Nagoya - Cherry Blossoms at Togokusan Fruits Park

Considering that Cherry Blossoms last for just about a week, it is practically impossible to visit all the popular spots. So last Spring, while I visited some spots with my family during weekend, I also got to visit couple of spots on week days with my friends, most of them expats like me. One such place that I visited with my friends was the Togokusan Fruits Park. 

Not essentially a Cherry Blossom viewing spot, the park is an Agriculture Park established in 1980 in the city's Moriyama ward. But it is very popular as a Cherry Blossom viewing spot. Some pictures from the park :

The Park is well known among locals for a particular type of Cherry Blossom, the weeping Cherry tree, known as Shidarezakura in Japanese. 

The best part was that the Shidarezakura start to bloom a little later than the regular Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms. 

There were flowers of many kinds in the park

The park comprises of 15 orchards of different kinds of fruits- Pears, Apples and Peaches being the prominent one's. The Park also has an 'Orchard of the World' featuring plants native to the tropical regions. Mangoes, Jackfruits and Papaya, not commonly found in Japan can be seen in this orchard.

 The park also has a Japanese Garden and fields of flowers and shops selling the park's produce. 

Opening Hours : 9:00-16:30 hrs

Closed : Mondays 

Admission : Free ; (Adult 300 yen - for World Tropical fruits Greenhouse)

Parking : Paid parking available

Address : Aichi Prefecture, 463-0001, Nagoya, Moriyama Ku, Oaza-Kamishidami, Aza-Togoku, 2110, 

Phone: 052-736-3344

Website: http://www.fruitpark.org/   

Nagoya : Cherry Blossoms near Yamazaki River

It is almost spring and plum blossoms are a common sight in Japan. Almost everyone in Japan is awaiting the famous Cherry Blossom season. While speaking to my friends about organising Cherry Blossom viewing events this spring, I realised that I had not written much about Cherry Blossoms around Nagoya. Nagoya has three popular spots for Cherry Blossom viewing and Hanami parties- Tsuruma Park, Yamazaki River and Gojo River.  

Yamazaki river flows through a large part of Nagoya, but the Cherry Blossom viewing spot is located in the city's Mizuho ku, close to the Mizuho Undo-jo. 

Hundreds of Cherry Trees along both banks of the river spanning about 2 kms,  along a walking promenade make this a popular spot for locals in the Cherry Blossom viewing season.

While Tsuruma Park is termed as the No 1 spot for Cherry Blossom viewing, I would say Yamazaki river is less crowded and more enjoyable. 

 The Cherry trees are lit up every evening from about 6 pm to 9 pm. The spot attracts visitors both during the day and the evening. 

Nearest subway stations : 
Mizuho Undojo Nishi and Mizuho Kuyakusho Stations on the Sakuradori Subway line or Mizuho Undojo Higashi station on the Meijo Line. 

Parking: Paid parking available at Mizuho Undojo Parking  

Nagoya : Cherry Blossoms in Heiwa Koen

The best part about living in Nagoya is that despite being Japan's 3rd  largest city (and also the 4th most populated city), one doesn't get the feel of being in a concrete jungle. Nagoya, a busy port city and manufacturing hub in central Japan. Barring the business districts near Nagoya station, Marunouchi, Sakae and a couple of other neighborhoods, Nagoya has lots of open spaces and public parks. 

One such neighborhood is the area around the Higashiyama Koen Station in the city's Chikusa ward. Just outside the station on the city's Higashiyama subway line is the Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens. The zoo is one of the oldest and largest in Japan and right in the middle of the city ! 

A short walk from the Higashiyama Zoo is the Heiwa Koen, a large park close to the Heiwa cemetery. 

The park is dedicated to the memory of victims of World War II.

In the 150 hectare public park are various walking trails, open spaces where people can relax and enjoy picnics and barbecues and children can play freely. 

At one end of the park is the Nekogahora ike, a pond said to have existed since the 17th century. 

The park also features the Heiwa do, a Chinese style peace hall monument, a gift from Nagoya's sister city Nanjing.

A statue of the Buddha is enshrined in the Heiwa do. 

Nearby is the Niji-no-toh (Rainbow tower). 

On the Vernal and Autumnal Equinox days the sunlight on top of the tower reflects rainbow colors on the ground.  

The hill top location of Heiwa-do overlooks the Heiwa park and a large part of Nagoya city. 

The JR Nagoya towers, Midland square and other skyscrapers in the city's central Naka district can be seen in the distance in the picture above. 

While the park is visited by locals all through the year, it draws large number of visitors in the Cherry Blossom season in spring. There are about 2250 trees of various kinds of ornamental cherry trees.

It goes without saying that Heiwa koen is one of Nagoya's popular 'Hanami' spots. For those unaware of the term 'Hanami', it is the Japanese tradition of enjoying picnics and parties under cherry blossoms. 

We visited the park very early in the morning and we saw people had reserved their hanami spot and waiting for the rest of their group to arrive perhaps a few hours later!  
It is less crowded compared to the most popular Tsuruma park. Unlike the other popular 'Hanami' spots, there is no illumination at night so the park is best visited during daytime. 

There are various kinds of maple trees, Azaleas, Japanese pines, eucalyptus, magnolia and other trees in the park. 

No wonder various kinds of birds can be seen in the park. Photographers can be seen in the park patiently waiting to capture images of various colorful birds.

Access:  15 minutes walking from the Higashiyama Koen and Hoshigaoka stations on the 
             Higashiyama subway line and Jiyugaoka station on the Meijo line. 
             City buses ply from the Hoshigaoka bus terminal ( bound for Jiyugaoka) and stop
             at Heiwa Koen stop.

Parking: Free parking is available at the park

Entrance: Free

Opening days: Always open