The end of the cherry blossom ‘season’ depends on the weather and the part of Japan you visit.
On Japan-Guide.com: Hanami literally means “watching blossoms,” and a major event throughout Japan. There is a web site that follows the progress of the blooms from the south to the northern regions. This is a festival time that locals will spend time admiring the blossoms and walking beneath the trees.
Hiraizumi: The train station is located on one of the main streets and a short walk to the start of what I call, the avenue of Cherry Blossoms. There is a tourist office in the station and the staff tried to answer my questions. One staff member hurried out of the office after a quick discussion with her co worker.
Shortly after her departure, I turned to greet the new arrival. To say I was surprised is an understatement. Sam Sloan works in the city and is often called to the station to help English speakers.
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| Thank you for all your assistance. |
Sam is from Alaska and was kind to answer my questions on how did you find this town and what is it like living here.
With my map and directions I set off to walk the avenue lined with Cherry Blossoms.
Climbing the path to the Konjikido is a lovely hike, steep in some areas with several interesting buildings to visit. the Konjikido is a hall completely covered in gold. It dates back to 1124 and stands inside another building for protection. Photography of the Konjikido is prohibited so there are no photos of the gold temple. The following photos are from the Visit Japan web site.
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| The path is not always smooth |
There was far more to see that my limited time did not allow me to experience while in Hiraizumi. Returning to Japan may always offer new experiences.
Mature Solo Travel 