日本長野

Takato Castle Park Cherry Blossom Festival

*Due to restrictions in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Takato Castle Park events planned for this year’s cherry blossom season have been cancelled.

Spring is always a big event in Japan, with Japanese traveling the country to see the best cherry blossoms. One of the best cherry blossom spots is the Takato Castle Park, a park which lays on the ruins of Takato Castle. Instead of a castle keep, the park now has numerous sakura trees which all bloom bright in beginning to mid-April.

Wonder among the 1,500 cherry blossom trees and enjoy the festive atmosphere; you’ll see people lounging on picnic blankets looking at the blossoms above them, street vendors selling everything from yakitori to ice cream, and amazing views over the surrounding alpine mountains.

Getting there yourself is a bit of a challenge, as the Takato region lies deep in the countryside of Nagano Prefecture. Instead of spending much time to get there yourself, participate in the April 12 only tour from JR Nagano Station. This tour takes you not only to Takato Castle Park, but also to the castle of Matsumoto, where you can enjoy the blossoms surrounding the castle.