This is the first of many similar posts I hope you will enjoy on this site. T.G.I.F. (Thank God It’s Friday) will be a regular section on this site in which I hope to exhibit local events in Shizuoka happening the following weekend. So whether you are passing through Shizuoka or are a local looking for something to do, maybe the T.G.I.F section can help find something for you to do this weekend. And because spring is usually affiliated with fresh starts and new beginnings, the Sakura Matsuri (cherry blossom festival) in Kawazu is the perfect event to debut this new site feature. When talk of cherry blossoms in is the air, it means winter is on the way out and its time for picnics with friends in the park under a canopy of soft pink…
Although Sakura blossoms do not usually peak until around late March/early April in central Japan, the 22nd Annual Sakura Kawazu Matsuri is underway in the sleepy hamlet of Kawazu. Kawazu is famed for its early blooming Sakura blossoms which begin to blossom from early February. The Sakura Matsuri in Kawazu runs from February 5 to March 10 in 2012. The best sites for Cherry Blossom viewing are around the Kawazu train station, Genboku, and “Mine-Spa.” The optimum time for viewing Kawazu’s cherry blossoms is late February/early March but beating the crowds and discovering whether the trees really do bloom in early February is a tempting draw card for taking a trip to Kawazu this weekend. Food stalls will also be set up around the various cherry blossom hotspots around town. Nothing beats okonomiyaki or yakisoba from a roadside vendor that’s for sure. Local produce made from cherry blossoms will also be sold. You can download (Japanese) maps of the hanami sites and restaurants here.
Will you be attending the 22nd Annual Sakura Kawazu Matsuri? Sound off in the comments!
Photo courtesy of penreyes (Creative Commons, Flickr)
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