While the April edition of the Gifu Crossroads Newsletter is still under construction, I wanted to make sure to get out the information on Gifu Prefecture’s wonderful sakura (= cherry blossoms) as early as possible! Thus, this special edition is dedicated solely to Japan’s most famous flower; it introduces a variety of sakura-viewing spots in different corners of the prefecture – from a solitary pair of cherry trees distinguished by their reflection in an adjacent rice paddy to an entire park overflowing with 3,000 trees. Because of the altitude difference between northern and southern Gifu, you can catch sakura somewhere from late March all the way until mid-May! Get ready for the hanami (sakura-viewing) season, which is right around the corner! Make your way to different spots to enjoy distinctly different atmospheres, and be sure to go both during the day AND during nighttime! The forecast dates provided here cover the period from when the buds begin opening to when the sakura petals begin scattering to the ground, creating a “sakura blizzard,” as the phenomenon is called in Japanese!

Around 250 cherry trees line the Kitta River – which flows through the heart of Seki City – for 1.5 km. Selected as one of the 33 best sakura-viewing locations in Gifu Prefecture, this area is particularly stunning at night when lightly lit by traditional Japanese bonbori paper lanterns.

Venue: Asahigaoka, Seki City

Getting here: [Nagaragawa Railway] Seki-guchi Station [15-minute walk]

Tel: 0575-22-3131

Blossoming Forecast: March 26 ~ April 3

50% open: March 28; Full bloom: March 30

Deep within Yoro Park lies the famous Yoro Waterfall, one of Japan’s 100 “Remarkable Waters” and well-known for a legend in which it spouted sake instead of spring water! Surrounding the waterfall in the springtime are 3,000 cherry trees that make the area an even more impressive sight to behold.

Venue: Yoro Park, Yoro-cho, Yoro-gun

Entry: 9 am ~ 5 pm Tel: 0584-32-0501

Getting here: [Yoro Railway] Yoro Station [10-minute walk]

Blossoming Forecast: March 27 ~ April 4

50% open: March 29; Full bloom: March 31

From the Japan-China Friendship Garden to the banks of the Nagara River, the entire area surrounding and including Gifu Park – at the foot of Mt. Kinka – blooms pink with 400 cherry trees. Reputed to be the best hanami spot in Gifu City, this is another location that can be enjoyed during the evening hours as well as during the daytime! Venue: Omiya-cho, Gifu City

Getting here: JR/Meitetsu Gifu Station [Gifu Bus • 15 minutes] “Gifu Koen/Rekishi Hakubutsukan-mae” bus stop Tel: 058-266-5588

Blossoming Forecast: March 27 ~ April 5

50% open: March 29; Full bloom: April 1

With 1,200 cherry trees lining both sides of the Shinsakai River, this spot is one of the best in the prefecture and has been selected as one of Japan’s 100 best sakura locations! Tel: 058-383-9925

Venue: Around Nakamonzen-cho, Kakamigahara City

Getting here: [Meitetsu Kakamigahara Line] Shimin Koen-mae Station [1-minute walk]

Blossoming Forecast: March 28 ~ April 5

50% open: March 30; Full bloom: April 1

Around 1,000 sakura line the Sai River that flows through Ogaki City. As you emerge from the “tunnel” created by the cherry trees on both sides, where the presence of many stalls gives the area a very festive atmosphere, you are greeted by Sunomata Castle – a replica of a famous stronghold that is said to have been built in one night! The area around the castle is illuminated at night, creating a breathtaking sakura scene with an old-world backdrop! Tel: 0584-81-4111 Getting here: JR/Meitetsu Gifu Station [Gifu Bus headed for “Sunomata”] “Sunomata” bus stop [5-minute walk] Venue: Sunomata-cho, Ogaki City Blossoming Forecast: March 28 ~ April 5 50% open: March 30; Full bloom: April 1

350 cherry trees form a colorful tunnel overhanging the walkway up to Mt. Tanigumi Kegon-ji Temple. In addition to the gorgeous cherry blossoms, the path from the main gate of the temple grounds to the inner gate watched by the fearsome guardian statues is lined with many stalls and gift shops! Tel: 0585-22-2211 Venue: 23 Tanigumi Tokuzumi, Ibigawa-cho, Ibi-gun Getting here: Ogaki Station [Tarumi Railway • 40 min] Tanigumi-guchi Station [Ibigawa-cho Community Bus towards “Tanigumi-san” • 10 min] “Tanigumi-san” bus stop Blossoming Forecast: March 31 ~ April 9 50% open: April 2; Full bloom: April 5

Though this sakura spot is comprised of just two trees, there is an undeniable feeling of awe that overcomes you when you look upon these sister trees from across the pond and take in their reflection in the mirror-like rice paddy flooded with water . A must-see at night, the Nawashiro-zakura cherry trees offer a very different hanami experience than most others in this newsletter. Illumination: sundown ~ 9:30 pm Tel: 0576-24-2222 Venue: Wasa, Gero City Getting here: Gero Station [Taxi • 20 min] Blossoming Forecast: April 4 ~ April 12 50% open: April 6; Full bloom: April 8

Central Nippon Expressway Pass 2013 Thinking about traveling through Gifu Prefecture and other parts of central Japan in a rental car? If you’ll notice, the Nawashiro-zakura cherry trees are one of the more inconvenient sakura places to get to using public transportation, but such is not the case with a rental car! Check out the new CEP 2013 pass that Gifu has come out with in collaboration with NEXCO Central, which oversees the highways in central Japan. It makes exploring the area affordable and super easy! http://global.c-nexco.co.jp/en/whatsnew/20130222/20130322.html

Though there are around 50 cherry blossoms in Usuzumi Park, there can be no doubt that the centerpiece of this area is the Usuzumi-zakura cherry tree. The second oldest sakura in all of Japan, with over 1,500 years of history, this tree is counted as one of Japan’s Three Great Sakura and is said to have been planted by the Keitai Emperor himself long ago. The blossoms display a very unique color scheme: they are pink initially, turn white when at full-bloom, and finally become a pale gray when they scatter to the ground! Illumination: sundown ~ 9 pm Venue: Neo Itasho, Motosu City Tel: 0581-38-2511 Getting here: [Tarumi Railway] Tarumi Station [15-minute walk] Blossoming Forecast: April 4 ~ April 11 50% open: April 6; Full bloom: April 8

Publisher: Tourism Division, Tourism Exchange Promotion Office Department of Commerce, Labor and Industry Tel: 058-272-1111 (Ext.3058) Gifu Prefectural Government Fax: 058-278-2674 2-1-1 Yabuta-minami, Gifu City, GIFU 500-8570 Email: q00869@pref.gifu.lg.jp

For questions, comments, or to unsubscribe, please contact c11334@pref.gifu.lg.jp For more on tourism in Gifu Prefecture, please refer to the following resources:

☆ Gifu Crossroads Facebook Page ☆ Gifu Travel Guide http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gifu-Crossroads/165137586854382 http://travel.kankou-gifu.jp/en/ ☆ Gifu Crossroads Blog ☆ Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) http://gifucrossroads.wordpress.com/ http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/ Central Japan Tourism Promotion Association http://go-centraljapan.jp/en/area/gifu/index.html

The visual harmony between the ephemeral pink of the cherry blossoms and the bold red of Hida Takayama’s famous bridge – the Nakabashi Bridge – makes this area incredibly beautiful at any hour of the day or night! The illumination at night is particularly well-known, so be sure to stop by here while you enjoy the rest of Takayama’s timeless old quarter! Venue: Shinmei-machi, Takayama City Getting here: Takayama Station [12-minute walk] Tel: 0577-32-3333 Blossoming Forecast: April 13 ~ April 20 50% open: April 15; Full bloom: April 17

GIFU: The Complete Travel Guide Of course, even if you’ve come to Gifu looking to enjoy the sakura season, you’ll also want to visit the fabulous sites, sample the local cuisine, and enjoy other facets of Gifu that you can’t experience anywhere else! Upon traveling to Gifu, be sure to read through the new comprehensive guidebook introducing the various points of interest throughout the prefecture! I promise it will be a useful resource, so please use it as a reference while planning your trip and while making your way around! The entire book can be found in electronic (PDF) form at the Gifu Crossroads blog: http://gifucrossroads.wordpress.com/gifu-the-complete-travel-guide/

As with Usuzumi Park (see above), the heart and soul of Garyu Park is the Garyu-zakura cherry tree which, though not as old as the Usuzumi-zakura, still has been around for more than a millenium! It is designated a Natural Monument of Japan and was named after its resemblance in shape to a dragon lying down. Have a look yourself and decide if the name rings true! Tel: 0577-53-2211 Venue: Ichinomiya-machi, Takayama City Getting here: [JR Takayama Main Line] Hida Ichinomiya Station [1-minute walk] Blossoming Forecast: April 19 ~ April 26 50% open: April 21; Full bloom: April 23