By Hyunsook Yun
Edited by Matcha Latte Media
There are many famous places in Japan associated with cherry blossom viewing, but few that can match the impact of over 30,000 trees on a hillside in various stages of bloom. That is what Yoshinoyama, in Nara directly south of Kyoto offers and there is no better place to enjoy the view than inside a tour-bus as it slowly plows its way through a vast sea of pink. The reason for the snail pace is that cherry blossoms attract people in huge numbers, a point that was made as early as the 12th century by the poet Saigyo, when he wrote,
Image may be NSFW.The cherries’ only fault: the crowds that gather when they bloom.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Other than avoiding the multitudes outside, a major advantage of a bus-tour is the presence of a bus guide. Ours wore a bright blue uniform, a beret cocked at a rakish angle, and spotless while gloves that she used to point to various sights outside. She knew a lot about cherry trees. For one thing, she explained that Japanese people did not always like the sakura. At one time Japanese aristocrats followed the Chinese custom of plum blossom viewing. Then from the 8th century, they began planting sakura trees, sitting under them to drink sake and exchange poems. Nowadays, people skip the poems.
As our gaido-san (guide) explained, the reason for the enormous number of cherry trees is that the tree came to be considered sacred, and as a result with each passing year more were planted. Unlike other famous places for cherry blossom viewing, Yoshinoyama only has one variety of cherry, shiroyamazakura or white mountain cherry. But since the trees are planted on a hillside and the temperature varies according to elevation, while trees at the bottom are in full peach-colored bloom, those just slightly uphill are still only half open, and further up yet hardly open at all. The result is a mountain that is less a carpet than a kaleidoscope offering different views from one day to the next.
Yoshinoyama is so famous for its changing hues of pink that regular viewers know the names of each group of trees and may visit the mountain just to see those in bloom. The lower forest (shimo senbon 下千本), middle forest (naka senbon 中千本), upper forest (kami senbon 上千本), and deep forest (oku senbon 奥千本) all present different shades of pink at any given time. Although the sen (千) of senbon literally means “one thousand” the number in this case is used to mean many or myriad.
Despite the crowds, it was worth a visit. Although I chose to go by bus this time, going by train on the Kintetsu express line from Kyoto to Yoshino transferring at Kashiharajingu-mae Station is another option. I am thinking of making a second visit next year hoping to admire the blossoms of kami senbon and oku senbon when they are in bloom.
Travel info from Nara Prefecture
Google Map
The post Mount Yoshino, Nara: For the Love of Sakura appeared first on Tales of Yui.
