Osaka Castle Park is a spacious park where visitors can enjoy the blooming plum blossoms from late January to early March, attracting a large number of tourists. From late March to early April, over 4,000 cherry blossoms trees in the park bloom, making it a popular spot for cherry blossom viewing in Osaka.
Osaka Castle is one of Japan's three famous castles with a long history. It was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi over three years to achieve the goal of unifying the country. Despite being destroyed multiple times during wars, it was rebuilt with the efforts of the people of Osaka in 1931 and still remains beautiful today. The imposing Osaka Castle Main Tower has five exterior floors and eight interior floors, adorned with glittering golden reliefs. The Main Tower displays many historical artifacts, and the observation deck on the 8th floor offers a panoramic view of Osaka city. It is a representative historical landmark of Osaka and frequently appears in movies, TV shows, anime, and games, making it a must-visit place for travelers to Osaka.
Near the Main Tower, there are two shops that serve delicious takoyaki (octopus balls) at affordable prices, which are worth a try for visitors. The park's surroundings also have many other attractions worth visiting or taking pictures, such as the Osaka Museum of History, Osaka City Museum, Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters, Osaka Castle Hall, and Osaka NHK Hall.
The park scenery is quite beautiful.
Japan Mint
Cherry blossom avenue lined by the old city walls. At the end of March, while cherry blossoms in other places of Osaka start to wither, various types of cherry blossoms in the Mint Bureau are now in full bloom. If you come to Osaka in April, you should not miss walking along the cherry blossom avenue in front of the Mint Bureau.
Mount Yoshino
One of the top three cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan, Mount Yoshino in Nara Prefecture is famous for its cherry blossoms and has the reputation of being the best in Japan. When spring comes, the pink cherry blossoms bloom all over the mountains and are called "Yoshino Thousand Cherry Trees".
Encounter a fairy tale of deer and cherry blossoms, Nara Park is famous for its approximately 1,200 free-roaming deer. On the vast land area of 660 hectares, various cherry blossom trees, mainly including Yae-zakura, are planted.
Philosopher's Path, located in the Sakyo ward of Kyoto, is a 2-kilometer long pathway that follows a stream and is lined with numerous cherry trees. It is a symbol of the beauty of cherry blossoms in Kyoto. The name of this pathway, "Philosopher's Path," comes from the famous Kyoto University philosopher, Nishida Kitaro, who used to walk and contemplate along this path. Along the Philosopher's Path, you can visit several historic temples and shrines, including Ginkakuji, Jisho-ji, Hōnen-in, Eikando Zenrinji, Nanzenji, and Kumano Nyakuoji Shrine. Here, you can appreciate the natural scenery, the fragrance of cherry blossoms, as well as the cultural and historical significance of the area.
The baichuan river
Take some photos of the most classical Japan here. Kyoto is well-known for its beauty, but when it comes to the most Kyoto-style scenery, nothing beats Gion. The stone paths and wooden machiya houses showcase the old-fashioned elegance of this district, while the cherry blossoms in early spring add an even more gorgeous touch to the Shirakawa River.
Take a ride on a small train and become the protagonist of a fairy tale, and before cherry blossom season, go to Kyoto and take a ride on the Randen from Shijo-Omiya to Arashiyama. If you happen to catch it when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, the train will be surrounded by dreamy pink on both sides, and the journey will be filled with beautiful and romantic scenery.
The best place to view cherry blossoms at night, Hirano Shrine is a popular spot among locals in Kyoto, but relatively few tourists visit, making it perfect for viewing night cherry blossoms.
Nijo Castle is a famous historical site in Kyoto, Japan. It was built in 1603 as the residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. The castle complex consists of multiple buildings, gardens, and fortifications, all surrounded by stone walls and moats. One of the most notable features of Nijo Castle is its "nightingale floors," which make chirping sounds when walked upon to alert against potential intruders. The castle has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site and is a popular tourist attraction in Kyoto.
Ueno Park is one of Tokyo's famous parks, covering a large area and hosting multiple facilities such as a zoo, art museum, and museums. It also has a rich natural landscape, including famous landmarks such as Shinobazu Pond and Takegata Fountain. The park's most famous symbol is the bronze statue of Takamori Saigo. In spring, Ueno Park is a popular spot for cherry blossom viewing in Tokyo, where visitors can admire the beautiful cherry blossoms in full bloom.
Shinjuku Gyoen is a famous park located in the center of Tokyo, known for its combination of Japanese and French gardens. It covers an area of approximately 58 hectares. The park features a variety of trees including cherry blossoms, autumn leaves, evergreens, and snow-white scenes throughout the year. It is one of the most renowned flower-viewing spots in Tokyo.
In history, during the Edo period, Naito Kiyonari bestowed this land upon his trusted vassals, initially for strategic purposes. It later served as an agricultural experimental field and eventually established with a greenhouse and Japanese garden. The park suffered extensive damage during the bombings in 1945. After its reconstruction in 1947, it became one of Japan's three major national parks along with the Imperial Palace Outer Garden and Kyoto Imperial Garden. However, this park remains a beautiful garden that combines European and Japanese styles, perfectly harmonizing with its location in the bustling city center, embodying the concept of "urban green space."
Himeji Castle is a castle located in Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. It is known for its white exterior walls and is called the White Heron Castle. Along with Kumamoto Castle and Matsumoto Castle, it is considered one of the three great castles of Japan. It is also known as "Japan's number one castle" due to its excellent preservation, and was designated as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO in December 1993. Himeji Castle is a symbol of the city and is located in the city center. It has been featured in movies and TV dramas and is loved by history enthusiasts as a symbol of the Edo period. The castle is located in southern Hyogo Prefecture and is known for its elegant style and preservation of many historic sites. It consists of 83 buildings with highly developed defense systems and intricate protective devices. Himeji Castle is considered the best-preserved example of early 17th-century castle architecture, showcasing the essence of feudal culture in Japan and reflecting the pinnacle of defensive architectural technology during that period. Eight buildings, including the main castle tower, are designated as national treasures, while the remaining 74 buildings are recognized as important cultural properties of the country. The well-preserved structures and surrounding fortifications showcase a great heritage and highlight the sophistication and strategic defense skills of Japanese castle architecture.
Nagoya Castle, also known as Meijo, is one of Japan's important designated historic sites and is ranked fourth among Japan's Top 100 Castles. Built in the hometown of Oda Nobunaga, the great-grandfather of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Nagoya Castle was reconstructed by Tokugawa Ieyasu from the former Kiyosu Castle, with the assistance of other daimyo lords such as Kato Kiyomasa and Fukushima Masanari, completing the construction in less than two years. While Nagoya Castle has experienced damage from wars, it was restored in 1959 and still leaves a lasting impression.
Nagoya Castle is a complex of several castle structures. The central area is the Honmaru, where the main keep sits on the western side. On the southeast side of the main keep are the remnants of the Honmaru Palace, and the two corners of the Honmaru area feature the Southwest and Southeast Towers. Unlike other castles, Nagoya Castle's main keep has an elevator inside, allowing visitors to easily enjoy the historical artifacts, simulation models, scenes, and games inside the castle.
Additionally, on weekends and holidays, there are performances by a group of actors dressed as famous feudal lords of the Sengoku period in Nagoya Castle's Ninomaru Square. This includes notable figures like Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Maeda Toshiie, Kato Kiyomasa, and Maeda Keiji. Visitors can not only enjoy exciting performances but also take photos with these historical figures, making it an opportunity not to be missed.
