[Chiba ]Two plum blossom viewing spots decorated with red and white flowers in early spring.
![[Chiba ]Two plum blossom viewing spots decorated with red and white flowers in early spring.](https://assets.deep-exp.com/assets/img/uploads/media/588/main_front_detail.jpg)
2023-02-13
As the severe cold eases and the arrival of spring is felt, ume (plum) blossoms begin to bloom. There are many attractive ume viewing spots scattered throughout Japan. Chiba Prefecture is also home to many ume viewing spots, and we will introduce two of them, Naritasan Park and Shimizu Park.
Author of this article
Table of Contents
- 1.1-1.1-2.2.2-1.
-
Naritasan Park (Narita City)
![]()
Naritasan Park is a park developed on a section of the precincts of Naritasan Shinshoji Temple. Shinsho-ji Temple is one of the most popular places for New Year's visits, competing for first and second place in Japan in terms of the number of visitors to the temple each year. Founded in 940 during the Heian period (794-1185), it is a temple of the Chizan school of Shingon Buddhism and is one of the main temples of the sect. The main gate, which serves as the front entrance to the temple, is imposing and solemn. It was built in 2008 to commemorate the 1070th anniversary of the founding of Naritasan, and is approximately 15 meters high and made of zelkova. The temple is decorated with wood carvings of the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac, and the eight Buddhas of the "birth year and guardian "are enshrined on the tower.
![]()
Beyond the main gate is another gate, Niomon, erected in 1831. On the right side of the gate is an open-mouthed statue of Naranen Kongo, and on the left side is a closed-mouthed statue of Minjiaku Kongo. A large red lantern hanging in the center of the gate is eye-catching. The lantern, which reads in large letters "fish gashi ", was dedicated in 1968 by the masters of the fish market in Tsukiji, Tokyo. It weighs approximately 800 kilograms.
![]()
After passing through two gates and ascending stone steps, one comes to the main hall. The hall is built in the irimoya style, with a frontage of about 95 meters, a depth of about 60 meters, and a height of about 33 meters. The main image of Fudo Myoo in the center of the hall is flanked on the right by Kongara Doji and on the left by Seitaka Doji. The main hall serves as the temple's central hall, where goma prayers are held throughout the year.
Plum trees, which are more than 70 years old on average, envelop the park with their quiet and atmospheric colors.
![]()
The area east of the main hall is maintained as Naritasan Park. The vast 165,000-square-meter park, which is about 3.5 times the size of the Tokyo Dome, offers a variety of seasonal scenes. In early spring, red and white plum trees add seasonal color. Usually from mid-February to mid-March, the park is filled with the fragrance of plum blossoms. The "Narita Plum Festival "is held in conjunction with the best time to view the plum blossoms.
![]()
Along the park path from the entrance to the center of the park, red and white plum trees blend together in a well-balanced manner. There are around 460 ume trees planted in the park. Since many of the old trees are over 70 years old on average, they are not showy, but as a whole, visitors can enjoy the flowers in a quiet and atmospheric manner.
![]()
Plum trees are densely planted on the northern slope of Ryuju-no-ike Pond and Monju-no-ike Pond, which are located in the center of the park and have a calm water surface. On the gentle slope, red and white ume trees are folded in three-dimensional layers.
![]()
The banks of Ryu-ju Pond and Monju Pond are bordered by plum blossoms. Numerous carp swim around on the surface of the water, which reflects the colors of the red and white plum blossoms.
From the plum grove to the northwest, the Great Pagoda of Peace can be seen over the plum blossoms. The second floor of the 58-meter-high Great Pagoda houses the Myouden (Hall of Myoo), where the main deity of the pagoda, Fudo Myoo, the Four Great Myoo, the Showa Great Mandala, and the Shingon Soshu Gyozu (Picture of Shingon Soshi) are enshrined. On the top five floors of the Kongōden, there are five five images of Gōchi Nyorai and Dainichi Nyorai, symbols of wisdom, and the 11 meter diameter circular stained glass ceiling depicts "Hōsōge (the most beautiful flower in Buddhism) "and the majestic Kongōkai Mandala . The stained glass windows, 11 meters in diameter, depict the most beautiful flower in the Buddhist world, the Hosoge , and the majestic Mandala of the Vajrayana world.
"Narita's Plum Blossom Festival "'s Western Gardens with a variety of events.
![]()
A western garden is maintained under the Great Peace Pagoda. A wide variety of plants and trees are planted around the central fountain. "During the Narita Plum Festival ", the garden is transformed into an event plaza.
![]()
A special stage will be set up bordering the north side of the fountain, where traditional music will be performed by Tsugaru shamisen, koto, shakuhachi, and erhu. "Plum blossom viewing concert "will be held. The sounds of various musical instruments will echo through the plum grove, adding to the feeling of early spring.
![]()
At the amazake reception station set up to the west of the special stage, visitors can enjoy free amazake (sweet sake). Handmade amazake made with koji (malted rice) seems to warm up your body after being chilled during the spring cold. It contains no alcohol, so even children can drink it. In addition, there will also be an outdoor ume viewing ceremony by Omotesenke in the ume grove on the north side of Monju-no-ike Pond. Tasting tea while admiring the ume blossoms will surely make you feel like a person of refinement.
In the flower bed east of the special stage, rape blossoms are in full bloom. The yellow coloring adds to the red and white of the ume plum blossoms, accentuating the coloring. Visitors can be reminded that rape blossoms also bloom at the same time as ume blossoms. "During Narita's Ume Festival ", Narita's sightseeing character "Unari-kun "may also make an appearance. ""Since his debut in April 2010, he has been enlivening sightseeing events in various parts of the city.
![]()
Not only rape blossoms, but also Kawazu cherry blossoms bloom at the same time as ume blossoms. Kawazu-zakura can be seen on the shore of Ryuchi-no-ike Pond, which is connected to the east of Ryu-ju-no-ike Pond. In Naritasan Park, visitors can experience the arrival of spring in abundance with three types of flowers: ume (plum blossoms), nanohana (rape blossoms), and kawazu-zakura.
"Facility Information "
Facility name: Naritasan Park
Address: 1 Narita, Narita City, Chiba Prefecture
Phone number: 0476-22-2111
Opening hours: Free admission
Closed: Open every day
Admission material: no material
Access: JR Narita Line "Narita Station "or Keisei Line "Keisei Narita Station ", 20 min. walk
Official Website :https://www.naritasan.or.jp/
Shimizu Park (Noda City)
![]()
Shimizu Park is a nature park located in the northern part of Noda City, Chiba Prefecture. The entrance is located approximately 500 meters west of Shimizu Park Station on the Tobu Urban Park Line. The ume (Japanese apricot) orchard is located within the park's expansive grounds, which cover approximately 280,000 square meters. It is usually decorated with the colors of early spring from mid-February to early March every year. The "Shimizu Park Plum Blossom Festival "is held in conjunction with the best time to view the plum blossoms.
![]()
In Shimizu Park, the southern area of the site is a plum garden. About 100 plum trees line the 200-meter-long avenue. Although there is no end to the number of people viewing the plum blossoms along the tree-lined avenue, it is never too crowded for people to move, allowing them to enjoy the blossoms in a relaxed atmosphere.
![]()
Benches set up along the parkway are covered with red rugs, creating a Japanese atmosphere under the plum blossoms.
![]()
"During the Shimizu Park Plum Blossom Festival ", a plum viewing teahouse will appear in the center of the plum garden, where visitors can enjoy matcha green tea, sweet sake, oshiruko (sweet red bean soup), and dumplings while enjoying the scent of plum blossoms floating in the air around them.
"Planting 20 varieties of plum trees including Kanken Ume ", "Yaeno Ume ", "Shirakaga "
![]()
About 20 varieties of plum trees are planted in the plum garden. In the red plum family, "Kankoubai "has dark red flowers. It is considered to bring good luck and is a popular ume. It is a variety close to the original species that changed from wild ume, with small leaves and fine, dense branches. The small, single-petaled flowers will make you feel lovely.
In the white plum family, you can see "Yaeyabai ", "Shirakaga "and so on. "Yaeno Ume "is thought to be a variation of the ume that came from China. It is finely branched and sometimes produces prickly twigs. The leaves are relatively small and smooth with few hairs. The double-petaled flowers are fragrant and produce rounded fruits.
"Shirokaga "is not a flowering ume, but a representative variety of the fruit ume family, in which the fruit is processed into food products. During the Edo period (1603-1868), the Kaga Maeda clan's family crest was decorated with the plum tree, and so it was actively planted not only in Kaga, but also in the clan's residence in Edo (Tokyo). At that time, they were called "Kaga Shiraume ", which eventually changed to "Shirakaga ". "Together with Nanko-ume (Nanko ume) ", many ume are grown throughout Japan for processing into umeboshi (pickled plums).
Shimizu Park overflowing with active fun
![]()
While the southern part of Shimizu Park has a quiet, Japanese atmosphere in early spring, the vast park is filled with active fun. The field athletic facility in the area north of the plum garden has about 100 points of equipment, making it one of the largest of its kind in Japan. The grounds are divided into the Adventure Course, Wanpaku no Mori, Wakuwaku Fort, Challenge Course, and Water Course, offering a wide variety of adventures for all ages.
![]()
A campground is adjacent to the north of the field athletic area. The grounds are equipped with barbecue facilities, a barbecue garden, day camps, auto campsites, and bungalows, allowing visitors to spend a day according to their preferences.
The flower garden "Flower Fantasia "is located in the area southwest of the Field Athletic Complex. The 70,000-square-meter comprehensive flower garden includes an English garden, rose garden, rock garden, peony and peony garden, wisteria trellis, cosmos field, lotus and water lilies in a large pond, and a greenhouse, where about 700 kinds of plants and trees are cultivated. Following the plum blossoms in early spring, the garden is decorated with seasonal flowers in turn. The garden is open all year round, with a different look for each season. There is also a pony farm and trout fishing area in Shimizu Park, which will make you want to visit not only once, but repeatedly.
"Facility Information "
Facility name: Shimizu Park
Address: 906 Shimizu, Noda-shi, Chiba
Phone number: 04-7125-3030
Opening hours: Free admission
Closed: Open every day
Admission material: no material
Access: Tobu Urban Park Line "Shimizu Koen Station "10 min. walk from West Exit
Official Website :https://www.shimizu-kouen.com/
summary
This article introduced two popular ume viewing spots in Chiba Prefecture: Naritasan Park and Shimizu Park. Naritayama Park is located within the precincts of Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, while Kiyomizu Park's ume garden is located in a park that utilizes a vast area of land. The ume garden in Kiyomizu Park is located in a large park with a large area of land.
Recommended articles
Keyword search
Category overview
Search by Area
Select Language
Select Currency
