Best cherry blossom spots in Kanagawa

Best cherry blossom spots in Kanagawa

It is no exaggeration to say that cherry blossom season is the most wonderful time of the year in Japan, and many tourists visit the country to enjoy the beautiful view of the dainty pink petals, every year.

Kanagawa Prefecture is the location of various iconic tourist destinations in Japan, including Hakone, Lake Ashinoko, Kamakura, and Enoshima. These places are renowned for their beautiful natural landscapes which become even more enchanting during the cherry blossom season.

This year, the cherry blossoms in Kanagawa start blooming from mid March, coming into full bloom as it gets closer to the end of the month. In this feature, we introduce some of the best spots all around Kanagawa where you can enjoy viewing the cherry blossoms.

Index : Best cherry blossom spots in Kanagawa

1. Sankeien Garden
2. Odawara Castle
3. Miura Peninsula
4. Minato Mirai 21
5. Kotoku-in Temple

1. Sankeien Garden

Sankeien Garden is a traditional Japanese garden located in Naka-ku, Yokohama, and it is famous for its beautiful seasonal views, particularly for its cherry blossoms and autumn leaves.

This tremendous garden covers over 175,000 square meters in total, and is dotted with historical buildings too. It features numerous cherry blossom trees around the pond, offering a breathtaking scenery of an authentic Japanese spring.

There is also a rest house in the middle of the garden, where you can try seasonal limited items like ‘Sakura Ice Cream’.

Back To Index

2. Odawara Castle

Odawara Castle is a historical city in Kanagawa, a home to Odawara Castle, one of the greatest castles in Japan. The castle features a museum and various exhibits, making it a perfect place to spend the day learning about Japanese history.

There are over 300 cherry trees within the premises of Odawara Castle, all planted around the castle and the moat. The varieties of cherry trees here include the Somei Yoshino variety and the shidare-zakura (weeping sakura) variety.

Back To Index

3. Miura Peninsula

Miura Peninsula is located near Yokosuka City, Kanagawa, and this area is well known for its early-blooming Kawazu Sakura. There is a pathway where you can walk along to see a breathtaking view of the trains passing under the blossoms.

In addition to cherry blossoms and trains, this area is also famous for its local vegetables, and you can pick your own daikon (Japanese radish) for just a few hundred yen to take home.

Since the cherry blossoms bloom early, the Kawazu Sakura Festival is usually held from early February to early March.

Back To Index

4. Minato Mirai 21

The Minato Mirai 21 area in Yokohama is mainly known for its stunning night view, however, the place is also famous for its astonishing view of cherry blossoms.

There is a street called ‘Sakura-dori’, which stretches for about 500 meters and is dotted with many cherry trees. You can walk through the path, or simply just visit the ‘Kishamichi Promenade’, a boardwalk area that has three bridges over the sea, where you can enjoy both the beautiful view of modern skyscrapers of Minato Mirai 21 and the beautiful cherry blossoms.

Back To Index

5. Kotoku-in Temple

Kotoku-in Temple, is a Buddhist temple located just a 10-minute walk from Hase Station on the Enoshima Electric Railway, which is mainly known for its gigantic Buddha statue.

Also known as ‘The Great Buddha of Kamakura’, the temple offers beautiful seasonal views, making it an incredibly popular tourist destination throughout the year.

The temple has many cherry trees to see, but the most popular trees are the ones near the Great Buddha, as the contrast between the statue and the blossoms are very striking.

Read more articles

• Best cherry blossom spots in Ishikawa
• Best cherry blossom spots in Hyogo
• Best cherry blossom spots in Hokkaido

 

Back To Top