Cherry blossom season is one of the biggest highlights on the spring calendar, and Japan has a plethora of places to enjoy their beauty. The Tohoku region of the country is blessed with numerous photogenic sakura spots, and this top 5 list brings you some of the best!
Hirosaki Park, Aomori
Regarded as one of Japan’s Top 100 Cherry Blossom viewing sites, Hirosaki Park is home to around 2600 cherry trees encompassing several different varieties. Interestingly, the trees at the park here are said to yield more blossoms than other places in Japan due to a special pruning technique that was derived from apple tree pruning.
1 Shimoshiroganecho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8356
Miharu Takizakura, Fukushima
If you're after a cherry blossom experience that comes packed with history, Fukushima's Miharu Takizakura is hard to beat. Estimates place the age of this famous sakura tree at somewhere over a thousand years old, and it's revered so highly that it was designated as a National Treasure back in 1922. Standing around 12 meters in height and with branches spanning 22 meters in parts, the tree attracts several hundred thousand visitors each year.
Sakurakubo-115 Taki, Miharu, Tamura District, Fukushima 963-7714
Kitakami Tenshōchi Park, Iwate
An impressive 10,000 sakura trees can be found at Iwate's Kitakami Tenshōchi Park, and an annual festival takes place here when they are in bloom. Since the blooming season here usually coincides with the Golden Week holiday break, you'll also see carp streamers (koinobori) hung over the Kitakami River in anticipation of Children's Day.
10 Chiwari Tachibana, Kitakami, Iwate 024-0043
Senshu Park, Akita
Each year during spring, Akita's Senshu Park is filled with color when over 700 cherry trees begin to bloom. The park was built at the site of the Kubota Castle Ruins, and was named as one of Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom viewing spots back in 1990.
1 Senshukoen, Akita, 010-0876
Eboshiyama Park, Yamagata
Yamagata's Eboshiyama park is home to around 1000 cherry trees in several varieties, and you'll often see people enjoying hanami picnics underneath them. The park also illuminates the trees after dark which creates a magical atmosphere. Typically, cherry blossom season here runs from around mid-April to early May.
1415 Akayu, Nanyō, Yamagata 999-2211
