With spring now in full swing, it’s almost that time of year again…
Just as we finally seem to be emerging from the pandemic, so too are the cherry blossoms starting to emerge from their buds. 2023’s sakura season may be your first year to enjoy hanami since arriving on JET, and for our more seasoned Jeterans it offers a return to normality after admiring them from afar for the past couple of years.
We want you to enjoy the cherry blossoms as much as possible, so we’ve compiled some of the best hidden-gems around Fukuoka Prefecture! Take a look!
Shiranoe Botanical Garden (Kitakyushu - Moji)
Our first stop on our sakura tour of Fukuoka starts at the very top of the prefecture. Located in Moji, Kitakyushu, the Shiranoe Botanical Garden is home to many cherry blossom trees, which fit perfectly into the surrounding greenery. You can take in the beauty of the blooming sakura while walking on one of the numerous walking trails, before stopping to rest your weary head at one of the viewpoints overlooking the Kaimon Strait. While this is a lovely spot to visit any time of the year, you really can’t beat going while the sakura are in full bloom.
This year, Shiranoe Botanical Garden will have sakura-matsuri from March 25th to April 9th. ぜひお越しください！
Abeyama Park (Kitakyushu - Kokura-Minami)
Heading a bit further south, our next location takes us further into Kitakyushu City.
Located just a short walk from the closest train station, Abeyama Park is home to over 400 cherry blossom trees. Even the road leading to the park itself is lined on both sides with the beautiful pink flowers,which makes the uphill climb to reach the park much more bearable. .
During hanami season you can usually find yatai selling all the usual festival favorites, like hashimaki and takoyaki. With everything within your arms’ reach, it’s the perfect spot to lay down a tarp, grab yourself some umeshu and enjoy the beautiful leaves.
And while not exactly next door to Katsuyama Park, if you're coming all the way to Kitakyushu City, you may as well check out the Toto Museum. After an afternoon of learning about Japan's favorite toilet brand (editor's edit: would really recommend, entry is free and there is a surprising amount of information), you can take a stroll along the Murasaki-gawa Sakura-Dori.
Maruyama Park （Tagawa City)
We’ve hopped on the 高速道路 and left Kitakyushu behind. Where to next?
We’re gonna take a quick pitstop in Tagawa City and visit Maruyama Park. The park is home to over 300 cherry sakura, and is a beautiful spot to enjoy a stroll and get some pics for Instagram.
And you know what goes well with hanami? Tacos! We recommend heading over to Tacos de Ursa (food review coming soon), grabbing yourself some quesadillas and enjoying them under the beautiful pink leaves.
Aburayama Forest
Taking a quick detour over to Aburayama, we come to the Aburayama Citizen’s Forest.
Home to over 2,000 cherry blossom trees, this woodland is an absolute must for those who want to enjoy hanami while hiking. The forest has two observatory decks which overlook the forest’s 175 acres. As well as numerous hiking trails, the forest also boasts a camping ground for those who want a bit more of a wild experience, along with a Wild Bird Forest and even a grass ski area! And when you’ve had your fill of sakura, enjoy a walk around the Horticultural Village to enjoy some of the 3000 other varieties of trees and plants that the forest boasts.
Note: As of February 2023, there are renovations taking place within the park section of the forest.
Dazaifu Government Office Ruins (Dazaifu)
We’ve jumped on the 高速道路 and left Kitakyushu behind. Where to next?
Heading deeper into the heart of the prefecture, we come to the Dazaifu Government Office Ruins.
During the late 7th and early 8th centuries, the Dazaifu Government Office served as a place for negotiations between the Japanese government and foreign diplomats. Today, while the offices themselves are long gone, the area where they once stood is dotted with sakura, which add an extra layer of beauty to such a rich cultural site.This is an ideal spot for those of you who don’t enjoy the off-key wailing of the loud, drunken salarymen who often set up camp* under the cherry blossoms in March. The ruins offer a chance to enjoy a tranquil stroll, while also learning about Japanese history.
*Due to the historical significance of the ruins, enkai are not permitted at this location.
Amagi Park (Asakura City)
Located just a five minute walk from the beautiful Suga Shrine in Asakura City, Amagi Park is home to four species of cherry blossoms. This year the park will hold a light-up event, where you can enjoy yozakura (night-time cherry blossom viewing) from the end of March to the start of April. The lights will be turned on at sunset and last until about 10pm.
Kurume Castle Ruins (Kurume)
Having started at the very tip of the prefecture, we now come to the bottom. Located right by the Chikugo River, Kurume Castle was home to the Arima clan, who ruled over the Kurume Domain for over 250 years during the Edo Period.
This spot has perhaps the fewest number of sakura of all the places we’ve visited, but their beauty and the historical significance of the site earns the ruins a spot on our list.
That concludes our list! We tried to highlight some of the lesser known sakura spots in this post, but if your favorite spot wasn’t mentioned you can check out this guide from Fukuoka Now! for a few more recommendations.
Happy hanami-ing!