Five popular cherry blossom viewing spots in Shizuoka in early spring.

Even within the 18-hectare park, the largest number of cherry trees can be seen in the southeast area surrounding the Tatsumi Yagura, Honmaru moat, and the square in front of the Higashi Gomon gate. The cherry blossoms are mainly Someiyoshino, but there are also weeping cherry, Oshima cherry, Zindaia kebono, and other varieties, each with its own unique characteristics.

The ground in front of the East Gate is maintained with lawns and other greenery. During the cherry blossom viewing season, the plaza is filled with people who lay out leisure sheets and enjoy eating and drinking while viewing the cherry blossoms.

North of the Kun Yagura (Hitsujisaru Yagura) in the southwestern part of the park is the Fujimi Lawn, where visitors can enjoy a magnificent view of Mt. Fuji over the cherry blossoms when the weather permits.
During the "Shizuoka Festival", the cherry blossoms are illuminated at night. The cherry blossoms floating in the night sky are very fantastic.

Ninomaru moat is dug on the south side of Sunpu Castle Park, and the surface of the moat is calm. The stonewalls rising from the moat are lined with cherry trees, reflecting the colors of early spring on the calm surface of the water.

The Shizuoka Festival, held in Shizuoka City during the cherry blossom viewing season, came about because Tokugawa Ieyasu is said to have taken his vassals to Sunpu Castle to view the cherry blossoms. For several days, a wide variety of events are planned day and night. The largest of these is the "Grand Imperial Highness Hanami Gyoretsu" (Grand Imperial Court Hanami Procession). Ieyasu Tokugawa, the Grand Gyojo, is accompanied by the Odaisho and other feudal lords in a hanami procession of about 400 people that parades through the castle grounds from Sunpu Castle to Shizuoka Sengen Shrine.

<Facility Information
Facility Name Sunpu Castle Park
Address: 1-1 Sunpu Castle Park, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Access 15 min. walk from JR Shizuoka Sta.

Someiyoshino cherry trees, yamazakura cherry trees, and other cherry trees are planted on the shrine grounds surrounding the shrine pavilion and the sacred pond, usually announcing the arrival of spring from late March to early April. The hiking course from the precincts of the temple to the top of Mt. The Hatsukaesai Festival, held in early April every year, coincides with the cherry blossom season, and the grounds and approach to the shrine are lined with stalls. The Chigomai (children's dance) dedicated to the gods at the annual festival is designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Asset of Japan.

<Facility Information
Facility Name Shizuoka Sengen Shrine
Address: 102-1 Miyagasaki-machi, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Phone number 054-245-1820
Access Take the Shizutetsu Just Line Bus from JR Shizuoka Station to the Akatorii Sengen Shrine Entrance stop on the Abe Line or Miwa Otani Line.

Fuji over cherry blossoms at Nihondaira Yume Terrace (Shizuoka City)

Nihon Taira is a hilly area straddling Suruga and Shimizu wards in Shizuoka City, named after the legend that Yamatotakeru no Mikoto (the God of War) looked around from here during his expedition to the east. It is a scenic spot that has been selected as No. 1 in the "100 Best Tourist Attractions in Japan. The Nihondaira Yume Terrace opened in November 2018 at the summit of the 300-meter-high mountain. Cherry trees are planted to wrap around the plaza surrounding the central digital tower and usually bloom from late March to early April.

After passing under the Otorii gate that stands at the entrance to the shrine, cherry trees line both sides of the approach to the shrine. They warmly embrace visitors to the shrine with the colors of the season.

The Shinpike, with its calm surface on the west side of the approach to the temple, is covered with weeping cherry trees overhead. The surface of the pond is like a mirror reflecting the cherry blossoms symmetrically.

A tunnel of Mishima cherry blossoms will be created in the area on the north side of the approach connecting the main gate and the Shinmon Gate. This is probably to announce the arrival of spring to those who are on their way to the main shrine for worship.

About 15 varieties of cherry trees grow at the shrine, including someiyoshino, kawazu-zakura, yae-zakura, shidare-zakura, mishima-zakura, and oshima-zakura. The entire area is usually tinted light red with Someiyoshino cherry blossoms from late March to early April, but the Kawazu cherry blossoms bloom around mid-February and the Yae cherry blossoms around mid-April, so the cherry blossom viewing season is a little longer. Repeated visits at different times of the year will provide a richly varied view of the scenery. During the cherry blossom viewing season, the approach to the temple is lined with numerous stalls. At night, the path is illuminated and visitors can enjoy viewing the cherry blossoms all day long, day and night.

In early spring, many couples go to Mishima Taisha Shrine to view the cherry blossoms. In the Heian period (794-1185), important figures who changed the course of Japanese history were said to have repeatedly dated at this shrine, and it was even featured in a TV picture as the setting for the 2022 NHK historical drama "Kamakura-dono no 13-nin" (The 13 Lords of Kamakura). The "Koshikake-ishi" stone, on which Minamoto no Yoritomo and Hojo no Masako are said to have rested when they made the Hundred Days Pilgrimage to pray for the Heike clan's defeat, remains in the shrine grounds. In the Treasure House, an "ume maki-e hand-bako" (plum maki-e box), which is presumed to have been dedicated by Masako, and old documents of Yoritomo and others are on display.

<Facility Information
Facility name Mishima-taisha shrine
Address: 2-1-5 Omiya-cho, Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Phone number 055-975-0172
Access Approximately 15 minutes walk from "Mishima Station" of JR Tokaido Shinkansen and Tokaido Line / Approximately 7 minutes walk from "Mishima Tamachi Station" of Izu Hakone Railway

The precincts of the shrine are planted with someiyoshino cherry trees, weeping cherry trees, Oshima cherry trees, and scarlet cherry trees. In particular, weeping cherry trees growing on both sides of the approach to the temple usually attract much attention in early spring for their blooming status. From the hill, which is approximately 170 meters above sea level, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the Sagaminada Sea and the hot spring resort town of Atami over the cherry blossoms.

Izuyama Shrine seems to have played a similar role historically to Mishima Taisha. It is said that Minamoto no Yoritomo and Hojo no Masako visited the shrine many times during the late Heian period (794-1185) and nurtured their love. A "stone for sitting on" remains in the precincts of the shrine where the two enjoyed their dates.

The "Kokoromusubi" torii (gateway to the shrine) is located to the south of the stone for the purpose of bringing marriage. If you take a photo in front of the heart-shaped object, you can be sure that your love will be fulfilled.

While the torii gate at Kokoromusubi is a popular spot for couples, another torii gate, nicknamed the "Kyon Kyon Torii," stands at the western end of the temple grounds. Kyoko Koizumi dedicated the vermilion torii in 2010. It is surely a spot that Kyoko Koizumi fans will not want to miss.

<Facility Information
Facility Name Izusan Shrine
Address: 708-1 Izuyama, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Phone number 0557-80-3164
Access From JR "Atami" station, take the Izuyama Jinja Line bus for 10 minutes to "Izuyama Jinja-mae" stop.