There are many places famous for cherry blossoms in Hokkaido and Tohoku.
I had not had a chance to visit them due to the timing of my work, but at the end of April I was able to take a day off, so I went to the "Matsumae" Cherry Blossom Festival.
Outline of the Matsumae Cherry Blossom Festival
Period】Saturday, April 24 - Sunday, May 9, 2021
※ Please check the website of Matsumae Town for the schedule of the event after 2022.
Place】In Matsumae Park
Address】Matsumae-cho, Matsumae-gun, Hokkaido
Access】About 1 hour and 30 minutes by bus from JR/Kikonai Station on the Donan Isaribi Railway.
Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes from Hakodate by rental car
About cherry blossoms in Matsumae
In Hokkaido, someiyoshino and other cherry trees do not grow wild, but were brought and planted by people who came from Honshu in the Edo period (1603-1868). Currently, 10,000 cherry trees of 250 varieties can be seen in Matsumae. Early blooming cherry trees are at their best in late April, while late blooming cherry trees can be enjoyed until late May.
The Matsumae Sakura Festival consists of the following three areas
- Around Matsumae Castle
- Matsumae Clan Residence
- Matsumae Park
There are three parking lots: Matsumae Castle Parking Lot, Matsumae Clan Residence Area, and Matsumae Town Hall.
Of the Matsumae Sakura Festival, we would like to focus on the Matsumae Castle area for the first time.
Matsuzen Castle (Fukuyama Castle)
Construction of Matsumae Castle began in Kaei 3 and was completed in Ansei 1, the first year of the Ansei Era, making it the last castle built in the Japanese style. The castle tower was destroyed by fire in 1949, and is now rebuilt in reinforced concrete and used as a museum.
(Route from the sea side to Matsumae Castle)
We could not find a parking lot and ended up parking at a roadside station, so we walked to Matsumae Castle from the castle street.
I don't have a photo, but the area around Matsumae Castle was tinted pink even from a distance.
Numerous double-flowered cherry trees called nanden are planted on either side of the pathway.
The contrast between Matsumae Castle, pink cherry blossoms, and blue sky is beautiful.
The weather was cloudy, but it cleared up temporarily.
(Entrance to Matsumae Castle )
The Matsumae Castle is a museum, and admission to the keep is 360 yen. A shared admission ticket for the Matsumae Clan Residence and the castle tower costs 620 yen, which is a little more economical.
(View from the castle keep)
You can see the Tsugaru Straits from the castle tower. It was a clear day at this time of the year, so the sea looked beautiful.
(Photo spots of Matsumae Castle)
A photo spot is prepared in front of the castle tower.
It is also possible to take pictures with the castle in the background. The castle is not that big, so it is perfect for taking pictures.
From a distance, the cherry trees are in full bloom, but when you get closer, you can see some of them are in leaf.
(Honmaru Gomon Gate)
Due to destruction and fire during the Meiji Era, little remains of Matsumae Castle from the time of its construction, and the Honmaru Gate, visible from a distance, is the only remaining structure.
(Matsumae Castle and Cherry Blossoms)
The composition featured on the official page and other places is this location. This photo was taken from around the pond (?) behind the castle tower, passing the entrance to the castle tower. The photo was taken from around the pond (?) behind the Hanamori castle keep.
Since it was the Sakura Festival, there were food stalls in the plaza in Matsumae Park.
I don't have a picture of it, but I had nori-dandan, a Matsumae specialty made with iwanori (seaweed).
This photo was taken from the road leading down to the Matsumae Town Hall.
Conventionally, it is the end of April, so Nanden and Someiyoshino should be just before full bloom, but in 2021, due to the warm weather, they were past full bloom.
The blooming date depends on nature, so it cannot be helped, but I hope that visitors next year and onward will be able to visit during the full bloom period.
