Tokushima Cherry Blossom Guide: Best Sakura Spots

Saijo Shrine

Saijo Shrine, standing quietly in the mountains of Yamakawa-cho, Yoshinogawa City, is a cherry-blossom sacred place representing northern Tokushima, where local people truly feel "spring has come this year too." The Somei-Yoshino and mountain cherry trees blooming as if to cover the precincts show splendid harmony with the vermilion-painted shrine buildings, and a scene unfolds that makes visitors stop in their tracks in spite of themselves. The moment the petals dance and scatter on the wind has a serene beauty as if time had stopped—I can declare it's worth traveling all the way to Tokushima just to see this scenery once.

If you ask the locals, they unanimously say "the shrine's cherry blossoms are of a different class," and the trees, carefully protected over many years, hold a deep dignity and history not felt at other famous spots. Precisely because it isn't overly commercialized, a relaxed cherry-blossom viewing unrelated to clamor can be enjoyed, which is the one-of-a-kind charm only Saijo Shrine has. Stand beneath the cherry blossoms and you'll feel a mysterious peace, as if the air of the sacred precinct that has long watched over this land softly envelops you.

Peak Viewing Period

The peak of the viewing period usually reaches late March to mid-April every year. Because it varies somewhat with altitude and the year, we recommend frequently checking Tokushima Prefecture's cherry-blossom blooming information site or local social media before visiting. Precisely because the full-bloom peak is fleeting at only about 1 week, its beauty stands out all the more. "I'll come again next year" won't make it in time—the cherry blossoms of this shrine have such a once-in-a-lifetime emotion.

The recommended time of day is around 7 to 9 a.m. The soft morning light faintly illuminates the petals, there are few people, and you can have the cherry blossoms almost all to yourself in the sacred air. The moment the dew-wet petals glitter as they catch the morning sun is a special expression you can never meet during the day. Because it bustles with families and viewing groups during the day, those who want to quietly and thoroughly face the cherry blossoms should by all means get up early and visit.

For access, JR Tokushima Line's Awa-Yamakawa Station is the nearest station. From the station to the shrine is about 10 to 15 minutes by taxi or car. If by private car, there are parking spaces around the shrine, but because they can fill up early on weekends during the viewing season, aim for an early-morning arrival.

Illumination

When the sun sets, Saijo Shrine shows an entirely different face. The illuminated night cherry blossoms shine as if floating up in the deep darkness, radiating an almost bewitching beauty in contrast to the daytime gorgeousness. The scene where the warm light of the shrine buildings and the pale pink of the cherry blossoms melt together is a fantastical worldview that makes the hand pressing the shutter tremble. It will surely be an unforgettable night that makes you realize anew, "So Japan's spring was this beautiful."

It's an especially popular time for couples and camera enthusiasts too, and on weekends during the illumination period, early arrival is a must. Bring a tripod and you can thoroughly aim for a fantastical shot woven from light and shadow.

[Tips for travelers]

• Because the precincts have many stone-pavement and gravel sections, comfortable, easy-to-walk sneakers are more comfortable than heels
• A weekday visit greatly avoids crowds. Especially the early morning on a weekday has an exceptional stillness
• Because it's also an important place of worship for the locals, mind your quietness and enjoy while observing manners
• Because the temperature drops when viewing the night cherry blossoms, bringing one thin jacket even in spring is reassuring

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Mt. Tsurugi

Mt. Tsurugi, Shikoku's highest peak boasting an altitude of 1,955m. Some may not get it when they hear "mountain cherry blossoms," but once you meet that scenery, you'll surely lose your words at the depth of the emotion. The collaboration of mountain cherry trees blooming from the mountain foot to the midslope and the magnificent mountain scenery has an overwhelming sense of scale on a completely different level from cherry blossoms on flat land. Below, small villages of the Yoshino River basin are dotted about, and the mountain-village scenery surveyed through the cherry blossoms is a breathtaking superb view, like Tokushima's spring condensed as it is.

In the Minokoshi area at the mountain foot, the composition woven from the torii of the historic Tsurugi Shrine and the mountain cherry trees is known as a popular shooting spot. There is a one-of-a-kind scenery you can meet only here, as if the words "a place where gods and nature coexist" had become a single photo just as they are. Also, using the lift, you can enjoy spring flowers and magnificent mountain scenery together even around Nishijima Station, and the delightful point is that even hiking beginners and those not confident in their stamina can casually step into the embrace of great nature.

Access

To Mt. Tsurugi, the basic route is to use a bus from JR Tokushima Line's Sadamitsu Station or Anabuki Station. From Sadamitsu Station to Minokoshi, the Mt. Tsurugi trailhead, is about 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours by bus via Shikibidani Onsen. The journey while gazing at the gorge scenery shifting one after another outside the window is itself a real thrill of the trip.

If by private car, the Minokoshi parking lot (free) can be used, and the driving route running along the Iya Valley is itself a continuous superb view. By all means taste from the car window the sensation of "the journey begins before you reach your destination."

Because extra buses may be added on weekends during the cherry-blossom season, be sure to check the latest information on the official website of Miyoshi City or Tokushima Bus before departure.

[Hidden-gem info] Around the Ichiu district at the mountain foot, there are almost no tourists, and it's a hidden famous spot where a row of cherry trees blended into the daily life of the locals quietly continues. The luxury of enjoying a cherry-blossom-viewing drive known to no one, while slowly driving along National Route 438, is a privilege only here. You may meet an unadorned original spring scene, like a local grandfather gazing at the cherry blossoms from a bench.

[Tips for travelers]

• Because the mountain temperature is 5 to 10°C lower than the foot, a jacket is essential even in spring. Clothing you can adjust with layers is best
• The cherry-blossom peak in the Minokoshi area is mid-to-late April, 2 to 3 weeks later than flat land as a guide. Around the time the flat-land cherry blossoms begin to fall, the mountain cherry blossoms begin to bloom, as if passing a baton
• Because it's a mountainous area where the weather changes easily, be sure to slip rainwear into your backpack too
• Because lift operation changes with the season and weather, please check the official information of the Mt. Tsurugi sightseeing lift in advance

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Sadamitsu River

Along the Sadamitsu River, which flows leisurely through Tsurugi-cho, Mima District, is a spot where an unadorned original spring scene still lives and breathes, which the locals proudly call "my favorite place here." The reflection of cherry blossoms on the river surface, the tunnel of cherry trees lined along the bank, and the mountains of the Mt. Tsurugi range solidly stretching behind—this trinity of scenery is a superb view that Tokushima boasts, "known only to those in the know," that doesn't fall short of any famous spot.

The time spent leisurely spreading out a leisure sheet and listening to the murmur of the river, savorable precisely because it isn't commercialized, is truly a luxury of spring in a word. Local families spread out their bento, children play by the riverside raising cheers of joy—such a nostalgic and warm cherry-blossom-viewing air drifts here quite naturally. It's a place where you can feel as if you've returned to the hometown of Japan's spring, forgetting the clamor of the city.

The peak viewing period is usually around late March to early April. The scene of "hana-ikada" (petal rafts), where petals flutter down onto the river surface, is a fleeting yet beautiful climax you can meet only on the few days at the end of the viewing period. The recommended time of day is the early morning hours. A morning when the wind is gentle and the river surface is calm like a mirror dramatically increases the beauty of the reflection.

Nearby Gourmet

For a Tokushima spring trip, gourmet is also a must. Around the Sadamitsu River, Tsurugi-cho's roadside station "Sadamitsu Yuyukan" is valued by travelers as a treasure house of local ingredients. Handmade prepared dishes using Awa pork and bento using plenty of local vegetables are perfect companions for cherry-blossom viewing. By all means experience the local-style cherry-blossom-viewing style of "buying this and eating it by the riverside."

If you've gone to the trouble of traveling all the way to Tokushima, Iya soba and salt-grilled sweetfish are also dishes you absolutely should taste. Especially salt-grilled sweetfish has a rich, delicate flavor as if carrying the blessing of the clear Sadamitsu River straight to your mouth, giving you unbeatable satisfaction as the finish to a spring trip. Because local farm-produce direct-sale shops also liven up in line with the cherry-blossom peak, bringing home Tokushima's distinctive spring vegetables as a souvenir is also a way to enjoy it that we'd very much recommend.

[Recommended way to enjoy] Strolling along the Sadamitsu River in the early morning, slowly admiring the cherry blossoms, then procuring breakfast at the roadside station and eating it by the riverside—this is the rich way of spending spring handed down by the locals. If you have room, cycling leisurely along the river is also exceptional. The time pedaling while feeling the petals dancing on the wind with your whole body will surely become a highlight of the trip.

[Tips for travelers]

• Accessible on foot or by bicycle from JR Tokushima Line's Sadamitsu Station. Making use of the station's rental bicycles lets you tour along the river freely and is very convenient
• Because the riverside has some sections with unstable footing, those with small children should take ample care
• The weekday morning has few people and is the best chance to monopolize the river-surface reflection for shooting. With a tripod you can aim for an even more beautiful shot
• Because the morning and evening chill in early spring is unexpectedly strong, be sure to bring one thin outer layer
• Because the roadside station "Sadamitsu Yuyukan" is a popular local spot, it can be crowded around noon on weekends. Dropping by in the early hours before cherry-blossom viewing is smooth