I went to the earliest cherry blossom festival in Japan, The Motobu Yaedake Cherry Blossom Festival. Well, when do you think the season of cherry blossoms in Okinawa ? It is late March to the beginning of April is the cherry blossom season in Japan. But Okinawa is different! Late January to early February is the cherry blossom season. After the New Year has passed since the adult day (Japan holiday) passed. And cherry season! There is no seasonal feeling (laugh). The climate of Okinawa is the only subtropical climate in Japan. That’s why we feel spring, summer, autumn and spring rather than the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. Compared with Japan island I think that it is sensuous to say that there is no winter in Okinawa.
The flowering of the earliest cherry blossoms among such Okinawa, it is the Motobu Yaedake Cherry Blossom Festival. The forefront of the Japanese cherry blossom front. The flowering of cherry blossoms in Japan starts right from this Yaodake. I went there in late January, although the cherry blossoms were still half blooming, weather was nice and it felt good. It was pleasantly good weather to feel sweat just by walking for a while. I will introduce Motobu Yaedake Cherry Blossom Festival for a while.
Cherry blossoms in Okinawa are a little different from Yoshino cherry (Prunus yedoensis)
Cherry blossoms in Okinawa are Kanhisakura, which is different from the major “Yoshino cherry tree” in mainland Japan. Flowering starts from the headquarters town located in the northern part of Okinawa main island because of the cherry blossoms blooming when it gets colder. If summarize the features of Kanhisakura easily,
- Flowering begins when it gets cold
- The color of the cherry blossoms is fairly pink compared to Yoshino cherry
- The cherry blossoms themselves are facing down
- Cherry blossoms As the flowers fall without flowing, the flower blossoms like Yoshino cherry can not be seen (a little disappointing)
that’s all. After all, when the climate itself is different, the growing plants are different. At the cherry blossom festival in Okinawa, you can enjoy different cherry blossoms from Japan island.
Highlights of the Motobu Yaedake cherry Blossom Festival
Next, I will introduce the highlights of the Motobu Yaedake cherry Blossom Festival.
1. You can enjoy cherry blossoms as soon as possible in Japan
“Japan’s first fast bloom” is a catchphrase. As expected, you can enjoy cherry blossoms from January. Moreover, when the weather is nice, you can enjoy cherry blossoms in the sunshine like early summer warmer. If it is sunny, T-shirts are enough.
2. You can enjoy the cherry blossoms while moving by car
Cherry blossoms are planted along the road at Yaedake. So you can see cherry blossom from inside the car. Cherry blossom trees are still lined along the mountain road about 4 km, so you can enjoy cherry blossoms while driving. Even tourists can easily enjoy it with car rental. You can enjoy enough even if you stop by before you go to the Churaumi Aquarium.
3. Landscape from Yaedake is also quite beautiful
Ie island
Kouri island (Because it is a homepage, the picture quality is low)
The above are a picture of Ie Island and Koryu Island, taken from Top of Yaedake. There are radar facilities of the aviation station at the top of Yaedake. From there you can see the natural scenery of Okinawa around 360 degrees. Bridges of Kouri Island, Iheya Island and Izena island in the distance. The ocean and the solitary islanda around the Motobu town are truly looking really beautiful. It feels quite good if the weather is nice. While watching the beautiful sea of Okinawa, you can enjoy cherry blossoms as well. That is the Yaedake cherry blossom festival
4. You can see cherry blossoms and tree fern together
The tree fern only seen in Okinawa and the Amami island. Only Yaedake you can see the the cherry blossom and tree fern together which the dinosaur had eaten! You can feel a very different atmosphere from the Sakura Festival in other areas. As expected it is like Okinawa.
Motobu Yaedake Cherry Blossom Festival information
The cherry blossom festival that can be enjoyed for the first time in Japan. There are stalls and parks in the festival venue, and small children can play well. If you come to Okinawa in the winter of January or February, please enjoy the cherry blossoms in Okinawa.
- Address : 905-0222 Namisato 921, Motobu town, Okinawa Japan
- Yaedake park Administrative building : 0980-47-6688
- Season : Late January to early February
- Price : Free admission
- HP link : Click here
Yaedake is here ↓