowds to line up. It’s smaller than its sister Midtown premise in Roppongi. We did not stay long and headed off to Omotesando for cake and coffee.
On Monday morning, we headed off to northern Tohoku for sakura.
