Cherry Blossoms at Kuonji Temple, Yamanashi pref.

Long time!

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Kuonji Temple is famous for weeping cherry blossoms.

After going up 287 steep stone stairs, you will be greeted by beautiful weeping cherry blossoms planted in the precincts.




Near Kuonji Temple, there are several temple lodgings (shukubo in Japanese). Each of them also has beautiful cherry trees. You can take a rest there with a hospitality of a cup of hot cherry water.



Kuonji Temple was founded by Nichiren in Kamakura era. His mausoleum was 20-minute walk from the temple. It entrance was decorated by cherry trees.




The nearest JR station is Minobu. The steet in fornt of ths station is called Shonin Street, derived from Nichiren Shonin. At both sides of the street, there were stores, each drawing its own family crest on the wall.

Cherry Forest

I have wanted to visit here for a long time. Tama Forest Science Garden is a 10-minute walk from Takao Station. They say the forest has about 2,000 cherry trees of around 250 different types. The preservation forest was built to leave the DNA of the cherry trees well known nationwide. We can enjoy cherry blossom viewing from the end of February to the beginning of May. Admission fee is 4oo yen in April, higher than usual 300 yen, but it’s worth the money to view cherry blossoms.

Access the URL below for more photos:
http://www.realjapan.org/

My Best Shot Last Year

It was windy today. I was at home, planning where to go tomorrow.
The following photo is my best shot among last year’s cherry blossoms:

(Ookagawa River, Yokohama)

Kamakura

Today’s course was too hard, because I knew it’s a little late for its full bloom.
Engakuji Temple ====> Tokeiji Temple ====> Kenchoji Temple ====> Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine ====> Dankazura Avenue ====> Kamakurayama

Cherry blossoms began to fall, but many people including foreign tourists were enjoying cherry viewing. Dankazura Avenue is a path leading to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine and is like a tunnel of cherry trees. In Kamakura era the Shogunate, Yoritomo Minamoto commanded to build it for wishing his wife, Masako a safe delivery.

Do not trust the magazine or Internet information completely. Some magazines recommended Kamakurayama as a nice cherry viewing spot. It says a tunnel of cherry trees extends about 3 km. I visited there for the first time with great expectations. Expectations are disappointed. Cherry trees were arranged sparsely and some of them seemed to be private trees. We cannot complain because the tree owners leave us to view the trees free of charge.

Access the URL below for more photos:
http://www.realjapan.org/

Ueno Park

Ueno Park is the most famous cherry blossom viewing spot in Japan, I think. There were a lot of foreign tourists visiting there today. Ueno Park is suitable for the cherry viewing party. As the Internet information of the cherry blossoms provided, those at Ueno Park have begun to fall. But there were many people viewing cherry blossoms. There is a big pond called Shinobazu-no-ike in the park. The pond is famous for lotus flowers in early summer. There are many ducks swimming in the pond. The other day TV news said some ducks were found to be shot by arrow. That is an unforgivable act.

After Ueno Park, I went to Sumida Park. A cherry boulevard lines at both sides along the Sumida River. Some people are viewing cherry blossoms on a barge.

Access the URL below for more photos:
http://www.realjapan.org/

(Ueno Park)

(Sumida River)

Mitsuike Park

Mitsuike Park is located at the northern part of Yokohama. In the Part there are three ponds (mitsu=three and ike=pond), which were used to irrigate rice fields during Edo period. It was warm today. I bought lunch at a basement food floor of a hotel near the station. Today’s lunch was 500 yen, half of the yesterday’s lunch, but it was delicious enough. I was satisfied to have lunch viewing cherry blossoms.

Hanabie

It was Hanabie today. Hanabie means cold in cherry-blossom time. (Hana means a flower (= cherry blossom) and b(h)ie means cold. Since the climate of this season is not stable, it sometimes gets cold temporarily.
Despite Hanabie, we went out for cherry blossoms. The Ooka River is one of the nice spots for cherry viewing in Yokohama. We bought lunch at a depa-chika (basement food floor of a department store). Boxed lunches at a depa-chika are in big demand. We were going to eat lunch viewing cherry blossoms, but it was too cold to eat there. Sadly we had lunch at a bench at a subway station.
Access the URL below for more cherry photos:
http://realjapan.org/

(The Ooka River)

Spending All Day Viewing Cherry Blossoms (2)

Today’s Course is:
Jindai Botanical Gardens ---> Inokashira Park
Today I have also spent all day viewing cherry blossoms. Inokashira Park is quite an amusing place, where some musicians were playing and singing and some artists were drawing pictures. Of course a lot of people were preparing a night viewing of cherry blossoms. I longingly recalled that I took a boat ride with a boy friend here a long, long time ago.
Access the URL below for more cherry photos:

http://realjapan.org/

(Jindai Botanical Gardens)

(Inokashira Park)

Spending All Day Viewing Cherry Blossoms

Today’s Course is:
Shiba Park ---> Zojoji Temple ---> Yasukuni Shrine ---> Chidorigafuchi Park ---> Kitanomaru Park
I have spent all day viewing cherry blossoms. I was so tired that I have just entered Kitanomaru Park. The following photos show the atmosphere of these places. The photos of cherry blossoms are posted on my Web site. Access the URL below.
http://realjapan.org/photo/Cherry/cherry.html

(Chiba Park)

(Zojoji Temple)

(Yasukuni Shrine)

(Chidorigafuchi Park)

(Kitanomaru Park)

Weeping Cherry Trees at MishimaTaisha Shrine

Weeping cherry trees (shidare-zakura in Japanese) at Mishama Taisha Shrine is famous and is now in full bloom. Mishima Taisha Shrine is located at Mishima city in Shizuoka prefecture.
My friend, Hirochan has sent some photos of Mishima sakura. I guess you would like to see the real one.

Blooming 30%?

When I take a walk every day, I have an unexpected discovery. Young cherry trees produce flowers earlier than old ones. I think this might be due to DNA. There seems to be the stronger will to leave progeny.

（Tunnel of Cherry Blossom Trees）

(Floral)

Somei Yoshino

Most popular sakura is Somei Yoshino. It is said that Somei Yoshino was developed at Somei village (in Tokyo) around the end of Edo Period (19th century) by marriage of prunus and yedonensis. Pale pink blossoms bloom in unison before leaves come out. It is also beautiful that petals are flapping in the wind.
Last April I went to Kyoto for Cherry Viewing. That was the first time for sakura in Kyoto, but unfortunately it was cloudy and rained occasionally.

(Today's Sakura)

(Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto)

Cherry Blossoms

The Meteorological Agency declared the official first day of bloom in Tokyo on March 21. I will report cherry blossoms around here. The following photos are the today’s SAKURA. Sakura has just begun to bloom.

Super-Senior

My Husband’s Grandmother was attractive. She presented us a Waka poem when we got married. When she was more than eighty, she made hina dolls for me. The dolls were set up for the Doll Festival on March 3.
A mentor in my photo club will hold a one-man photo exhibition in commemoration of his eighty. Also he created a photo book of flowers. Another lady also held a private photo exhibition at her eighty. The title of her photo book was “Poetry of Land.” It’s my pleasure to support such activities. I am cheered up by their high spirit.
Yesterday I took a walk and found beautiful plum blossoms. I also found a cherry tree which has several blossoms. The cherry blossom season gets near.

（Hina dolls made by Grandma）