Just a 5-minute walk from Hanshin’s Amagasaki Station (阪神尼崎駅), Amagasaki Castle Ruins Park (尼崎城址公園) is the most easily accessible spot in Amagasaki City for plum blossoms. While only 22 plums are planted, it is the perfect spot to take photos of the gorgeous flowers with the castle. In addition, you can transform yourself into the […]
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Most international tourists would visit Hyōgo Prefecture for Kobe. While the port city can be easily accessed from Osaka or Kyoto, the tourist attractions are usually packed, especially during the flowering seasons. So, exploring other parts of the prefecture would be a great idea if you don’t want to be pushed around. While some of
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If you plan to visit Himeji in early spring, stop by Zuiganji (増位山随願寺). The oldest Tendai sect temple in the southern Hyōgo Prefecture has a plum grove. Besides the cultural properties, you see the elegant Himeji Castle from the plum grove. Using a professional camera, a picture of the castle with plum blossoms as the
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Sone Tenmangū (曽根天満宮), enshrining Sugawara no Michizane (菅原道真), was erected by his fourth son and 13 retainers after he passed away in Dazaifu, Kyushu. It is the spot that proves Michizane was wrongly demoted for a crime he didn’t commit. In addition to the pine that is the shrine’s symbol, around 200 plums of 40
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If you like visiting museums and historical sites, Ōnaka-iseki Park (大中遺跡) is the perfect spot to appreciate the plum blossoms and the historical site from approximately 1900 years ago. The 20 plum blossoms at Ōnaka-iseki Park and the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Archaeology usually bloom between mid to late February. The locals picnic in the
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If you want to spend a couple of hours at a rural site accessible from Kobe, Mitoro Fruits Park (加古川市見土呂フルーツパーク) in Kakogawa City is the perfect spot. The 12,000 square meter plum grove has around 200 plums of 11 varieties. The plum grove is divided into two parts, one for harvesting fruit and one for
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Like other Tenman shrines in Japan, the Sanda Tenman Shrine (三田天満神社) has Sugawara no Michizane (菅原道真) as the main god. His favorite flower, plum blossom, is thus planted in the precinct. In fact, the 200-year-old plum isn’t just another plum on the street. The plum is called Tobi-Ume (飛び梅), the same plum as the one
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While not as famous as Kobe, Awaji Island across the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge is one of the top tourist destinations in Hyōgo Prefecture. Many visit the island for the stunning scenery. It is also a historical and cultural rich part of the Kansai region. So, if Awaji Island is on your itinerary and you plan to
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If you are a history buff who loves ocean views, visit Oishi Park (生石公園) at the southeastern tip of Awaji Island. The park, located on a hill, was built from the Yura Fortress (由良要塞跡). In early spring, you can see the plum blossoms blooming on the slope leading to the sea from the Oishi Strait
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Akashi City west of Kobe is best known for the magnificent collaborated view of the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, the Seto Inland Sea, and Awaji Island as the backdrop. But what many aren’t aware of is the city also has a few plum blossom spots that worth a visit from late February to mid-March. So, if you
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