Japan’s Top 100 Blossoms: Kasumigajō Park (Fukushima)

A sakura festival with nighttime illumination is held when the cherries of Kasumigajō Park are in bloom. The park is also famous for its chrysanthemum festival in the fall, when visitors come to enjoy both the beautifully displayed flowers and the autumn colors.

Near the park entrance is a statue of the Nihonmatsu Shōnentai (youth corps), a group of teenage boys killed in 1868 during the Boshin War while defending the castle against a surprise imperial attack, when most of the regular troops were away. Fourteen boys aged 13 to 17 were killed in the battle, and they are heralded alongside the teens of the Byakkotai of neighboring Aizu, who also tragically lost their lives in the Boshin War.

Kasumigajō Park (Fukushima)

• Varieties: Somei yoshino, yamazakura,
• No. of trees: 2,500
• When: Early April to early May
• Hours: Open 24 hrs.
• Admission: Free (admission required during chrysanthemum festival)
• Address: 3-chōme, Kakunai, Nihonmatsu-shi, Fukushima
• Website: Nihonmatsu City (Kasumigajō Castle Park)

Nearby hanami sites

• Miharu Shidarezakura
• Tsurugajō Park
• Spring’s Blossoms Arrive at Last in Japan’s Northeast

Near Kasumigajō Park

• Takayu Onsen, Fukushima: Free-Flowing Waters With a Focus on Health
• An Exercise in Eccentricity: The Aizu Sazaedō “Double-helix Maze”
• The Timeless Charms of Aizu: Mukaitaki Ryokan, Higashiyama Hot Springs

Sakura 100: Japan’s Best Blossoms

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Nihonmatsu Tourism Federation.)