Catching The Early Sakura in Kawazu
10:14 PM
Determined to admire some sakura, I left before daybreak to catch the early blooming variety in Kawazu. Located south of Tokyo on the Izu Peninsula, Kawazu celebrates their Sakura Festival from early February to early March. While most of Japan is still in the midst of plum blossom festivals & awaiting the arrival of sakura.
As you get off the train, you’ll see the blossoms lining the street below the train tracks. If you head to the end of the train platform, you can take a peak the cherry blossom lined river banks.
View from the end of the train platform
Can you spot the Sakura peaking below the train platform?
Eager visitors waiting at the Kawazu station.
In this town, about 2 -3 hours from Tokyo, this early blooming variety “Kawazu- zakura” was discovered about 60 years ago and was named after the town. They town systematically planted this variety along the river banks. It’s about 4 kms of cherry blossom trees and the original tree is still blooming.
This year the Kawazu-zakura Matsuri will be until the 10th of March. I visited last Sunday and there were still a few buds waiting to bloom. So there should be blossoms still after the festival.
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If visiting on the weekend, make sure to arrive early to avoid the thick crowds that arrive mid day.
Crowd that just arrived & waiting to head to the festival.
You can find loads of festival food along the river banks right beside the trees. So you can take a picnic blanket and join locals in admiring the sakuras in the Japanese tradition of Hanami. You can find skewered meats, takoyakis, noodles, rice cakes, and many food items which features cherry blossoms like Sakura flavored rice cakes and soft ice cream.
Strawberries are in season and are even better coated with chocolate. Y100
Sakura Ice Cream Y300-Y350.
Sakura rice cake
Seasonal sakura drink available in convenience stores during Hanami Season.
This was filled with Sakura. Other options was custard or red bean Y300 for one /Y500 for 3
There are foot baths you can dip your toes in.
When you exit the station, if you head left (cross the street) you’ll be heading to the coast (which is the shorter distance of lined treees) if you head to the right, you’ll be in the direction to more trees. You can stay on the right side of the banks (no need to cross the bridge) there are more segments on this side with more cherry blossom trees. If you have the entire day, i would suggest, heading first towards the coast then head up the river banks then cross to the other side of the water on the way back.
Mid morning crowd
View from the bridge facing the coast
Illumination is from 6- 9 PM.
As sakuras are widely popular even to the Japanese, expect a big crowd. I would suggest securing a ticket or seat reservation for your return trip to Tokyo early as lines in the afternoon can be long. If you’ll be planning to take the Limited express back, a seat reservation will be required. A segment of the trip (the Izukuya train line) is not covered by the JR pass or Tokyo Wide Pass.
The earliest train arrival from Tokyo is 8:35 either on the Tokkaido Main line or the Shinkansen. The shinkansen route can save you about an hour per way but will cost more. To save on train fare, you can use the JR pass or get a Tokyo Wide Pass. If you’ll br getting a pass just for this day, it would still be cheaper to take the Tokkaido main line and a limited express train.
English event brochure: http://www.kawazu-onsen.com/eng/img/sakura/Kawazu-zakuraCherryBlossomFestival.pdf
How to get here:
Option 1: from Shinagawa or Tokyo, take JR Tokkaido Main line to Atami, change to JR Ito Line to Kawazu Station. (Y1370 for the Izu Express line- not covered by JR pass)
Option 2: from Tokyo Station take Tokkaido Shinkansen to Atami (50
mins) then change to to JR Ito Line to Kawazu Station (105 station) . (Y1370 for the Izu Express line- not covered by JR pass)
Option 3: From tokyo station, take Express Odoriko to Kawazu (160 mins)
Nearest train station: Kawazu Station
1 comments
As sakuras are widely popular even to the Japanese Trị Nám Chuyên Sâu Sakura, expect a big crowd. I would suggest securing a ticket or seat reservation for your return trip to Tokyo early as lines in the afternoon can be long Sữa Rửa Mặt SAKURA
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