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Mention spring season in Japan and an image of breathtakingly colourful flowers immediately comes to mind. Flowers such as sakura (cherry blossoms), peach blossoms, magnolias, tulips and lilies can be seen in abundance during this truly beautiful season. So join us as we take a flower-hunting tour around Japan’s best scenic spots.
First up is a trip to Kochi, the hometown of historical figure, Sakamoto Ryoma. We will visit recommended sightseeing spots in Nankoku-Tosa while savouring the delicious seafood of the region. From Kochi Station, hop onto a local sightseeing bus called My-Yu-Bus. As botanical gardens are the best place to enjoy flowers, head to the famous Makino Botanical Garden first. Opened in 1958, it is dedicated to Makino Tomitaro, a famous botanist who was born in Kochi. Approximately 3,000 kinds of vegetation are planted here. Look out for blooming sakura trees with white flowers which signal the beginning of spring. The sight of the beautiful early sakura will warm your heart. A recommended spot here is the South Garden, with its theme of “Spring in Holland”. It is also called Friendship Garden, commemorating the amity between Kochi and Holland. Here you can see colourful tulips and lilies originating from Holland. Interestingly, the flowers here are planted in such a way that they resemble a Sawachi banquet. Sawachi cuisine features plates and bowls, so the “large plates” here are filled with seasonal flowers. This particular garden has the nickname Flower Profusion.
Return to Kochi Station and take a “retro-like” train with one carriage and travel along the Dosan Line. Admire the refreshing spring scenery as the train heads to a famous sakura spot in the woods. Alight at Aso Station, located in the middle of Kochi Prefecture. Take a taxi to Mount Soda, where a rare species of sakura blooms. Called Snow Pick Sakura, it can be found halfway up Mount Soda. The real name of this early blooming species is Tsubaki-kan Sakura. This place is visited by many flower enthusiasts. There is a resting spot here where large crowds gather during the sakura viewing season. Buy some freshly-made sakura rice cakes as a snack and munch on them as you enjoy the gorgeous scenery.
Next, make your way to a port town that overlooks Pacific Ocean - Nakatosa-cho. Visit Tosa Kure’s Taisho-machi Market, which is popular among the locals and tourists alike. It sells items such as freshly-caught bonito fish. A special soy sauce made with bonito fish is the town’s pride and joy. To get a taste of bonito fish, go to Ryoshigoya and try the Kure Rice Bowl, which features rice topped with local fresh seafood. Do note that you have to order this highly-popular rice bowl a day in advance. Customers can choose five different toppings from shops in the market - from sashimi to dried seafood. The Kure Rice Bowl, which comes with miso soup, cost 1,000 yen (S$16).
Hotel Shimanto, which is near the station. Shimanto River – known as Japan’s last clear stream - runs through the area. The river is just a short walk from the hotel. Instead of dining at the hotel, you can choose to have your meal at an elegant restaurant called Ryotei Azuma. Adored by gourmet lovers for 100 years, it serves the area’s delicacies such as Noresore - larvae of sea eel - with citrus sauce; grilled natural wild eel from Shimanto River; sushi featuring Tosa’s speciality, mackerel; and rice mixed with sesame, fish and ginger. This feast of traditional flavors and local delicacies costs 6,000 yen (S$97).
The next day, stroll around the bank of Shimanto River. A magnificent flower spot located near the mouth of the river boasts a vast field of kale blossoms. An annual festival is held in April to celebrate these flowers, which mean “small happiness”. The amazing carpet of flowers is a feast for the eyes and will leave you with beautiful memories of your trip to Nankoku-Tosa.
For our next trip, we will visit famous flower spots in Kamakura, Miura Peninsula. At the cape of Miura Peninsula, visit a flower park called Soleil Hill. In French, soleil means sun. Built with the image of Southern France in mind, about 50,000 kale blossoms bloom here. The park is filled with gorgeous, vibrant colors. If you are lucky, you can even see Mount Fuji behind the flowers on some days. During summer, there are sunflowers whereas cosmos will greet you in autumn. Next, head to another flower spot along Keikyu Kurihama Line. Entrance to Kurihama Flower Country is free and the theme park boasts beautiful hillside flowers. The park is 15 times the size of Tokyo Dome, and over 300 different types of flowers are planted here. A great way to admire the flowers in this enormous park is aboard the park's Flower Train. Drop by the herb garden where you can see chrysanthemums such as marguerites and north poles. They are both similar in colour and have the same number of petals. However, while marguerites can survive through winter and are perennial plants, north poles only last a year. This massive herb garden has 130 different types of vegetation such as rosemary flowers and peach trees. Not only is rosemary a tasty herb, its components and fragrance contain rejuvenating elements. It has anti-ageing qualities and also rejuvenates brain cells. There are also curry plants which are bound to stimulate your appetite with their fragrance.
After all that walking, what better way to soothe your tired feet than to soak them in a relaxing foot bath? The foot bath here is made with herbs from the garden. For example, sometimes a blend of rosemary and thyme is used; they have anti-bacterial qualities and help to reduce swelling. After pampering your feet, continue your tour around the herb garden. Look out for Edgeworthia, which is also called tridents because of the three stems that fork out from one branch. After exploring the herb garden, head to the camellia garden. About 200 different species of camellia can be found here. These include the winter camellia and the “lucky drum”, whose interior looks like a small drum.
For lunch, go to the luxurious restaurant Uchikura, which specialises in soba. During this season, it serves unique dishes such as sakura udon and whitebait udon. To make the wonderfully-fragrant sakura udon, sakura leaves are kneaded into the dough. After this delicious meal, travel by Yokosuka Line to Kamakura. Walk around the town first. Komachi-dori is popular among tourists throughout the year. Some traditional shops – such as a Japanese accessory store - still exist here and you can buy some interesting souvenirs at the shops in the area. For a snack, you can pick up some sakura or mugwort buns. Or you could go to the Iwata Coffee Shop, located next to a river, and order its famous hot cakes. These popular hot cakes take 30 minutes to make, so place your order right away. Patronised by many famous writers and celebrities, the shop has an English garden on its terrace, featuring many colorful flowers such as magnolias. It is a great place to enjoy seasonal flowers over a cup of coffee and a plate of aromatic and fluffy hot cakes. The hot cakes are made with a special batter on a hot plate. The shop’s first owner created the original recipe 50 years ago.
One of the most famous sakura spots in Kamakura is Tsuruoka Hachimangu. Every year, many visitors come to admire the sakura here, especially the sakura tunnel at the shrine's entrance. About 350 sakura trees line both sides of the pathway. The best way to enjoy the flowers is to take a long relaxing stroll inside the tunnel. Another famous flower spot in Kamakura is Hase Temple, which was built 1,100 years ago. Named the Flower Temple, it is surrounded by many flowers, such as its colourful hydrangeas. Some of the seasonal flowers which can be found here include sakura, white magnolia, Japanese quince, kobushi magnolia, Japanese andromeda and witch hazel. Hase Temple also boasts a panoramic view of Kamakura. The magnificent view of the beautiful surroundings will warm your heart. |
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