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UPDATE | March 10, 2022

Let's enjoy cherry blossom viewing in Kansai! [3 recommended cherry blossom spots]

The cold seasons continue in January and February, and in March you can feel the arrival of spring little by little. Speaking of spring in Japan, after all it is cherry blossoms. "Hanami" is a special event for Japanese people, where you can bring your lunch with your friends and family and have a good time under the cherry blossoms. Here are some recommended cherry blossom spots in Kansai along with the history of cherry blossom viewing.

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When did the habit of cherry-blossom viewing begin in the first place?
In fact, its history is very old, and it is said that it started in the Nara period about 1300 years ago.
At that time, the aristocrats were not watching the cherry blossoms, but the plum blossoms that had just been handed down from China. He enjoyed banquets and waka poems while gazing at the view of the plum blossoms in the garden.


After that, in the Heian period (about 1200 years ago), the leading role of cherry blossom viewing changed from plum blossoms to cherry blossoms. And as the times changed, the custom of cherry-blossom viewing was inherited even among samurai, and in the Edo period (about 400 years ago), the custom of cherry-blossom viewing spread to the general public.
During this period, a type of cherry tree called Yoshino cherry tree was planted nationwide, and it is said that most of the cherry blossoms we see in the city today are Yoshino cherry trees.


It has long been believed that the god of "rice fields" that descends from the mountains in the spring dwells in the cherry blossoms, and the way the cherry blossoms bloom is used to predict the harvest of agricultural products and prepare for sowing rice at the time of flowering. , Cherry blossoms were very important to the farmers.
It is also an event for everyone to celebrate the successful arrival of spring after overcoming the difficult winter, as many people died of food shortages and illnesses due to the harsh winter cold.


Furthermore, in modern Japanese schools, the graduation and entrance ceremonies are just around the time when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, so when you see the cherry blossoms, you can feel the excitement of farewell to your friends and the excitement of jumping into a new environment. It will come.
As an adult, you can enjoy the cherry blossoms you saw with your parents when you were a child, as your child grows up. In this way, cherry blossoms have been an indispensable and important existence for Japanese people from long ago to the present.


There are cherry trees overseas, but you can't see them everywhere, such as in parks and tree-lined roads, as in Japan. Also, there is no custom of cherry-blossom viewing in Japan, so many people are looking forward to actually coming to Japan and experiencing cherry-blossom viewing.
What surprises foreigners often is that you can drink alcohol anywhere in Japan. In some countries, drinking alcohol outdoors is prohibited by law, so I think it's a valuable experience to be able to taste Japanese alcohol under the cherry blossoms in full bloom.
By the time you go home after drinking too much, it's often fluttering ... so let's enjoy alcohol moderately.
(Please note that in Japan, people under the age of 20 should not drink alcohol.)


Recommended Sakura Spot ① [Osaka] Osaka Castle Park (nearest station JR / subway "Morinomiya" station)

Osaka Castle Park

Built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, it is a green park centered around Osaka Castle, and is known as an urban oasis near the station. The Nishinomaru Garden in the park is crowded with families every year, with about 300 cherry trees planted around Yoshino cherry trees. The plum grove, where about 1270 plum blossoms bloom, is also a popular spot.

I also go to see the cherry blossoms almost every year since I was a child, when I was a student, and even when I became a member of society.


The park of Osaka Castle is very large, so you can enjoy cherry blossom viewing in various places. The most popular area is around the moat where you can enjoy both the castle and the cherry blossoms, and many people who are taking pictures or painting are also seen during this time.

At night, office workers in suits on their way home from work are enthusiastic at the banquet under the illuminated cherry blossoms. Cherry-blossom viewing is often held as a welcome party for new employees who have just graduated from university and have just become members of society.

There is an office district around Osaka Castle Park, so it's nice to stop by at lunchtime.

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Recommended Sakura Spot ② [Kyoto] Philosophy Road (Nearest Station Municipal Bus "Ginkakuji Road" Bus Stop)

Philosophy road

The name of the philosophical road selected as one of the "100 Best Roads in Japan" comes from the fact that philosophers and writers took a walk on this road. About 400 cherry trees such as Yoshino cherry trees are lined up on the walking path with a total length of about 2 km, and the tunnel of cherry blossoms at full bloom is really moving.

The road is narrow and often crowded during the day, so we recommend taking a walk in the early morning.

It is a luxurious experience to be able to walk down the street where no one is walking and monopolize the cherry blossoms in full bloom.


The appearance of the fluttering cherry blossom petals flowing down the river is very charming, and it is a very popular spot not only for tourists but also for locals.

There are various shops such as cafes and teahouses along the street, so you can sit down and enjoy the view of the cherry blossoms.

Recommended Sakura Spot ③ [Nara] Yoshinoyama (nearest station Kintetsu Line "Yoshino" station)

Mt. Yoshino

On Mt. Yoshino, where the entire mountain is registered as a World Heritage Site, about 30,000 cherry trees, centered on wild cherry blossoms, are concentrated in four locations: bottom, middle, top, and back. It is said to be "Ichime Senbon" in the sense of "luxury that you can see a thousand in your eyes", and it is called Shimosenbon, Nakasenbon, and Kamisenbon, respectively. ), It is called Okusenbon.

The magnificent view of the cherry blossoms from the observatory is so powerful that it cannot be expressed in words, and the beautiful pink color spreads deep into the mountains.


It's a bit far from the center of Nara, but you can change trains. It is a gentle hiking course, so it is also popular with families.

Many of the cherry blossoms here are late bloomers and can be enjoyed until the latter half of April.

There are many accommodation facilities, so I would like to spend the night and enjoy the great outdoors of Yoshino.


How was it?

There are still many places I would like to recommend, but this time I have focused on these three places and introduced the highlights.

By knowing the relationship between Japanese people and cherry blossoms, you may be able to enjoy cherry blossom viewing even more.

When you visit Japan during the cherry blossom season, be sure to experience the cherry blossom viewing culture that is unique to Japan.

The person who wrote this article

Yuko Sakaguchi

A freelance Japanese teacher and local guide from Osaka. I fell in love with Kyoto in 2020 and moved to 2021. Currently, while teaching Japanese mainly in private lessons, he plans and manages writing, Chinese-Japanese translation proofreading, and online experiences.

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