Most visitors to Japan know about her famous cherry trees, but not many know about the beauty of her plum blossoms (ume). They begin to bloom in mid-winter, signaling that spring will soon be upon us. There are many parks and gardens in Japan that feature orchards of plum trees (do a search on this site and you'll see!), and Kanagawa itself has a few: Yugawara, Odawara Castle, and this one at Okurayama Park. Go on a sunny day and you won't mind the cold one bit!








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