#Kawazu cherry

[todayintokyo]

Early-blooming Kawazu-zakura at Sakura Jingū in Setagaya, Tokyo. It is said that your wish will come true if you write it on a pink ribbon and tie it to one of the trees.

[maoyeamh]

[sarasoj]

今年も河津桜とメジロ

Kawazu cherry blossoms and mejiro in this spring!

[angelama-art]

Day 39 - Kawazu-zakura

[pix4japan]

Chasing Early Bloom: Kawazu-Zakura Festival 2024

Location: Kawazu River, Kawazu, Shizuoka, Japan Timestamps: 08:18, 08:20, and 08:40 on February 14, 2024

Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP ① 68 mm ISO 100 for 1/100 sec. at ƒ/10 ② 28 mm ISO 100 for 1/160 sec. at ƒ/9.0 ③ 31 mm ISO 100 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ/7.1

My first visit to the Kawazu-Zakura Cherry Blossom Festival was on March 2, 2022, two days after the festival had officially ended. This year, I timed my visit to the festival to coincide with a photo shoot at Imaihama Beach, which is just a 10-minute from the Kawazu River where the cherry trees are situated.

While the annual cherry blossom festival officially extends until February 29th, locals I spoke with anticipated tourists continuing to visit as late as the first week of March.

Here are three of my favorite shots along the Kawazu River:

① The first shot was taken on the eastern end of Kinomiya Bridge (来宮橋), crossing Kawazu River, about an 18-minute walk from Kawazu Station. Looking north, a glimpse of the vermilion-colored Hosen Bridge (豊泉橋) adds to the scenic view.

② The second shot was taken a few meters north of Kinomiya Bridge on the eastern riverbank. This spot provided ample foliage and shadows to almost hide the buildings and man-made structures behind the cherry trees, creating a nice contrast with the dark Kawazu-zakura pinks against the evergreen hills in the background.

③ The third shot was captured from the middle of the riverbed, right across from the tourist information booth on the northern riverbank, a 26-minute walk from Kawazu Station.

For those planning to visit the festival by train, I have included a link to Donny Kimball’s “Come to Kawazu | Enjoy Japan’s Cherry Blossoms in February” blog post, where he recommends the best way to reach the festival by train.

If, like me, you travel with a border collie, driving is the only option. From central Tokyo, it's a 2-hour 30-minute to 3-hour drive (depending on traffic). Kawazu Town is only 185 km southwest of central Tokyo, so even if you avoid the expressways, you can still reach this destination in less than 4 hours if you leave early enough in the morning.

For photographers attending this festival, try to schedule your visit on a weekday early in the morning. With very few crowds, it becomes easy to set up a tripod to bracket your shots, take long exposures of the river, or capture some panoramas.

If you have time, I'd recommend taking a leisurely drive home via Route 135, running the entire length of the eastern coastline of the Izu Peninsula. Roll down the windows, let the sea breeze enter the cabin, and be sure to stop at any of the numerous roadside rest stops that often offer spectacular views of the coastline.

I've gone into greater details on how to access the festival by car and have gathered with great info, downloadable PDF maps, and have Google Maps links to 3 of the larger parking lots. The write-up is less than a 3-minute read (https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20240214-kawazu-zakura).

[bonguri]

20240227 Shinsiro 3 by Bong Grit Via Flickr: 河津桜トンネルです。色が濃い目で美しい。 @Nagashino area, Shinsiro city, Aichi pref. （愛知県新城市 長篠地区）

[my-b-side-life-aii]

幸せの黄色い新幹線 ドクターイエロー 923形 河津桜 2023春 

みはらし広場 綾瀬市 のぞみ検測 新横浜 小田原

富士フィルム X-H1 XF70-300mmF4-5.6R LM OIS WR

[kisaragi-filmphotography]

デジタル写真作品

2024年撮影　河津桜

[ayanos-pl]

もう河津桜が咲いている。

Cerasus × kanzakura ‘Kawazu-zakura’

[nataliainspire]

🩷🌸🌸🌸

Kawazu Sakura

📷 Feb, 2024

📍Kanagawa prefecture (神奈川県)

[maoyeamh]

[moaan]

Kawazu Cherry Blossom by Katsuaki Shoda Via Flickr: Leica M (typ240) + Summicron 50mm f/2.0 DR

[nobu11051991]

February information in Japan!!

February information in Japan!! Hi I’m Nobu, I like traveling overseas and in Japan, visited 26 countries! I’m a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter of English for 10 years. For the people who are interested in and planning trip to Japan , I show you hidden local information which you have never seen and heard of through books and ordinary site! You will find unexpected fun…

[elleofakind]

The Beauty of Kawazu Zakura: Early Cherry Blossoms in Japan

Japan, a land of timeless beauty and cultural richness, is renowned for its breathtaking cherry blossoms that paint the landscape in hues of pink and white every spring. Among the many varieties of cherry blossoms, one stands out for its early bloom – the Kawazu Zakura. In this article, we’ll explore the significance of Kawazu Zakura, its origins, and where you can witness this enchanting…

[pix4japan]

Cherry Blossoms & Mt. Fuji

Location: Oi Yume-no-Sato Park, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan Timestamp: 14:16 February 28, 2023

Oimachi is a very small town near Odawara that features a park at the top of a small mountain that has a 19-hectare park of cherry trees supported and maintained by local volunteers.

Oi Yume-no-Sato Park is only about a 15-minute taxi ride from Shin-Matsuda Station on the Odakyu Line, or a 60- to 70-minute drive from Tokyo on the Tomei Expressway. Parking is available for free nearby at the farmers’ market.

Looking west from the peak of the park, you have a panoramic view that includes Kawazu-sakura cherry blossoms, which bloom between mid-February through early March, the neighboring town of Kaiseimachi, and a great view of Mt. Fuji.

Although the park has picnic tables, most visitors lay out a picnic blanket and enjoy a nice bento under the trees. The park was not crowded during my visit  from about noon until sunset. This small and relatively unknown park allows you to take your time and enjoy the views, breath the fresh air, and enjoy the chirping of different birds feeding on the cherry blossom nectar.

The park is pet-friendly, has restrooms, a playground for children, and lots of space to walk around where you can get some nice photos without the huge crowds.

Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 48 mm ISO 100 for 1/1000 sec. at ƒ/11

[bonguri]

20240227 Shinsiro 4 by Bong Grit Via Flickr: トンネルのあっち側から河津桜。 @Nagashino area, Shinsiro city, Aichi pref. （愛知県新城市 長篠地区）