Plum Blossom Season: Festivals and More!

Among the many flowers which bloom in Japan, one of the most loved is the ume or plum blossoms, whose appearance signal the coming of spring. Let’s go out and enjoy the elegant scent and magnificent full bloom of the ume here in Kyushu! Check out these spots below on where to see the best plum blossoms this season!

From early February to early March, around 6,000 ume trees emit a fragrance which encapsules the whole shrine area. Coinciding with the appearance of plum blossom is the appearance of a Heian imperial court banquet held in the shrine called “Kyokusui no Utage” (feast of the meandering stream). Participants dress up in imperial palace clothing and sit along the path of a stream in the shrine, where cups of sake are sent downstream to be received by the participants in an elegant affair.

The Fukuoka Castle Ruins is also known as Maizuru Park, where various sports facilities such as a sports oval are currently in use. During early spring, the 280 plum trees in the park begin to bloom, beckoning the coming of a warmer season.

A plum blossom viewing festival is held here every February, when 30,000 white plum blossoms come to life. The park is known for being one of Kyushu’s best 3 places for plum blossoms, and it garners a lot of visitors when in season.

One part of Mount Ushinoo in Ogi, Saga Prefecture boasts of around 7,000 plum trees in bloom during the season. The fragrance of plum blossoms surrounds the area from late February to early March, ushering in the coming of spring.

Bairin-ji Temple

Located at the northern part of the Chikugo River, the outer garden of Bairin-ji Temple has 500 trees of various species of plum as well as azaleas and more donated and planted by the locals themselves in order to create a place of pure relaxation for their own use. The plum trees in full bloom are a highlight in the garden.

There are still a lot of other places to view plum blossoms in Kyushu! What are the ones you know of? Make sure to check the blooming period of each place in order to enjoy the fantastic view as well as the feel of nearing spring!