Flower Stamp Rally②

Hello! I’m Angie, from France, working at Toyota City Hall.

Temperatures have gone up recently, and many flowers have begun to bloom, including cherry blossoms, which I was really looking forward to. I got to visit lots of different spots for flower viewing in Toyota, so let me introduce you to some of them!

The first spot for today is the Aichi Greenery Center. The cherry blossoms and Yukiyanagi Thunberg’s Meadowsweet bloom are lined up together, making you feel like you’re walking through a white cloud. The park is huge, so you can see many other types of flowers as well. I personally really liked the purple magnolia. I recommend checking out the Greenery Center’s website to view the flowers blooming this month.

Next up is one of Toyota’s renowned cherry blossom viewing spots: Suigen Park. Situated on the right bank of Yahagi River, it boasts a high concentration of cherry trees. I visited it twice and noticed that even on a rainy weekday, many people came to admire Suigen’s blossoms. On sunny days, visitors spread out their sheets, enjoy their meals and chat, which makes for a lively atmosphere.

If you visit Suigen Park, I recommend having lunch at Sakura-Tei, a shop that overlooks Suigen’s cherry trees. Upon entering, you’ll be greeted by cherry blossom decorations, immersing you in a spring-like ambiance. The cuisine, from its hanami dango to its cherry blossom-shaped plates, will further this feeling of spring.

Next, we have the Folk Craft Museum, another famous cherry blossom spot.

There are many blossoms there as well, so many that it feels like the whole area is enveloped in pink.

If you climb up to the top of Maeda Park, located north of the Folk Craft Museum, you’ll be treated to a panoramic view of cherry trees stretching into the distance. And if you go to Hiratobashi Park, you’ll be able to enjoy a postcard-like landscape, with cherry blossoms spanning out along Yahagi River.

Until recently, I hadn’t realized that there were so many cherry blossoms in Japan, but I finally noticed it after cherry blossom season began, and they bloomed all throughout Toyota.

The next spot is Kaminaka’s Weeping Peach Blossoms, in Kaminaka-cho, Asahi District. I believe that the charm of peach blossoms is their vivid colors, distinct from cherry blossoms. From a distance, the white, pink, and deep pink hues blend together, painting a wonderful picture. There are also yellow forsythias, which contrast nicely with the peach blossoms.

Finally, I would like to talk about the azaleas that you can see at Kosema ontake Shrine. This is a hidden gem, not widely known, and I was truly moved by the beauty of this area completely covered in azaleas. These flowers have a rare and deep color between pink and purple that I really appreciated, stretching as far as the eye can see.

Each flower has its own optimal period for viewing, but in any case, the Flower Stamp Rally organized by Tourism Toyota is in progress until May 12th, so if you have an appreciation for flowers, don’t hesitate to participate in it!

Sakura-Tei Horyukaku Seasonal Cuisine https://www.tourismtoyota.jp/en/foods/detail/209/

Flower Stamp Rally