A massive forest park of 167,000 square kilometers, featuring hiking courses, camping sites and BBQ locations that can be enjoyed as a day out or as an overnight trip. It is known for its 150,000 Shiba-zakura plants, and a Shiba-zakura Festival is held every year during their blooming season.
| Website | https://www.vill.hirata.fukushima.jp/site/jupialand/(Japanese) |
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| Contact | Jupia Land Hirata Management Department, Hirata Village (+81) 247-55-3535 |
| Best Season |
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| Parking | Parking lot available |
| Entrance Fee | Entrance is free (Except for the period when shiba-zakura and hydrangea are in flower) |
| Related info | Best time to see seasonal flowers Shiba-zakura: Late Apr. - Mid-May Hydrangea: Late Jun. - Mid-Jul. |
| Access | Yomogidadake, Yomogida Shinden, Hirata Village, Fukushima Pref. 963-8201 View directions |
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| Getting there | By Car: 5 min drive from Hirata I.C. exit off the Abukuma Kogen Expressway |
Ishikawa Town is famous in the Tohoku region for its long river walks under rows of riverside cherry blossoms. The blossoms continue for over six kilometres and over 2,000 cherry trees.The cherry blossoms are illuminated during the blooming season (usually early- to mid-April), including the section alongside the Moto Gakko community centre. Lanterns are also hung up along the road.
The Totsube Sakura tree is one of the best-known cherry blossom spots in Fukushima. Standing alone in a field in Yamatsuri Town, its wide branches and soft pink flowers create a striking scene against the surrounding countryside. The tree is especially famous for blooming slightly earlier than many other cherry trees in the area and is seen as a symbol of the spring season starting in the prefecture.Believed to be more than 600 years old, the tree is an Edohigan cherry tree and has been designated a natural monument by the prefectural government. It stands around 18 metres tall, with a trunk more than six metres in circumference, showing both its great age and remarkable size.For generations, local farmers used the blooming of the Totsube Sakura as a sign that it was time to begin spring work in the fields. Because it flowers from late March to early April, it became closely tied to the rhythms of life in Yamatsuri and remains an important symbol of the town today.The tree is also popular with photographers, especially because the nearby Suigun Line railway passes behind it. During blossom season, many visitors gather to capture the sight of a local train passing beneath the ancient cherry tree.
One of the defining sights of the charming Iizaka Onsen resort, the wooden frontage of Sabakoyu was famous for long being Japan's oldest wooden public bathhouse, before being renovated in 1993. The bath facilities are open to the public, giving visitors the chance to enjoy the authentic hot spring water straight from the source. The water here can reach temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius, giving it something of a reputation amongst the locals as too hot for first-timers to handle.The bathhouse is closed on Mondays, excepting public holidays. Guests should buy a ticket from the machine inside the entrance, and soap / shampoo are not provided, so bathers should bring their own.
The Fukushima Product Promotion Center (also known as the ‘Bussankan’) is a short walk from the west exit of Fukushima Station and is the best spot to buy unique souvenirs from your trip to Fukushima.Enjoy a delicious lunch, and even do a sake tasting, at the Fukushima Lounge. All food and sake has been grown and produced locally in Fukushima.Browse locally-made items – which have been designed over generations in response to Fukushima’s rich history and culture, and have become representative of various areas of Fukushima Prefecture – displayed and sold in the ‘Local Products’ section.Great food, dried goods, local products and traditional crafts – the best from all over the prefecture can all be found at Fukushima Prefecture Souvenir Shop.As well as displaying and selling delicious local produce and locally-made folk crafts from a wide range of areas across the prefecture, the Fukushima Product Promotion Center also provides information on local products and sightseeing opportunities in Fukushima. Local artisans, farmers and performers also regularly visit the shop to display and sell their work.
The Hitomachi Jizo Sakura in Hinata is a solitary cherry tree standing along an old mountain pass in Nihonmatsu. Its name comes from the small stone Jizo statue at its base, which appears to be quietly watching over travelers passing through the countryside.The cherry tree is especially known for the striking combination of pale pink blossoms, bright yellow rape flowers, and the Jizo statue. In the distance, visitors can also see the snow-covered peaks of the Azuma and Adatara mountain ranges, giving the landscape a dramatic backdrop.Believed to be around 100 years old, the tree is a mature Somei Yoshino with a broad canopy and thick trunk. It blooms from early to mid-April, slightly earlier than some of the other famous cherry trees in Nihonmatsu, and has become one of the most photographed sakura spots in the area.
Jorakuen (浄楽園) is a traditional Japanese garden located in Fukushima City. It was completed by an expert gardener who worked on the famous Kinkaku-ji Temple in Kyoto, and it has a total area of about 25,000 square meters (over 269,000 square feet).The garden can be enjoyed in spring, summer and autumn. Spring brings about delicate cherry blossoms, irises, and rhododendrons; water lilies and lotus flowers adorn the ponds during the summer; and brightly colored trees decorate the park in autumn. No matter the season, the backdrop of the Azuma mountains makes for a spectacular sight at Jorakuen.There is a souvenir shop and traditional teahouse at the garden where visitors can enjoy matcha and Japanese sweets (‘wagashi’). The park remains closed during the winter season, from December 1st to March 31st.
Mogi Station is a small, unassuming train stop that transforms drastically in spring. Every year around mid-April, the bank of over 30 cherry trees south of the station bursts into full bloom, turning the area into a picturesque array of pink, white and blue. The blossoms are illuminated at night once darkness falls, drawing visitors and photographers from across the region.Only the final train of the day, arriving at 21:30 from the direction of Miharu, pulls into platform two, with the background of the blooming cherry trees. For many photographers and train enthusiasts, this is the shot they visit to get. Despite its modest size, Mogi Station has quietly earned its place as one of the most photogenic, if lesser-known, hanami spots in the region.
The Bandai-Azuma Skyline is a 29-kilometer sightseeing road to the west of Fukushima City. The roadway makes for a lovely drive as it weaves its way through the Azuma Mountain Range, tying together Takayu Onsen and the Tsuchiyu Mountain Pass. It has even been nicknamed “the road that runs across the sky” as it offers such spectacular panoramic views of Fukushima City and the beautiful countryside. The road opens for the season in early April, coinciding with cherry blossom viewing season in Fukushima City. At Fukushima City's Hanamiyama, you can see the rare combination of cherry blossoms and snow in the course of a single day.