Oita's Cherry Blossoms — A Kyushu Spring Coloring Castle Towns and Hot-Spring Resorts

In Oita Prefecture, blessed with a warm climate, when spring comes cherry blossoms bloom in profusion at castle ruins, gorges, and along rivers, splendidly coloring the Kyushu spring. Spots where you can enjoy cherry-blossom viewing combined with history and hot springs—such as the famous mountain castle Oka Castle Ruins, Beppu Park, and around Nagayu Onsen—are dotted across the prefecture. Being able to savor the atmosphere of a castle town and the warmth of famous hot springs along with the cherry blossoms while touring the famous spots is the spring way of enjoying it unique to Oita. A variety of famous cherry-blossom spots herald the arrival of spring.

A Spring Colored by Hot Springs and History

Oita, known as the "Onsen Prefecture," holds some of the nation's foremost hot-spring areas, beginning with Beppu and Yufuin. When spring comes, cherry blossoms bloom around these hot-spring areas too, and being able to enjoy bathing and cherry-blossom viewing at once is a great charm. Also, at the sites of castles and castle towns once placed in various areas, cherry trees were planted, becoming famous spots where historic scenery and flowers harmonize. Famous cherry-blossom spots are also dotted along mountain gorges and rivers, each showing a different atmosphere. Oita's charms of hot springs, history, and nature are set off all the more in the cherry-blossom season.

The Cherry Blossoms of Oka Castle Ruins and Beppu Park

One of Oita's representative famous cherry-blossom spots is the Oka Castle Ruins in Taketa City. It is a magnificent mountain-castle ruin where stone walls stretch in a row atop a cliff, said to have become the motif of Taki Rentaro's famous song "Kojo no Tsuki." In spring, cherry blossoms color the castle ruins, and a superb view woven by the stone walls, flowers, and the scenery below spreads. Meanwhile, Beppu Park in Beppu City is a vast park beloved as a place of relaxation for citizens, where many cherry trees such as Somei-Yoshino bloom, letting you enjoy cherry-blossom viewing combined with hot-spring sightseeing. Furthermore, spots where you can relish cherry blossoms and famous hot waters in a hot-spring village, such as around Nagayu Onsen, are not to be missed.

Best Season and Access

The cherry-blossom viewing period is generally spring, and since the timing varies somewhat by place, checking the blooming information of each spot before visiting is reassuring. Access differs by destination; the Oka Castle Ruins can be accessed from "Bungo-Taketa Station" on the JR Hohi Main Line, and Beppu Park from JR "Beppu Station." Using a car lets you tour multiple famous spots efficiently. A spring trip staying at a hot-spring area and enjoying bathing and cherry-blossom viewing together is also recommended. In warm Oita, relish the cherry blossoms of castle towns and hot-spring resorts to your heart's content.