Spring in Japan is synonymous with cherry blossoms.
For a brief week or so, the cities and countryside are transformed.
into something extraordinary,
with the fleeting presence of thousands of Sakura flowers
In this video, we’ll be spending 3 days visiting
some of the best cherry blossom spots in and around Nagoya and not forgetting the local
cuisine and culture as well along the way.
My name is Raina Ong, and join me as I chase the cherry blossoms around Nagoya.
Day 1
We arrive at Chubu International Airport from where our trip begins, and take the train
directly into central Nagoya.
First up is Nagoya’s most pleasant cherry blossom spot, the Yamazaki Riverside, after
which we have dinner at a local restaurant, and end the day at Tsuruma Park, the city’s
prime spot for flower viewing parties.
I’m at Chubu Centrair International Airport, the 4th most popular
entry point into Japan.
From here I’ll be taking the airport limited express train which takes me into
central Nagoya in about 30 minutes.
So see you guys soon!
Upon arrival at Nagoya Station, I put my luggage in a locker before taking the subway to the
Yamazaki Riverside, my first cherry blossom spot for this trip.
Over here at the Yamazaki Riverside, you can find around 600 cherry trees along a 2.5 kilometer
stretch from around here.
Now, not only is this one of Nagoya’s most popular cherry blossom spots, it is also selected
as one of Japan’s top 100 sakura spots!
Hanami translates to flower viewing, but more often than not, it’s synonymous with viewing the
cherry blossoms.
Now, there’re several ways you can do hanami, one of which is what I’m doing now, walking
and looking at the flowers, another way is what many people are doing today, picnicking
under the cherry trees.
After that nice walk down the riverside, I take trains to Tonpachi, a tonkatsu and misokatsu
specialty store that has been in business since the early 80s, for dinner.
Tonkatsu or deep fried pork cutlets are popular nationwide, and misokatsu, in which a savoury
miso sauce is poured over the fried pork, is a Nagoya specialty and favourite.
This is Tonpachi’s miso tonkatsu set meal, which I hear is their most popular item on
the menu.
Itadakimasu!
A short walk from the restaurant is Tsuruma Park, which opened as Nagoya City’s first
public park in 1909 and contains both Japanese and Western style garden elements
The park contains over 700 cherry trees making it a prime hanami spot and another of Japan’s
top 100 sakura spots.
Yozakura translates to night sakura, and it means seeing the cherry blossoms illuminated at night
And as you can see around me, Tsuruma Park is a popular place to see yozakura,
and do hanami at night!
Day 2
Today we head first to Matsusaka, a city known for one of the most famous brands of wagyu
beef in Japan, then continue inland to Iga Ueno, which is known for its cherry blossom
encircled castle and ninja culture.
We end the day at Nabana no Sato, a flower park that hosts one of Japan’s largest illumination events.
From Matsusaka Station, I take a 15 minute walk to Matsusaka Park, where the ruins of
the city’s former castle remain.
About 300 cherry trees can be found on the former castle grounds, and there’s something
sentimental about pairing over 400 year old stone walls with the fleeting sakura blossoms.
Also located on the grounds of the former castle survives what is called Japan’s largest
samurai residence.
The complex consists of two long rows of connected houses, where the samurai in charge of guarding
the castle resided.
One of these houses can be entered by tourists today, while the others remain in private use.
After that pleasant morning among the castle ruins, I make my way to lunch at Yakiniku
Isshobin, a 15 minute walk away.
Matsusaka beef is one of the most famous local specialities in Matsusaka.
It is also one of the three top Japanese wagyu brands alongside Kobe Beef and Omi beef.
I may or may not have ordered a lot for lunch, but I’m really excited to dig in.
Itadakimasu~
Wagyu or Japanese beef, has several ranks, of which the A5 rank indicates the highest
and best quality and grade of meat.
Here at Yakiniku Isshobin, I get to indulge in a feast consisting of both A5 wagyu as
well as cuts of non-wagyu beef.
My favourite way to eat wagyu is with wasabi and salt or soy sauce.
Following lunch, I return to Matsusaka Station and take trains to Iga City, known for its
ninja culture and castle, which is the region’s most famous hanami spot.
Approximately 600 cherry trees can be found around Iga Ueno Castle, creating a classic
view of sakura blossoms and the castle keep when the flowers are in bloom
While the castle keep is a modern wooden construction from 1935, these stone walls that I’m standing
on are from when the castle was built originally, and not only that, these are also some of
the tallest castle walls in Japan, second only to the ones at Osaka Castle.
It would be a shame to miss the chance to learn more about the area’s ninja culture
at the Igaryu Ninja Museum, which is a stone’s throw away, and so I make my way there after the castle.
The highlights at the museum include seeing a ninja residence with its hidden traps and
devices as well as watching the professional Iga Ninja group’s highly entertaining ninja
performance in which original ninja tools and techniques are used.
From Iga City, I take trains to Nagashima Station from where I get the bus to Nabana no Sato
one of Japan’s largest flower parks.
Nabana no Sato is a spacious flower park with one of the largest illuminations in Japan,
which runs from end October through May every year.
There’re lots of flowers to see here all year round, but spring is when you get to
see the cherry blossoms, tulips and nemophila in bloom.
I’m in luck today because the cherry blossoms and tulips are at their best viewing.
I’ll be able to get my flower fix as well as experience the light show when it gets dark.
And that was Day 2 enjoying the sakura blossoms and learning about castles in Mie Prefecture.
Day 3
We spend our last day northwest of Nagoya,
first to see an ancient cherry tree, then visit a sake brewery before ending our trip
at a large park with unique architectural structures.
I start my day taking trains to Tarumi, about 2 hours from central Nagoya.
The local train ride is very picturesque, and popular among railway fans.
From the terminal station, it is about a 15 minute walk to the Usuzumi Park where the
Usuzumizakura Cherry Tree is the main character.
Behind me is the Usuzumizakura Cherry Tree, which is said to be about a 1500 years old!
What’s interesting is the tree gets its name from the color of the petals before they
fall off, which is a pale inky black or usuzumi in Japanese.
Let’s go take a closer look.
The tree stands majestically at over 17 meters tall and has a trunk girth of over 9 meters.
It is celebrated as one of the three greatest cherry trees in Japan besides the Miharu Takizakura
in Fukushima Prefecture and the Jindaizakura in Yamanashi Prefecture
Next I make my way back to Ogaki City, which is known for its waterways and fresh, clean water.
One industry that relies heavily on the availability of quality water is sake making, and I take
the opportunity to visit one brewery while I’m in the city.
Takeuchi sake brewery has been around for over 250 years, and their sake has won many
international and domestic awards.
Let’s go check it out~
Brewery tours, which require advance reservations, are available at the family-run Takeuchi sake brewery.
Some interesting highlights of the tour include entering a former koji mold making room and
seeing historical sake brewing equipment.
The tour ends with sake tasting, which those without tour reservations can also do.
Oh it’s so good.
This is like fresh sake that you can only drink around this period.
After the sake brewery, I take a 25 minute train ride from Ogaki to Yoro.
My last stop for the day and this trip is the massive Yoro Park,
which is about a 10 minute walk from the station.
There are about 3000 cherry trees in Yoro Park, which also contains a waterfall, where
one can see the colorful autumn leaves in fall, and a unique architectural site, which
is one of the park’s mainstays.
This is the Site of Reversible Destiny.
If the name doesn’t intrigue you already, then perhaps seeing this space which was designed
to redefine perceptions might interest you.
The Site of Reversible Destiny is like a large playground for both adults and children to
explore together.
Uneven surfaces, light and darkness, hidden tunnels and artificial horizons create illusions
that defy our prior knowledge, making us reevaluate what we know, and in the process reversing
our destinies.
And that was our cherry blossom tour around Nagoya.
Thanks for joining me.
I hope this video has been enjoyable and perhaps even inspires some ideas, should you decide
to plan a trip to central Japan.
For more information about this trip or to watch another video, click the links on the
screen now, or head over to japan-guide.com, your comprehensive, up-to-date, travel guide
first-hand from Japan.
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Happy travels.