Cherries in Japan

Discussion in 'VCBF Neighbourhood Blogs' started by eteinindia, Nov 5, 2009.

  1. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    On Friday, March 23, 2018, I went golfing to Sobu Country Club in Chiba Prefecture.

    There Somei-yoshino hadn’t started to bloom

    Only 1 Beni-shidare, was started blooming. It was a middle size tree and not in good shape.
    2018.03.23_SobuCC_Chiba_Izaki 002.JPG 2018.03.23_SobuCC_Chiba_Izaki 001 (2).JPG

    Many Kobushi, Magnolia kobus trees were blooming beautifully on the course.
    2018.03.23_SobuCC_Chiba_Izaki 003.JPG 2018.03.jpg
     
    Joseph Lin likes this.
  2. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    On Saturday, March 25,2018, I visited Tojo-tei House and Garden with my friend. It was a house of Akitake Tokugawa, He is a younger brother of last Shogun, Yoshinobu Tokugawa.

    One Beni-shidare was blooming in the Garden.
    2018.03.24-1_Tojo-teiGarden_Chiba_Izaki 001.JPG 2018.03.24-1_Tojo-teiGarden_Chiba_Izaki 012.JPG
    Somei-yoshinos there were started to bloom. Lawn was still brown but mosses on the ground were green and beautiful.
    2018.03.24-1_Tojo-teiGarden_Chiba_Izaki 005.JPG 2018.03.24-1_Tojo-teiGarden_Chiba_Izaki 009.JPG
    There was a Japanese Tea and coffee house in the Garden. There we could drink Japanese Green tea and Special coffee looking Japanese Garden.
    2018.03.24-1_Tojo-teiGarden_Chiba_Izaki 017.JPG 2018.03.24-1_Tojo-teiGarden_Chiba_Izaki 014.JPG
    Two Kawazu-Zakura there were finished and yellow green leaves were beautiful.
    2018.03.jpg

    Then we had Ten-don lunch near Matsudo Shrine. I have visited there to see Kawazu-zakuras by the river. There some Somei-yoshinos were started blooming.
    2018.03.14-2_MatsudoShrine_Somei-yoshino_Izaki 001.JPG 2018.03.jpg 2018.03.14-2_MatsudoShrine_Somei-yoshino_Izaki 004.JPG
     
    Joseph Lin likes this.
  3. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    ★Koishikwa Botanical Garden on March 25, 2018 No.1
    Cherries in Tokyo became full bloom on March 25, 2018.

    I visited Koishikawa Botanical Garden. There also Somei-yoshino were full bloom and beautiful.
    2018.03.25_KoishikawaBG_Izaki 003.JPG 2018.03.25_KoishikawaBG_Izaki 005.JPG
    Beni-shidare became pale color but still very beautiful.
    2018.03.25_KoishikawaBG_Izaki 006.JPG
    In the forest part, large Shidare-zakura which is taller than 10 meter was booming very high up. There is a large Edo-higan next to it.
    2018.03.25_KoishikawaBG_Izaki 015.JPG 2018.03.25_KoishikawaBG_Izaki 020.JPG 2018.03.25_KoishikawaBG_Izaki 014.JPG 2018.03.25_KoishikawaBG_Izaki 022.JPG
    There are 2 more Edo-higans, one is also large and the other is narrow and tall. Next to it is a miserable shaped Shidare-zakura.
    2018.03.25_KoishikawaBG_Izaki 026.JPG 2018.03.25_KoishikawaBG_Izaki 027.JPG 2018.03.25_KoishikawaBG_Izaki 031.JPG
    Shidare-zakura is basically a weeping Edo-higan. Edo-higan zakura is one of the wild cherries grown in Japan which can live long and become large. Higan means equinoctial week and the middle day is a spring or autumn equinox. Edo-higan blooms around equinoctial week, a little earlier than Somei-yoshino. When I came back from Vancouver I searched around a good large Edo-higan in Tokyo. But I didn’t know there were so good Edo-higans in Koishikawa Botanical Garden until last spring!!
     
    Willard and Joseph Lin like this.
  4. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    ★Koishikawa Botanical Garden on March 25,2018 No.2
    I also found 2 unknown cherry trees at the edge of the forest part where we can’t go near because of the fence. Also they stand close to each other so I’m not quite sure they are 2 trees or one tree with 2 trunks. They have beautiful reddish pink flowers. People of the Botanic Garden can’t identify them nor they don’t know when they were planted. They must be hybrid of some early blooming cherries.
    2018.03.25_KoishikawaBG_Izaki 035.JPG 2018.03.25_KoishikawaBG_Izaki 036.JPG

    Mure-zakura, one kind of Yama-zakura which has plenty of flowers was blooming beautifully.
    2018.03.25_KoishikawaBG_Izaki 001.JPG
    There aren’t so many cherries down Japanese garden part. But in spring sunshine, Garden was beautiful with many flowers.
    2018.03.25_KoishikawaBG_Izaki 039.JPG 2018.03.25_KoishikawaBG_Izaki 041.JPG 2018.03.25_KoishikawaBG_Izaki 044.JPG rengyoKIMG4193.JPG
     
    Joseph Lin likes this.
  5. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    March 25,2018 No.3, Koishikawa

    Last week I bought an electric bicycle. So I decided to go around father more to Imperial Palace by bicycle.
    Cherries on Harima-zaka slope were beautiful and cherry blossom festival was held there. It was so crowed and I couldn’t go through by bike.
    2018.03.25-2_Koishikawa_Izaki 002.JPG
    I skipped harima-zaka and saw Dentsuin Temple. It is a well-known temple in Koishikawa but I hadn’t been there.
    It is a well –kept temple and there were some cherries, somei-yoshinos and a beni-shidare, blooming beautifully.
    2018.03.25-2_Koishikawa_Izaki 003.JPG 2018.03.25-2_Koishikawa_Izaki 004.JPG 2018.03.25-2_Koishikawa_Izaki 007.JPG 2018.03.25-2_Koishikawa_Izaki 013.JPG
    There were at least 3 yae-beni-shidares not blooming yet.
    2018.03.25-2_Koishikawa_Izaki 012.JPG
    There were 2 Somei-yoshinos in the cemetery.
    2018.03.25-2_Koishikawa_Izaki 010.JPG
    Then I found one shrine which I didn’t know at all. It locates just outside of my daily territory. There were some cherries, too.
    2018.03.25-2_Koishikawa_Izaki 015.JPG 2018.03.25-2_Koishikawa_Izaki 017.JPG 2018.03.25-2_Koishikawa_Izaki 019.JPG
     
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2018
    Joseph Lin likes this.
  6. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    Somei -yoshino will go quickly this year!!

    It's still in March, but we are having very strange weather. It's too warm. Yesterday, March 26, the temperature went up 20 degree and today, 22 degree. The weather forecast said tomorrow it would be 23 and on Thursday, it would be 24 in Tokyo. We are having warm fine days.
    Not only in Tokyo but also in northern places we are having quite warm weather. This year cherry time might be very short.  
     
    Joseph Lin likes this.
  7. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    March 25,2018 No.4 Around Imperial Palace

    Then I rode to Imperial Palace to go around the moat and check cherries there. But there were too many people around there.
    2018.03.25-3_aroundRoyalPalace_Izaki 009.JPG 2018.03.25-3_aroundRoyalPalace_Izaki 020 (2).JPG
    There were more people in Kitanomaru Park than cherries.
    2018.03.25-3_aroundRoyalPalace_Izaki 007.JPG 2018.03.25-3_aroundRoyalPalace_Izaki 008.JPG
    But I found one O-yama-zakura or Sargentii. It locates at the quiet corner and not good shape. But it has a name plate. It started blooming.
    2018.03.25-3_aroundRoyalPalace_Izaki 010.JPG 2018.03.25-3_aroundRoyalPalace_Izaki 012.JPG 2018.03.25-3_aroundRoyalPalace_Izaki 013.JPG 2018.03.25-3_aroundRoyalPalace_Izaki 019.JPG
     
    Joseph Lin likes this.
  8. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    March 25,2018 No.5 Zojo-ji Temple in Shiba

    I gave up and rode farther south on Hibiya Street to Zojo-ji Temple. It is a rather large temple first built in 9th century and became Tokugawa Shogun family’s temple. It was beautiful with cherries. You can see Tokyo Tower at the back.The sun was getting down and it was getting hard to take pictures against the sun.
    2018.03.25-4_Dojo-jiTemple_Izaki 014.JPG 2018.03.25-4_Dojo-jiTemple_Izaki 002.JPG 2018.03.25-4_Dojo-jiTemple_Izaki 010.JPG 2018.03.25-4_Dojo-jiTemple_Izaki 004.JPG
    2018.03.25-4_Dojo-jiTemple_Izaki 005.JPG 2018.03.25-4_Dojo-jiTemple_Izaki 008.JPG 2018.03.25-4_Dojo-jiTemple_Izaki 011.JPG 2018.03.25-4_Dojo-jiTemple_Izaki 013.JPG
    There are many places famous for cherries around the temple. But it was getting too late to take pictures. So I decided to go home. It took only 1 hour ride to my home.
     
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2018
    Joseph Lin likes this.
  9. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    We had a wonderful week for O-hanami, Cherry Viewing. It was a little early but we had fine, warm days for more than a week. We didn’t have rain or strong wind. Even if it was very warm, cherries stayed very nice condition.
    The temperature rose more than 20 degrees, sometimes more than 25, and evenings weren’t cold. It was good for Yo-zakura, evening cherry viewing. I visited many places and didn’t have time to post. So it became behind the date but I’ll post them.

    ★Inui Street in the imperial Palace on Monday, March 26,2018

    On Monday, March 26, I visited Inui Street in the Imperial Palace. The street locates in the closed part of the Imperial Palace. It is opened to the public only Cherry viewing and Autumn Color. This spring it was opened from March 24 to April 1. This year 398,550 people visited Inui Street. That was the reason it was very very crowded around the Imperial Palace on March 25.

    I arrived there 20 minutes after opening time but there already was a long queue for security check. I remembered the congestion of New Year Greening of the Emperor. People make queue all the way to the square of the Imperial Palace building where we can see the emperor on the window.
    But after we entered from Sakashita-mon Gate, inside was not as crowded as I imagined. There were many people but still we could move around to see cherry trees closely.
    2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 018.JPG 2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 019.JPG
    There were many cherry trees but most of them were young and recently planted. There were some good Beni--shidares there .Good thing is young cherries have name plates which have a Japanese name and a scientific name.
    2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 022.JPG 2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 042.JPG 2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 043.JPG
    2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 074.JPG 2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 050.JPG 2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 062.JPG
    We walked one way to the Inui-mon Gate. It was worth visiting.
    2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 087.JPG 2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 088.JPG
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 2, 2018
  10. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    ★Young Cherries on Inui street

    There were some unique cherries not Somei -yoshino. Yama-zakura or Shidare-zakura. There were young Fuyu-zakura, Usuzumi , koshino-higan and midori-zakura.
    I'll post the pictures of them.
    ★'Fuyu-zzkura' cerasus parvifolia 'Fuyu-zakura'
    Fuyu-zakura blooms during winter. It also blooms in spring with small leaves. So it is also called Koba-zakura, small leaved cherry.
    2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 033.JPG 2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 034.JPG
    ★'Usuzumi' Cerasus serrulata 'Nigresens'
    2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 035.JPG 2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 039.JPG

    'Koshino-higanzakura' Cersus spaciana var. Koshiensis
    2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 056.JPG 2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 058.JPG

    Midori-zakura Cerasus incisa f.Yamadei
    2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 078.JPG 2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 080.JPG
    There were also Yoko and Komtsu-otome. I will post them on other postings.

    Soon after we came out of the Inui-mon Gate, there were some Yae-beni-shidares just started to bloom.
    2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 094.JPG 2018.03.26_Inui-doriRoad_ImperialPalace_izaki 095.JPG
     
  11. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    It’s April 7, 2018,today yet but now it’s time for Kanzan and Fugenzo. Most of other cherries are finishing or after the peek. And the weather is not good today. So I didn’t go cherry watching. Weather forecast of the next week is colder than this week. But now Somei-yoshino went to Fukushima, Tohoku district,
    I’m very much behind the date but I’ll try to post what I saw during this cherry season.

    ★Around the Imperial Palace on March 26, 2018
    After I came out from the palace I walked left side towards National Theater. There were 3 Yoko blooming in front of The Craft gallery of the national museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. The street was very beautiful with many kinds of cherries blooming both sides.
    2018.03.26-2_aroundImperialPalace_izaki 005.JPG 2018.03.26-2_aroundImperialPalace_izaki 007.JPG
    I walked right side of the streets but the other side of the street was connecting to the bank of Chidori-ga-fuchi moat. If you go up the bank, you can see people boating at Chidori-ga-fuchi. But I couldn't pass the street.
    Then I came to the other side of Chidori-ga-fuchi moat.
    2018.03.26-2_aroundImperialPalace_izaki 010.JPG 2018.03.26-2_aroundImperialPalace_izaki 011.JPG
    There's Chidori-ga-fuchi Park which has many good cherries but not as crowded as Chidori-ga-fuchi itself. Somei-yoshino trees there have railings around them, which protect tree roots and also people can sit and rest there. They didn’t look nice but I think it's a good idea.
    There also some nice Yae-beni-shidare not blooming yet.
    2018.03.26-2_aroundImperialPalace_izaki 019.JPG 2018.03.26-2_aroundImperialPalace_izaki 025.JPG 2018.03.26-2_aroundImperialPalace_izaki 033.JPG
    There is a rare cherry named Maihime, dancing garl. It’s a new cultivar named for 50th anniversary of the Flower Association of Japan and planted in this park. It was chosen from the seeding of Yae-beni-shidare. It is a beautiful cherry which has same flowers as Yae beni shidare but it’s not weeping. I've seen the same kind of cherries in Kyoto and at the garden of National Museum in Ueno. I wondered they are the same cultivar or other hybrids.
    2018.03.26-2_aroundImperialPalace_izaki 026.JPG 2018.03.26-2_aroundImperialPalace_izaki 028.JPG 2018.03.26-2_aroundImperialPalace_izaki 034.JPG
     
  12. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    ★National Theater on March 26,2018
    Then I crossed the street and walked to the National Theater. It's a theater for Japanese traditional performing arts like Kabuki, Noh, Bunraku and Hogaku. It's also famous for the place where you can see nine kinds of cherries. That day some special event must have been held there and I saw people dressed up with Kimono and western formal dresses taking pictures in front of beautiful cherries.
    2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 002 (2).JPG 2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 011.JPG 2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 018.JPG 2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 022.JPG 2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 023.JPG 2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 033.JPG 2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 034.JPG 2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 049.JPG
     
  13. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    ★National Theater on March 26,2018 No.2
    More than 70 years had passed after the Second World War finished. And many Somei-Yoshinos planted after the war became wrong condition. Now the Flower Association of Japan which is growing cultivars of cherries is replacing Somei-yoshinos with Komatsu-otome and Jindai-akebono. They are regarded more healthy and stronger than Somei-yoshino. You can see both cherries and other cherries in good condition there.
    Komatsu-otome Cerasus spachiana 'Komatsu-otome'
    Komatsu-otome was once regarded as mother of Somei-yoshino. But now it is proved to be a sister of Somei-yoshino. It is a smaller tree than Somei-yoshino but stronger and healthier. The flowers are a little smaller and start blooming darker pink than Somei-yoshino’s. when it becomes full bloom it becomes same colour as Somei-yoshino.
    2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 003.JPG 2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 006.JPG
    Jindai-akebono Cerasus spachiana 'Jindai-akebono' or Cerasus × yedoensis (Matsum.) Masam. & Suzuki 'Jindai-akebono'
    Jindai-kebono is a beautiful cherry which has tint of dark pink at the edge of petals. It was found at Jindai Botanical Garden. There are two ways of description one is ‘just ‘found at Jindai Botanical Garden’ and the other is ‘was found in the cultivars grafted Akebono from Wasington’
    2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 025 (2).JPG 2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 016.JPG

    Sendai-ya Cerasus jamasakura ‘Sendaiya’ Funatsu
    It is a beautiful Yama-zakura originally located at the garden of the shop called Sendai-ya in Kochi. It has pink flowers like Oyama-zakura. It blooms a little later than Somei-yoshino with beautiful reddish leaves.
    2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 027.JPG 2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 029.JPG
    Suruga-zakura
    This is a cherry made at National Institute of Genetics Japan in Suruga.
    2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 034 (2).JPG 2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 036.JPG
    Suruga-komachi
    This is made from seedling of Suruga-zakura.
    2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 039 (2).JPG 2018.03.26-3_NationalTheater_Izaki 041.JPG
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 9, 2018
  14. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    ★Cherries in Hakone on April 10, 2018
    It's still April 10 today. But even Kansans and Fugenzos are beyond the peak bloom and finishing in Tokyo. Yesterday’s weather forecast of today was beautiful. So I planned a day trip to Lake Kawaguchi-ko where we could see Somei-yoshinos full bloom with the lake and Mt. Fiji. But it's a week day today, I didn't book a bus beforehand.
    This morning I went to the bus terminal in Shinjuku and found all the morning buses to Lake Kawaguchi were full. At that time the bus to Hakone scheduled to start just after my arrival was almost empty. So I suddenly decided to visit Hakone today!! .
    After Gotenba station, the way was going up the hills. I saw some cherries were blooming. There were only small numbers of miserable, sick Somei yoshinos in Hakone. I saw some shidare-zakuras. But most of cherries I saw were wild cherries like Mame-zakura and Yama-zakura. I took a bus to the terminal bus station Togendai where sightseeing ships across the lake start.
    Just before Togendai I saw a hotel with a nice garden with Mame-zakuras. It was Hakone Lake Hotel. There were also Yama-zakura and wild azaleas blooming in the woods. They were beautiful.
    KIMG4518.JPG KIMG4519.JPG KIMG4524.JPG KIMG4533.JPG
    After I saw the garden, I decided to visit Onshi Hakone Park at the other side of the lake. The handout shows there are Somei-yoshinos there. But before that I thought to have lunch. There was only one restaurant around the quay so it was so crowded with parties of tourists. It took aout one hour and a half. I wasted the time.

    The short cruise was wonderful with nice view and cold air on the lake. I got off at Hakonemachi-ko and found there are many kinds of nice restaurants and shops there. I walked through the historical buildings called Sekisho or a barrier station and arrived at the park.
    KIMG4539.JPG KIMG4543.JPG
    There also Mame-zakuras were blooming nicely but somei-yoshinos and other cherries hadn’t started. Even though I enjoyed nice scenery with cherries. Unfortunately I couldn’t see Mt. Fuji well because of the location of the sun. The shop clerk said in the morning they could see Mt. Fuji clearly and at the sunset time it will be seen again. But I didn’t have time I took a bus to Hakone-yumoto station and a deluxe train to Shinjuku.
    KIMG4545.JPG KIMG4556.JPG KIMG4559.JPG KIMG4560.JPG
    Before I visited Hakone only in summer and I didn’t have good impression, but this time I found spring in Hakone was wonderful. I’ll take my husband next year!!
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2018
  15. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    Inba Course on April 11, 2018 & Sobu Country Club on March 30

    On April 11, I went golfing to Inba Course in Chiba Prefecture. It is the second course of Sobu Country Club which locates just 5 minutes' drive.

    Kanzans were very beautiful. Moss phlox were beautiful, too.
    KIMG4565.JPG
    KIMG4568.JPG


    On March 30, I went golfing to Sobu Country Club again.
    At that time Somei-yoshinos were full bloom there.
    2018.03.30_SobuCC.Chiba_Izaki 007.JPG 2018.03.30_SobuCC.Chiba_Izaki 013.JPG 2018.03.30_SobuCC.Chiba_Izaki 015 (2).JPG
    2018.03.30_SobuCC.Chiba_Izaki 017.JPG 2018.03.30_SobuCC.Chiba_Izaki 022.JPG
    Shidare-zakura which was pink on March 23 was pale pink but still good condition.
    Young Yae-beni-shidare was started blooming.
    2018.03.30_SobuCC.Chiba_Izaki 002.JPG 2018.03.30_SobuCC.Chiba_Izaki 001.JPG

    On April 4, I went golfing to Hiratsuka-Fujimi Country Club in Kanagawa Prefecture. The Course has a lot of Somei-yoshinos. So my friend asked people and chose that day. But unfortunately Somei-yoshinos were unusual this year. On that day they were already finished.
    She sent me a beautiful Picture with Somei-yoshinos and Mt.Fuji.
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2018
  16. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    ★Two days bus tour to Shinsyu from April 14 to 15, 2018-
    It's April 14, 2018 today. My husband and I came to a bus tour visiting famous cherry spots in Shinsyu this weekend.
    We booked more than one month before and we didn't expect cherries were so early this year. Also the weather forecast of this weekend was not good. It's cloudy now and it'll start raining this evening and it'll be stormy weather tomorrow .
    But after we got off the Kanetsu Highway, the scenery changed to early spring scene . We hope to see lots of cherries.

    ★Ueda Catsle Ruins Park  No. 1
    Unfortunately Somei-yoshinos and Shidare-zakuras were finished already. Also Somei-yoshinos there were not in good condition.
    The catsle itself was distroyed after Meiji revolution about 150 years ago. There was a shrine in the park.
    KIMG4593.JPG KIMG4602.JPG KIMG4599.JPG
    There were some Yama-zakuras and double cherries blooming there.
    Ichiyos ------------------------------------ Yae-beni-shidares
    KIMG4612.JPG KIMG4601.JPG KIMG4621.JPG
    Yama-zakuras
    KIMG4628.JPG KIMG4616.JPG
    There were yellow and green cherries standing together. Both had name plate of Ukon.
    KIMG4590.JPG
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2018
  17. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    ★Ueda castle No. 2 and Ohanami train
    After Somei-yoshinos finished, young green leaves became very beautiful. Rhododendrons named "Yoshino" were beautiful with young green leaves.
    KIMG4605.JPG KIMG4604.JPG
    There were two kinds of interesting maple named Beni-shidare and Hauchiwa-kaede.
    KIMG4610.JPG KIMG4611.JPG
    Then we got on Ohanami local train from Bessho Onsen Station to Shimono-go station for 14 minutes. It was decorated for cherry viewing. Around Bessho Onsen station we saw Somei-yoshinos blooming. But I didn't have time to take pictures.
    KIMG4633.JPG KIMG4629.JPG
    KIMG4630.JPG
     
  18. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    ★Takada Catsle Park on April 14
    Then we went to Takada Catsle Park . Unfortunately Somei-yoshino had finished already, here too. But the park was much bigger than Ueda Castle Park. Somei-yoshino trees looked nice condition.
    KIMG4640.JPG
    KIMG4638.JPG
    There was immunization of the cherries there. We could enjoy Yo-zakura, night viewing of cherries. There was a three story tower and the view from the tower was fantastic with snow topped mountains. We hope to come again when cherries were full bloom.
    KIMG4645.JPG KIMG4646.JPG KIMG4655.JPG KIMG4656.JPG
    There weren't many double cherries blooming. I just saw Yae-beni-shidares, one Fugenzo started blooming and one Kansan in the closed garden.
    KIMG4636.JPG KIMG4643.JPG KIMG4657.JPG
    After we enjoyed Yo-zakura, it started raining. We drove to the hotel in Madarao Skiing resort and stayed there.
    KIMG4664.JPG
     
  19. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    ★Day 2 of the bus tour to shinsyu on April 15
    ★Kokugonji temple

    It was raining heavily when we got up. In the rain we went to Kokugonji temple. Three cherries were full bloom. At last we saw plenty of Cherries blooming. There are about 1200 cherries in the precincts of the temple .
    2018.04.15-2_Kokugon-jiTemple_Izaki 005.JPG 2018.04.15-2_Kokugon-jiTemple_Izaki 003.JPG 2018.04.15-2_Kokugon-jiTemple_Izaki 034.JPG 2018.04.15-2_Kokugon-jiTemple_Izaki 036.JPG
    KIMG4712.JPG KIMG4700.JPG KIMG4679.JPG 2018.04.15-2_Kokugon-jiTemple_Izaki 026.JPG
    There's a shidare-zakura of 250years old. Its trunk is about one meter in diameter.
    2018.04.15-2_Kokugon-jiTemple_Izaki 013.JPG
    Right hand side of the temple one Kanhi-zakura and one Yae-beni-shidare were blooming with Somei-yoshinos. It's quite interesting. Because Kanhizakura blooms in the middle of March and Beni-yae-shidare blooms in April after Somei-yoshino blooms.
    KIMG4686.JPG
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2018
  20. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    It became out of date. But this year I'll post my tour completely.
    ★Lake Suwa and Takato Castle Ruin Park on April 15, 2018: Day 2

    Then we drove to Lake Suwa and got on a swan Ship for 30 minutes cruise.
    It was still raining. When we got on the ship, a box of strawberries was given to each passenger. During the 30 minutes’ cruise, when we finished eating them we could get another helping of strawberries. If it were fine, I would give up eating them and take pictures. But it was raining and cherries around the lake were beyond peak bloom, Even if the strawberries of second helping were smaller and not as good as first one, I had two more helping of strawberries. I didn’t see any scenery.
    2018.04.15-3_LakeSuwa&TakatoCastleRuinPark 001.JPG

    Then we headed towards Takato Castle Ruin Park. It’s a very famous and popular park which has 1500 Takato-kohigan planted in the park. Takato-kohign is a kind of Kohigan-zakura which only locates at the Takato Castle Park. Its tree and flowers are just a little smaller and the flower colour is a little darker pink than Somei-yoshino.
    Somei-yoshinos were blooming and it’s getting fine on the way to there, but Takato-kohigan had finished completely there. People there said heavy rain washed out all the remain petals.
    2018.04.15-3_LakeSuwa&TakatoCastleRuinPark 002.JPG

    We had visited there by bus day tour on April 13, 2013. –At that time Takato-kohigans were blooming beautifully. But it was too too crowded to see cherries so I didn’t like the park also I became out of date. I didn’t post pictures of them. I post them now.
    20130413_ShinsyuBusTour_Izaki 164.JPG 20130413_ShinsyuBusTour_Izaki 163.JPG 20130413_ShinsyuBusTour_Izaki 168.JPG 20130413_ShinsyuBusTour_Izaki 183.JPG 20130413_ShinsyuBusTour_Izaki 191.JPG 20130413_ShinsyuBusTour_Izaki 192.JPG 20130413_ShinsyuBusTour_Izaki 201.JPG 20130413_ShinsyuBusTour_Izaki 227.JPG
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2018
  21. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    It's April 30 today. We are having summer like weather. In Tokyo we had seven summer days in April. The temperature went over 25 degrees seven times. In northern Kanto Area sometimes the temperature went over 30 degrees. Now Somei-yoshino is blooming in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, the north island. But I'll continue to post about cherris I saw this year.
    ★Two days bus tour to Shinsyu the day 2 on April 15, 2018
    At the end of the tour we went to Jisso-ji Temple where the oldest cherry tree in Japan locates. It's called Yamataka-jindai-zakura. It is said to be 1800 to 2000 years old. It's Edo-higan tree which blooms before Somei-yoshino.
    Of course the temple was full of green young leaves. Daffodils were finishing.
    KIMG4757.JPG KIMG4738.JPG KIMG4739.JPG
    Yamataka-jindai-zakura was green, too. The main trunk was broken and only side brunches remain and can have flowers. It's rather miserable shaped tree but we still feel something divine and awesome. I think it became full bloom on March 30 this year. I'd like to visit again to see it blooming.
    KIMG4740.JPG
    There was a pretty double cherry blooming at the back of a small shrine. It's has name plate of Satohara-zakura.
    KIMG4750.JPG KIMG4745.JPG
    There's one large niceshaped shidarezakura . The plate said it's an descendant of famous shidarezakura in Minobu which was 400 years old. I'd like to see Minobu one, too.
    KIMG4753.JPG
    At the temple there's a photo of Yamataka-jindai-zakura taken more than 100 years ago. At that time it had a large main trunk and large brunches. People there said all the branches on the photo died out and the branches which now have flowers came out afterward. Cherries have alternation of generation and live very long.

    My sister have visited there when they were blooming. She sent me pictures. I'll post them.
    20090409jissoji cherries2000 years old sakura.jpg 2009409_YamatakaJindaiZakura_2000YearsOld.jpg
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 30, 2018
  22. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    10,791
    Likes Received:
    2,225
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC Canada
    Thanks for bringing us along on your tours, Mariko!

    That 'Satohara-zakura' looks so much like 'Kanzan' in your photo, but I found another photo of it that doesn't look like 'Kanzan' at all.
    桜図鑑 | 公益財団法人 日本花の会
     
  23. eteinindia

    eteinindia Well-Known Member VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    479
    Likes Received:
    128
    Location:
    Tokyo, Japan but I still miss Vancouver
    Thank you for finding the link, Wendy.
    I also thought it's a Kansan from afar . But if you go closer, it has brighter pink flowers which have tint of orange colour I think. Also colour of young leaves is different. You can see it has height yellow green leaves.
    The link shows the flowers which has white center but when I saw it opened completely and didn't show white part.
     
  24. JEFFREY ANG

    JEFFREY ANG New Member

    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Kuala Lumpur
    SAKURA OR CHERRY BLOSSOMS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF KANSAI AREA IN APRIL 2018
     

    Attached Files:

  25. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

    Messages:
    10,791
    Likes Received:
    2,225
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC Canada
    @JEFFREY ANG, thanks for the photos. Since Cherry Scout @eteinindia lives in Japan, we have considered all of Japan a neighbourhood of Vancouver! and given it a thread in our Neighbourhood Blogs, so I have added your photos here in the Cherries in Japan thread. If you post more, please put the location, date and your name in the photo names.
     
    JEFFREY ANG likes this.

Share This Page