Written by Alexandra Ziminski
Kawazu cherry blossoms (also known as Kawazu-zakura) are early blooming sakura that make their appearance around a month earlier than the more common Somei Yoshino cherry blossom variety. The town where Kawazu-zakura was discovered (Kawazu Town if you couldn’t guess) has its annual cherry blossom festival in February.
Don’t get this festival confused with the Miura-kaigan Festival and the Matsuda Festival.
What happens?
To celebrate the blooming of the flower, the town of Kawazu in Izu Prefecture will hold a festival. This is usually just an opportunity to walk along the town’s river and marvel at the many blooming cherry trees.
Tip: Keep track of the blooming siutation with this handy live camera.
How to get there
The cherry blossoms are a short walk from Kawazu Station. To get there from Tokyo Station takes around 2.5 hours by train if you use the Super View Odoriko Limited Express (¥6,050). If you have a JR Pass, it is worth taking the Shinkansen to Atami Station and changing to the local line towards Kawazu.
Other options with a change in Atami Station are around ¥1,000 cheaper but take an hour longer.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.
