While Kakunodate isn’t the most well-known cherry blossom destination in the Tōhoku Region, it is highly recommended. In addition to the cherry blossom in the town center, the cherry trees also lined the Kinokinai River (桧木内川) for two kilometers! Moreover, the cherry trees’ foliage also paints the town in vivid color when the temperature starts to cool down in mid-October. So, please find the cherry blossom and fall foliage spots in Kakunodate below!
Table of Contents
- Kakunodatechō Sightseeing Information Center (仙北市観光情報センター「角館駅前蔵」)
- Bukeyashiki Street (武家屋敷通り)
- Hinokinaigawa Tsutsumi Park (桧木内川堤)
- The Hidden Cherry Blossom and Fall Foliage Spots in Kakunodate
Click HERE to skip to Kakunodate’s access information.
Kakunodate’s Cherry Blossom and Fall Foliage Season
- Kakunodate’s cherry blossom season is from mid to late April.
- Kakunodate’s autumn foliage season is from late October to mid-November.
Kakunodate Cherry Blossom Festival (角館の桜まつり)
- The festival is held between mid-Apr to early May around Bukeyashiki Street and Hinokinaigawa Tsutsumi Park
- During the festival, there will be temporary stalls, and the areas will be lit up at night
Bukeyashiki Street Fall Foliage Light Up (武家屋敷通り紅葉ライトアップ)
Each year from mid-October to the end of November, Bukeyashiki Street is lit up at night for its vivid autumn foliage! Although no stalls will be set up, it is still nice to stroll around this street that is filled with those gorgeous traditional houses (*´ω｀).
Kakunodatechō Sightseeing Information Center (仙北市観光情報センター「角館駅前蔵」)
The first cherry blossom spot at Kakunodate is just outside of Kakunodate Station. There are a few cherry trees around the town’s tourist information center. As these trees receive ample sunlight, they are the first batch to bloom each year.
And don’t just walk pass it after snapping your cherry blossom photos. The information center provides a couple of services that might benefit you. There might also be coupons you can use at a couple of Kakunodate’s attractions!
For more information, refer to our Kakundoate article.
Bukeyashiki Street (武家屋敷通り)
Just like its name, the houses where samurai used to reside are lining up on this street. About a 15-minute walk from Kakunodate Station, the cherry trees line the street filled with traditional vibe.
The cherry blossoms here bloom a day or two later than the ones around Kakunodatechō Sightseeing Information Center.
For more information, please refer to our article on Bukeyashiki Street (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
Hinokinaigawa Tsutsumi Park (桧木内川堤)
The best cherry blossom spot in Kakunodate is Hinokinaigawa Tsutsumi Park. When the weather is good, the scenery here is breathtaking.
The trees on the two kilometers long pink flower tunnel were only planted in 1934 to celebrate the former emperor’s birthday. Together with the cherry blossoms on Bukeyashiki Street, Hinokinaigawa Tsutsumi Park’s cherry blossom was chosen as one of Japan’s Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots!
Around 400 cherry blossom trees are on the river bank, and the mountain afar also has many cherry blossom trees that bloom simultaneously!
When the night time comes, don’t forget to return to the river bank. The flowers that are illuminated by the street lights are another reason why the cherry blossoms here are so highly regarded (*´ω｀).
How to Get to Hinokinaigawa Tsutsumi Park
- The riverbank is around a 15-minute walk from Kakunodate Station.
Click HERE to return to a list of attractions in Kakunodate!
The Hidden Cherry Blossom and Fall Foliage Spots in Kakunodate
Furushiroyama Park (古城山公園)
Furushiroyama, where Kakunodate Castle used to be, is located on the outskirt of the town center of Kakunodate.
As it is not the cherry blossom festival venue, few visitors would make an effort and climb out the hill to this park. This means you will have this hidden gem all to yourself!
From the park, the entire Hinokinaigawa Tsutsumi Park can be seen clearly. Plus, the park is full of cherry blossom trees, which also bloom at the same time (*’▽’).
In autumn, the park on the hill is a hidden gem to admire the beauty of autumn foliage in Kakunodate!
The only catch is the 20-minute uphill road that might make it a bit hard to catch your breath (´▽｀*)!
Walking from Kakunodate Station will take around 40 minutes to get to the park.
Tip: Instead of hiking up through the road that a car can drive through, there is a shortcut shortly after the park’s entrance close to the shrine (refer to the 2nd photo in the IG post).
Tenneiji Temple (天寧寺)
Also located on the outskirt of Kakunodate’s town center (but on the other side of the town) is the Tenneiji Temple.
The temple’s ground is quite spacious, with cherry blossom trees planted across. Again, it isn’t a major spot for cherry blossom viewing, so you should be able to enjoy some tranquility here (^_-)-☆.
Walking from Kakunodate Station will take around a 15-minute to get to the temple.
Other Attractions in Kakunodate
In addition to the many photography sessions that you will have in Kakunodate, visiting a couple of the town’s attractions is also recomemnded.
To find out what other awesome attractions you can visit in the historic town, check out our article on Kakunodate!
