Kanagawa - The Highlights Of The Four Seasons

Celebrating the charms of each season is one of the delights of the Japanese. Visitors to Japan can also take in these unique seasonal pleasures when they travel here. This article features a lineup of activities that can be enjoyed in Kanagawa prefecture - from viewing the plum blossoms in early spring to fruit-picking, festivals and admiring the red leaves in the autumn. All these customs and events are a celebration of nature.

1. The Plum Blossom Festival in Odawara

The image of the cherry blossoms is often associated with Japan, but in February and March you can see another type of gorgeous blossoms - the plum blossoms (’ume’ in Japanese).

The best occasion to enjoy viewing the plum blossoms in Odawara is the Odawara Plum Blossom Festival, which is held from early February through early March each year. In 2017, the festival was held between February 4th and March 5th.

This region-wide festival is held across four venues - the Soga Bessho Bairin Plum Tree Garden, Odawara Joshi Park, Odawara Flower Garden, and the Tsujimura Botanical Gardens. There are so many great views to enjoy and fun activities to do that you can spend an entire day wandering around these locations and checking out the fascinating sightseeing spots along the way.

Soga Bessho Bairin is the main venue of the festival, attracting many visitors.

This plum tree garden consists of three areas - Bessho, Hara, and Nakagawara, which are all under the custody of local farmhouses.

Because the area is mostly private land owned by the local farmhouses, the amazingly beautiful plum blossoms of the trees in this area can only be enjoyed during the plum festival!

Bessho is the largest of the three areas and features a visitor-friendly parking area complete with dining places and stands selling citrus, fresh vegetable, souvenirs, and more. It is also easy to reach, as there are local buses running from the nearest station (Shimo-Soga Station on the JR Tokai/Gotemba Line).

On holidays and during the plum blossom festival, special events such as horseback archery displays and the folk entertainment show ’Odawara Paper Lantern Dance’ are held here.

Odawara Plum Blossom Festival
Address: Kanagawa, Odawara, Soga Bessho 282
* Open only during the festival period.
Contact: +81-465-22-5002 (Odawara Tourist Association)

2. Autumn Illuminations - Oyama Afuri Shrine in Isehara

Mount Oyama in Kanagawa Prefecture is featured as a scenic mountain in the Michelin Green Guide. The view from Oyama Afuri Shrine, which located on the summit, is amazingly beautiful. It was awarded two Michelin Green Guide stars.

Visiting Mount Oyama when in spring and summer when it’s lush with greenery is a delight, but there is nothing like seeing the trees ablaze with color during the autumn months.

In the fall, Mount Oyama becomes a spectacular display of fiery red leaves, and the contrast with the colors of Oyama Afuri Shrine is really a sight to behold.

In late November, the temple grounds along with the colorful trees are lit up in the evening. You won’t want to miss the moment when daytime views transform into a magical, otherworldly scene.

Oyama Afuri Shrine
Address: Kanagawa, Isehara, Oyama 355
Contact: +81-463-95-2006
Official website: http://www.afuri.or.jp/
Kanagawa Travel Info page: Oyama Afuri Shrine

3. Orange Picking at Farms in Yugawara

Taking part in a fruit picking adventure has become a popular activity among the visitors to Japan. The good quality Japanese fruit on sale at supermarkets are delicious but there is nothing more enjoyable than tasting the fruit you’ve harvested yourself.

If you would like to experience fruit picking in Kanagawa, which is famous for the quality of its fruit, visit Yugawara, where you can try your hand at picking Japanese oranges (mikan). Mikan oranges are well-known as a specialty product of Kanagawa, where they are grown on wide areas under the sunshine. There are many tourist-friendly farms in Kanagawa which offer mikan picking experiences.

Yugawara offers several options to choose from when it comes to fruit picking experiences. If you go to the information center of the Mikan Picking Association during harvest season (early October to late December), they will give you a ride to a recommended farm free of charge. The experience itself doesn’t require any language skills to enjoy, but it’s best to ask a Japanese-speaking friend to help you out with making a reservation and getting any questions you may have answered in advance.

Mikan Picking Association Information Center
Address: Kanagawa, Ashigarashimo, Yugawara, Doi 5-22-14 Doi
Contact: +81-465-63-1920
Website: Yugawara Tourism Association (Japanese)

4. Autumn Festival at Ryukoji Temple in Fujisawa

Ryukoji is a temple of the Nichiren school of Buddhism. It was established in 1337 after a famous event in the life of the Buddhist monk Nichiren.

Nichiren, the founder of the Nichiren sect of Buddhism, lived during a time of upheaval in Japan’s history, tormented by the menace of foreign invasions and by civil war. Deeply concerned about the fate of the people, Nichiren tried to ask the samurai government of the time, the Kamakura shogunate, to make the life of the people easier. The shogunate saw his request as a slander on their administration and took Nichiren to the execution site at Tatsunokuchi.

Nichiren was about to be beheaded when a dazzling light appeared over the ocean and illuminated the whole area, blinding the executioner. Stunned by what appeared to be a miracle, the shogunate called off Nichiren’s execution.

This legendary event is known in Nichiren Buddhism as the Tatsunokuchi Persecution, and the story is still told to this day. Ryukoji Temple is said to stand in the exact place where the Tatsunokuchi execution site used to be.

A festival held every year on September 11th - 12th celebrating the memory of the Nichiren being saved at Tatsunokuchi.

The temple grounds are beautifully illuminated during the festival and traditional street stalls line the pathways. This is a classic Japanese autumn festival and a must-see if you wish to experience the unique atmosphere of the country’s centuries-old traditions.

Gonan botamochi are a special type of pounded rice cake that is made at this temple. They will be the perfect souvenir from your trip here.

Ryukoji Temple
Address: Kanagawa, Fujisawa, Katase 3-13-37
Contact: +81-466-25-7357
Official website: http://ryukoji.jp/index.html