Locals' Choice! Information on the Best Cherry Blossom Spots in Tono
The long winter is over, and signs of spring are finally beginning to be felt. Tono City has many beautiful cherry blossom spots that continue to be loved by locals. This time, we have collected information on cherry blossom spots in Tono City that are loved by locals and that will make you feel the arrival of spring.
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We are a regional trading company responsible for promoting local products and revitalizing tourism in Tono City, Iwate Prefecture. Tono is home to numerous legends about kappa and zashiki warashi, and is also home to an abundance of agricultural and livestock products that take advantage of its location in a basin, with one of the largest production volumes of hops used in beer in Japan. I'm proud. By interweaving Tono's people, goods, history and culture, we aim to create value unique to the region, refine the Tono brand, and revitalize the region.
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Nabekura Park
Nabekura Park, built on the site of the former castle of the Tono Nanbu clan, has long been a popular cherry blossom spot representing Tono, where you can enjoy a wide variety of cherry blossoms, with around 1,000 trees, including Somei Yoshino, Oyamazakura, Edohiganzakura, as well as Washinoo, Goiyo, Fugenzo, Taizanfukun, and Shogetsu. Every year from late April to early May, the cherry blossoms bloom beautifully throughout the park, and you can get a panoramic view of the city center from the observation deck modeled after the castle tower.
Nabekura Castle Ruins (Nabekura Park) | Tono Time | Tono City Tourism Information Site
Ayaori cherry blossom trees
Ayaori Cherry Blossom Avenue, beloved as a representative spring scene in Tono City, is a stretch of about 1.2 km of over 100 Somei Yoshino cherry trees along a bicycle-only road sandwiched between National Route 283 and the Sarugaishi River. The view of the Sarugaishi River and Mount Rokkoushi from the row of cherry trees is a representative springtime scene in Tono. We also recommend taking a leisurely bike ride while admiring the cherry blossoms.
There is a roadside station called "Tono Kaze no Oka" nearby, so why not stop by and take a stroll along the cherry blossom-lined street while you're out shopping?
Fukusenji Temple
Fukusenji Temple is a Shingon sect temple (its mountain name is Homonzan) that was opened in 1912. Approximately 200 Somei-Yoshino cherry trees adorn the temple grounds. It is known for its gigantic 17-meter-tall wooden eleven-faced Kannon statue, one of the largest wooden statues in Japan. It is also a popular spot for viewing cherry blossoms and azaleas in the spring and autumn leaves in the fall, and is constantly bustling with worshippers enjoying the scenery.
Fukusenji Temple | Tono Time | Tono City Tourism Information Site
Tono Furusato Village
This facility recreates the nostalgic farming village of Tono by relocating and preserving a "Nambu Magariya" house from the mid-Edo to mid-Meiji period that was located in Tono city. Instructors called "Maburito" (guardians) are available in the village, and you can actually experience farm work and various aspects of mountain village life. With a flowing stream, a waterwheel, and fields, this village gives the impression of villagers living their daily lives, and is often used as a filming location for TV dramas and movies.
Tono Furusato Village | Tono Time | Tono City Tourism Information Site
Cherry blossoms and red pines on Mount Dainichi (Hie Shrine)
Located on Mount Dainichi, behind Tono Elementary School, is Hie Shrine, said to have been founded during the Jogan era (859-877) of the Heian period. Hie Shrine is revered as the guardian deity of the Tono region and attracts many worshippers. On the side of the shrine grounds, you can see two trees: an Edohigan cherry tree over 300 years old and a red pine tree said to be over 400 years old, both of which have been designated as Tono Heritage Sites. The cherry blossoms in particular are said to have been planted by Yunyo Hoin, the head priest of Zennoji Temple, in the spring of 1685 (the second year of the Jokyo era), when he enshrined a branch of the spirit of Mount Yudono at the request of Lord Nanbu Yoshinaga and built the Dainichi Hall on the grounds.
Certification No. 30: Cherry blossoms and red pines of Mt. Dainichi - Tono City (city.tono.iwate.jp)
Motohachimangu Shrine grounds and the Couple Cedar Cherry Blossoms
This is where the Hachiman Shrine currently located in Shiraiwa, Matsuzaki Town, formerly stood. Former Hachiman Shrine fell into ruin for a time, but was rebuilt after the Meiji period, with a new main hall and worship hall built in the early Taisho period, and is now called Moto-Hachiman. Within this shrine grounds, the "Couple Sugizakura" (Couple Cedar Cherry Trees) are known, where a cedar and a cherry tree have embraced each other at the base over the years, their roots intertwined to resemble a married couple. This "Couple Sugizakura" tree, which has been designated a Tono Heritage Site, blooms beautifully in the spring.
Weeping cherry tree at Kisei-in Temple
In 1720, the 6th head priest, Sekigen, planted a weeping cherry tree in front of the temple, which was a gift from the Nanbu family. However, the tree was destroyed in a fire in 1891. A new tree was grown from the seed of the surviving weeping cherry tree, and it is the cherry tree we see today. Sekigen was originally a sandal bearer for the Nanbu family, but became a monk after the death of the feudal lord. He later became the head priest of Kisei-in Temple, and visited the Nanbu family to remember the deceased, offering incense at their grave and offering prayers. It is said that on his way home from the service, he received a cherry tree, which he planted next to the grave. In 1983, the tree was designated a city-designated natural monument and is also recognized as a Tono Heritage Site.
Certification number 121: Weeping cherry tree at Kisei-in Temple - Tono City (city.tono.iwate.jp)
Cherry blossom trees along the Sarugaishi River in Kamimasuzawa
The approximately 1.5km cherry blossom avenue along both banks of the Sarugaishi River, which runs alongside National Route 283 in Masuzawa, Miyamori Town, Tono, is a beloved cherry blossom viewing spot. The Sarugaishi River basin suffered extensive damage from Typhoon Kathleen in 1947 and Typhoon Ion the following year, 1948, leading to the construction of levees on both banks. To commemorate the completion of the levees, local veterinarian and professor at Morioka Higher Agriculture and Forestry School (the precursor to Iwate University's Faculty of Agriculture) Kenjiro Kikuchi donated some Somei-Yoshino cherry tree seedlings in 1953. The trees were planted by local youth groups. For over 70 years, the area has been carefully preserved by local residents in the Kamimasuzawa area. This "Sarugaishi River Cherry Blossom Avenue in Kamimasuzawa" has also been designated a Tono Heritage Site.
Wild cherry blossoms at Tsuchibuchi-Obora
This ancient mountain cherry tree, known as "Ohora's Single Cherry Tree," is designated a natural monument in Tono City. While the tree's exact age is unknown, it is believed to be over 300 years old. Located near "Dannohana" and "Denderano," which appear in the famous "Tono Monogatari," it is beloved by local residents as a symbol of the Yamaguchi area of Tsuchibuchi Town. However, at one point, the trunk began to decay, causing extensive damage to the tree. In 2014, arborist Takamura Naotake conducted treatment in cooperation with local residents, and the tree has made a remarkable recovery. Yamazakura are known for their deep color, and they still retain a beauty distinct from Somei Yoshino. In June 1981, they were designated a natural monument of Tono City.
Tono City is not only beautiful, but also has many historical spots, including many spots that appear in the "Tono Monogatari" (The Tales of Tono). However, some areas are not well-maintained and do not have parking. Please respect local rules and the environment, and cooperate so that everyone can enjoy the cherry blossoms.
We are a regional trading company responsible for promoting local products and revitalizing tourism in Tono City, Iwate Prefecture. Tono is home to numerous legends about kappa and zashiki warashi, and is also home to an abundance of agricultural and livestock products that take advantage of its location in a basin, with one of the largest production volumes of hops used in beer in Japan. I'm proud. By interweaving Tono's people, goods, history and culture, we aim to create value unique to the region, refine the Tono brand, and revitalize the region.
The contents on this page may partially contain automatic translation.
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