Setagaya Ume Matsuri is one of the prominent plum blossom festivals in Japan, held in early February in Tokyo. Want to know something about this yearly Japanese festival? Who knows, you might get some interesting information that includes few travel tips to this place.
Hanegi Park hosts Setagaya ume matsuri every year in February. This park is famous for having a beautiful plum forest with more than 700 plum trees.
If you are a plum aficionado then please read about these famous plum festivals Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Ume Matsuri, Atami Baien Ume Matsuri, and Odawara Ume Matsuri.
Can you just think of a moment when all of these plum trees bloom and offer you to view their delicate beauty of plum blossoms? It sounds too good to think of!
I myself visited this park several time during ume matsuri. Every visit I made so far to this wonderful park gave me enormous joys.
Sometimes, I hardly find any words to explain this. This is a kind of early spring magic, you never know what may surprise you.
I think it will not be different for you as well. Get prepared to experience this spectacular plum blossom festival in this year.
Omoinomama (Japanese Apricot)
Being a special ward of Tokyo, Setagaya is much easier to reach from any corner of the capital city of Japan.
In fact, the park is located on the side of a hill which is not that much far away from Umegaoka Station. Those 700 plum trees are ready to make you feel the smell of sweet fragrance.
Oh….if you have no idea about Japanese plum blossom then please read this informative article here. It would be very nice for you to see a specific variety of plum tree that is known as “Omoinomama”.
This plum tree’s flowers have two colors as a result you are going to see both red and white petals flower from the same tree.
Things to do………
There are many small food stalls for visitors. They offer variety of yummy street foods including snacks and matcha tea. Have you ever heard of daifuku rice cake? It is a very delicious Japanese food and you can get it there including juice and jam.
If you wish you could take your own homemade foods than buying food from those food stalls. Then what to do?
Find some benches around you or if you don’t get them then sit on the stones. No one will bother rather your eating time will be very memorable.
Professional Japanese koto players are invited to perform their koto skills in front of the park visitors, so I believe you won’t miss this out. Though it is lovely to watch when little kids perform this, they are truly brilliant with it.
Think Twice Before you GO!
If you don’t like big crowd then I suggest you to get there on any days of a week except weekends.
A lot of visitors arrive there on Saturday and Sunday. In fact, some of them stay there for a long time and have small picnic party.
Most of the visitors bring their own cameras to capture the beauty of ume blossoms. Some make videos instead of taking photos and then upload them on youtube to share the amazing moment with the world.
How to get to Hanegi Park?
I think you must be thinking about accessing Hanegi Park to see its ume matsuri. In fact, it is very easy to access. Whether you take a taxi or choose direct train from Shinjuku station on Odakyu Odawara Line to Umegaoka station, it will take only 15 to 20 minutes to reach.
There is an alternative station which is called Higashi-Matsubara station, you can get off here and take a short walk to Hanegi Park.
You will definitely enjoy taking a leisurely walk from Umegaoka station to the park. Don’t worry; it takes only 5 minutes reaching there!
Vanue: Hanegi Park
Address: 4-38-52 Daita, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
Transport Info: Umegaoka Station (Odakyu line), Higashi-Matsubara Station (Inokashira line)
Admission: Free
Time: 9:00 am-5:00 pm
Festival Period: Cancelled
Things You Should Know
1) If you are a foreign traveler/visitor and want to see Setagaya ume matsuri then I must recommend you to stay nearby hotel in Setagaya.
Please find the best hotels in Setagaya in advance. Hopefully, your accommodation problem will be solved.
2) You better get a Tokyo travel map and guide book. In fact, they are very helpful for new comer in Tokyo.
3) Never ever forget to bring your camera. However, you still can get a new one here.
I think your time has come to visit this wonderful ume spot in Tokyo. It is seen as one of the best ume (Plum blossom) viewing spots in Japan. So there is no point to ignore this unique spot where you could spend your holidays in early spring.
If you want to see more ume viewing spot then I recommend you to read this article: Best Places to View Plum Blossom in Japan. Good Luck!
The fest gonna end on 06Mar? Aww, I’ll be arriving on 08Mar, can I still go and see?
Yes that’s right! It is gonna end exactly on 06 March. Well, I think you still could see plum blossoms there but surly miss the events that usually held throughout the festival period. Thank you.