Cherry Blossoms with Colourful Carp Streamers at Kitakami Tenshochi Park in Iwate Prefecture
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Capture the splendid view of late blooming cherry blossoms! Kitakami Tenshochi Park is one of the best spots to view cherry blossoms in Japan after the peak season.
Kitakami Tenshochi (北上展勝地) is a scenic park situated by Kitakami River in Kitakami City, Iwate Prefecture, and known as one of three best cherry blossom viewing spots in Tohoku Region together with Hirosaki Park in Aomori and Kakunodate in Akita. The park is home to over 10,000 of 150 varieties of cherry trees planted in a 2.93 ha space. The row of cherry trees stretches for 2km along the river, creating an astonishing pink tunnel of cherry blossoms.
As Tohoku Region is situated in north of Japan and has cool climate, cherry blossoms usually start blooming a few weeks later than other parts of Japan. The best time for cherry blossom viewings in Tohoku Region is usually from early to mid April depending on the weather condition. As there is a wide variety of cherry trees in Kitakami Tenshochi Park, the blooming time of cherry blossoms is relatively long, which usually lasts throughout the month.
During the peak season of blooming, a cherry blossom festival “Kitakami Tenshochi Sakura Matsuri” is held, usually in April every year and visitors can also enjoy the astonishing scenery of cherry blossoms along with events and activities such as a sightseeing boat, food stalls selling local specialties and a night light-up of the cherry trees at night. One of the most popular activities at the festival is horse wagon riding passing through the cherry blossom avenue. Visitors can have an unique experience of viewing cherry blossoms with riding a horse.
The festival also celebrates Children’s Day (5th May) with 300 carp streamers (Koinobori in Japanese), displayed over the Kitakami River. As the wind blow, colourful carp streamers flutter in the sky and creates astonishing scenery with pink cherry blossoms.
In most parts of Japan including Tokyo and Kyoto, cherry blossom season usually ends by mid April, but if you wish to enjoy cherry blossom after the peak season, it’s highly recommended to visit the northern part of Japan including Tohoku and Hokkaido. And Kitakami Tenshochi Park is a great choice as you can enjoy the beautiful scenery in a collaboration between pink cherry blossoms and colourful carp streams.
-Kitakami Tenshochi Sakura Matsuri (北上展勝地さくらまつり)
Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RNN2GiRwN6ZjjCEt9
Access: 15 mins walk from JR Kitakami station
Best time to visit: April
Thank you for reading! For more information about cherry blossoms in Japan, here are some more articles for you to check out!
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"The world is my oyster" A globetrotter 🌎 and hammock lover 🌞 who loves taking adventures to fuel wanderlust. Born and raised in Japan, I have spend almost a decade living and exploring countries across the world. Based on my travel experience, I'd love to share my knowledge and tips for travelling with my readers. I hope my stories help you plan your trip and have a great time in Japan 🌈
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