VIDEO: Japan’s cherry blossom front reaches north at Sannohe Shiroyama Park near Misawa AB

A older couple looking at the park map; cherry blossom trees in full bloom.

Sannohe Shiroyama Park (Photo courtesy of Yoshihito Morita/Stripes Japan)

As the Golden Week holidays approach, the northern portions of Japan’s mainland including Aomori Prefecture and Misawa Air Base are finally seeing the much-anticipated cherry blossom season.

While the cherry blossoms at the base and Central Park reached peak bloom, Yoshihito Morita of Misawa Commissary recently headed out to Sannohe Town Shiroyama (castle mountain) Park to enjoy its Haru Matsuri spring festival.

In the park, during the festival period, you can enjoy dozens of food and game booths, live music and performances, along with an impressive evening light-up, besides about 600 large cherry trees that are currently, almost in full bloom, according to Morita.

Morita said the park didn’t seem to be very crowded, since he visited there during a weekday. As a lot of benches are spreading in the open-air park, visitors can look at the beautiful cherry blossoms while enjoying their bento lunch.

Don’t miss a Castle-tower-shaped “Sannohe Town Museum of History and Folklore” next to the park where you can check out various historical artifacts and items related to the local feudal lords who once controlled the area around Misawa. And, from the top of the museum tower, you can look down at the gorgeous pinkish cherry blossoms in the festival field.

The museum remains open until the end of the festival on May 5.

“My impression was that the combination of the castle and cherry blossoms, along with the relatively small number of visitors, made it an ideal place to bring my elderly parents,” Morita said.

Find the beautiful cherry blossoms on and around Misawa Base yourself! Temperatures are expected to keep rising, so, take a little time to enjoy the gorgeous views!

Vendors at Sannohe Shiroyama Park; cherry blossom in full bloom.

(Photo courtesy of Yoshihito Morita/Stripes Japan)

A woman taking a picture of cherry blossom.

(Photo courtesy of Yoshihito Morita/Stripes Japan)

Sannohe Shiroyama Park

Sannohe Haru Matsuri: until May 5

https://www.town.sannohe.aomori.jp/soshiki/machidukuri/kankou/1/204.html

Misawa Air Base

Takahiro Takiguchi

Takahiro Takiguchi is a writer based in Yokosuka, Japan. Takiguchi covers travel, food and culture stories for Stars and Stripes Japan. Follow along as Takiguchi takes readers to less crowded destinations around the mainland, you might also catch him out and about recording Speakin’ Japanese lesson videos for Instagram.