Itogkawa of Atami City is the earliest place within Kanto Area to welcome cherry blossoms every year. After enduring the severe weather of the winter, cherry trees begin to blossom vigorously at the early spring time.

In general, the warmer the weather became, the earlier cherry start to blossom. Cherry trees in Okinawa, Japan’s southern island, already in blossom from January, but cherry trees in Hokkaido which is located in the northernmost of Japan will not start blossom until May. For most other parts of Japan, cherry blossom season is from late March to mid-April.

Every year, Japanese media uses word “Cherry Frontier” to report the area shifting of cherry blossom from the south to the north.

The cherry tree of Itokawa Cherry Blossom Festival is a type of cherry called Atami-Zakura (Atami Chery) which was originally imported to Japan by Italians in 1871. It is a cherry originally crossbred by using native Okinawa Cherry and wild cherry in the mountains of southern part of Japan. This ensures that the cherry can become blossom at an early time each year than other type of cherries and there are two types of flower buds in the same branch, one is the early flowering bud and another is late flowering bud that extend the flower viewing periods to as long as a month. Compare to this type of cherry, flowering period of ordinary cherry trees only last for one or two weeks.

Although it is in early February, cherries in Itokawa are already in full blossom.

Cherry trees are planted at each side of the river, pink flowers can be seen alongside the river. Under the cherry trees packed with tourists.

I walked from the downstream to the upstream. Overview of cherry blossoms in full bloom, and then slowly return from the upstream. I enjoyed every cherry blossom and every flower of the cherry.

While it is referred to as “Sakura”, but in fact it has a wide range, each region is different. There are as much as hundred types of cherry such as Somei-Yoshino, Yamazakura, Yaezakura, Kikuzakura, Shitarezakura, etc. Cherry trees are planted all over Japan, the most famous cherry blossom viewing spots including Ueno Park in Tokyo, Mt. Arashiyama in Kyoto and Mt. Yoshinoyama in Nara, etc.

When viewed from a distance, cherry such as pink clouds of mystery and beauty. A closer look at cherry blossoms, delicate petals, stamens, and Holy. With the scenery of Japanese-style gardens, temples, it adds some flavor. At night lighting also enjoy night cherry blossoms.

The flower can be enjoyed while walking on the path. Japanese people like holding picnic parties under cherry trees. Famous cherry blossom spot often need secure a place in the early morning in advance.

In order to celebrate the cherry blossom festival, restaurants around the area also became alive. Specific information for visitors can be sure of the surrounding restaurants, choose your favorite dishes.

I visited a Japanese restaurant called Yaki. The dishes are delicious. The landlady handle me a small dish of sardines, so kind of her!

Spring is here, and everything begins to grow up.

Small dogie came to view the blossom with his master.

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