Spring in Japan means cherry blossoms and perfect weather. A lot of flowers bloom in this season, such as cherry and plum blossoms, tulips, shibazakura, wisteria, and so on.
In Japan, spring is generally from March to May. It is no surprise that cherry blossoms can be seen in early February in Japan!
What you are going to read in this post here today is about a popular early blooming sakura festival called Miura Kaigan Sakura Matsuri. This is possibly one of the best places in Japan to see Kawazu-zakura, a type of sakura that start to bloom in early February.
Please note this kind of sakura bloom earlier than Somei Yoshino and their color is pinker.
If you want to know about different types of Japanese cherry blossoms, click here.
About the Festival
One of the earliest chances to see cheery blossoms can be found in Kanagawa at the Miura Kaigan Cherry Blossom Festival.
From early February to late March, you can see cherry blossoms in bloom at this incredible festival found just south of Yokohama, on the edge of Tokyo Bay.
The festival grounds go from Miura Kaigan Station to Komatsugaike Park. Cherry trees can be found for about a kilometer from the station, forming clouds of pink against an often-blue sky. It seems like something out of a romantic movie.
These cherry trees are the kawazu-zakura and there are around 1000 found here.
These cherry blossoms are noted for their very bright pink color. Other flowers have been planted beneath the cherry trees to make the experience even more colorful.
In addition, along with viewing beautiful cherry blossoms display, you’ll also find many stalls selling food at the Miura Kagan Cherry Festival.
The festival foods of takoyaki, grilled chicken skewers, and dango, sweet rice dumplings are very popular.
You’ll also find alcoholic drinks for sale, especially radish-based shochu. There is plenty of space for a picnic beneath the cherry blossoms, so grab some food to enjoy as you view them!
At night, usually around 5 PM, you can enjoy illuminated cherry blossoms. With these lights, the scene changes from one out of a romance movie to one out of an epic fantasy.
The festival lights keep the party going for hours after the sun has set.
Festival date: Early February to early March 2025.
How to Get There
Take the Keikyu main line to Miura-Kaigan Station, where the festival entrance can be found. The station is about a one-hour ride from Yokohama.
The same line also comes from Tokyo’s Shinagawa Station. The ride from Tokyo takes about 90 minutes.
Misaki Maguro Pass
The best way to get to the festival is to take a train to Miura Kagan Station, and one of the best ways to get there is by getting a Misaki Maguro Pass. That’s not all it is good for, either.
The Misaki Maguro Pass is great for getting to see the best of the Miura peninsula. It includes round trip transportation by train from Shinagawa Station, unlimited use of local buses within the Miura peninsula, and any of a number of sightseeing activities, including boat cruises and more. You also get a free meal from one of several participating restaurants.
The pass costs less then 4,000 yen, which is the perfect price for any budget. It’s a really great way to get to see the Miura Kagan Festival. To purchase one, go to Keikyu Line office at Shinagawa Station.
For more info, check this out: Misaki Maguro Pass.
Thank you for reading this post. Wishing you a memorable trip to Japan in spring!
