flower viewing beyond the crowds
Come enjoy genuine Japan in Tajimi
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Finding sanity in The craze of the flower viewing season
Kokei park has a viewpoint over Tajimi. Close-by you will also find the beautiful Eihoji Temple and its splendid gardens.
Over the last few years, Japan has grown in popularity as a travel destination. Many choose to visit during the hanami season, the time of year when the Japanese go out to enjoy the bloom of the cherry blossoms. While flower viewing can be very pleasant, crowds are intense at the most famous spots. I have guided many groups around the country in spring, and it has often been quite a battle to fight our way through the crowds in the hanami hot spots of Japan
Crowds get intense at the more famous viewing spots in other parts of the country
There are so many stories I could tell you about the travails of the flower season guiding jobs. Once I had to try to negotiate with a stubborn monk over the phone from a bus stuck in traffic in Kyoto. We were supposed to visit a famous temple garden, and in order to do that, we were required to participate in a sermon in which all visitors must take part. The temple will assign you a date and time for the visit. The gate opens precisely on time, and is shut only a few minutes later after which latecomers are turned back. There are no exceptions.
The visit to the temple and its famous garden was one of the highlights of our tour. Many in my group had come specifically to see that temple garden, yet here we were, stuck in traffic, getting nowhere. It felt like we were being consumed by the flocks of tourists surrounding us. We were not going to make it in time. The monk at the other end of the line seemed determined to stick to the rules. Of course, as the tour guide I would be held responsible by my group should we have to cancel our visit.
That is the hanami season in a nutshell. At least if you visit the hot spots of flower viewing in Japan. If you would prefer a genuine experience of hanami I propose you to stay clear of the beaten path.
The visit to the temple and its famous garden was one of the highlights of our tour. Many in my group had come specifically to see that temple garden, yet here we were, stuck in traffic, getting nowhere. It felt like we were being consumed by the flocks of tourists surrounding us. We were not going to make it in time. The monk at the other end of the line seemed determined to stick to the rules. Of course, as the tour guide I would be held responsible by my group should we have to cancel our visit.
That is the hanami season in a nutshell. At least if you visit the hot spots of flower viewing in Japan. If you would prefer a genuine experience of hanami I propose you to stay clear of the beaten path.
The famous spots for hanami today are so overwhelmingly busy that it is virtually impossible to find peace and quite there. During my close to 30 years in Tokyo, I saw the blossoms bloom each year, sometimes only to be washed away by rain, sometimes lasting for a few brief sunny days, then falling like pink snow on the streets. When the weather gods were smiling, it was always a hassle to find a good spot under the trees somewhere, because of the huge crowds competing for a place to party. Companies would send their young office clerks and salesmen in the morning to lay down on the ground on an attractive spot so that the rest of the staff would have somewhere to sit when they arrived after work.
As one contributor wrote on Tripadvisor:
I'm in Kyoto now - the blossoms are lovely but the crowds are intense. I went to the Silver Temple then "walked" the Philosophers Path. Neither were the least bit Zen - more line Disney World during spring break! I then hit temple light-ups at Kiyomizu and Kodiji. Both were gorgeous but again - walking in a continual line of people isn't my idea if really experiencing these sites.
There are so many stories I could tell you about the travails of the flower season guiding jobs. Many times I have guided groups through the crowds during this otherwise so lovely time of the year, and every time seemed to wear me down a little bit more. Kyoto, for example, can get really crazy at times. You have to line up in a long queue for a chance to take a shot of the Golden Temple from the best angle. At the famous at the famous Ryoanji rock garden you may have to endure noisy school classes and their guides with their megaphones at a place where you are supposed to contemplate in silence, losing yourself in nothingness so that you can find yourself.
If you have never visited Japan I still recommend you go and see some of the famous flower viewing spots, because they are wonderful. At the same time, you should not expect a truly genuine experience of hanami.
Still, if you have never visited Japan I still recommend you go and see these places, because they are wonderful. At the same time, you should not expect a truly genuine experience of hanami. Not the poetic, contemplative experience the aristocrats of this country enjoyed in the past, long before the first tourist arrived. For that I propose you to stay clear of the beaten path. In doing so you will also be rewarded by the hospitality of people who are only happy to receive visitors. People who are not worn down by hoards of sightseers. Take a trip to the countryside of Japan. If you decide to come to Tajimi, this site should serve as a helpful guide to what you can experience here.
Cherry blossoms in Tajimi. The flowers seem even prettier against the backdrop of a rusting industrial installation.
I propose you make an excursion to Tajimi. We have a countryside treat waiting for you.
As years past by, I was starting to wonder if the standard tourist experience could be all there is to flower viewing. It must have been radically different back in the 8th century, when the tradition started. After all, this was supposedly a custom among a tiny elite of aristocrats and people in the Imperial court. The aristocrats of the time would gather to read poems celebrating the transient beauty of the plum blossoms - a custom imported from China like so much else during this early time of Japanese civilisation. There were also the wisteria, peach blossoms, and, of course, cherry blossoms to inspire works of calligraphy, painting, and flower arrangements. Could it be that a sense of impermanence, which is central to Buddhism and other Eastern worldviews, will come even to us foreigners, if only we can find a quiet place under a cherry tree?
I propose you make an excursion to Tajimi to find this tree. There are plenty of them, and plenty of space underneath.
I propose you make an excursion to Tajimi to find this tree. There are plenty of them, and plenty of space underneath.
a quick hanami tour of tajimi
Shiomi no Mori Park. You can find a tree like this and share it only with yourself - or a friend or two.
Take a look at the pictures in the gallery here above. We traveled around Tajimi during the flower viewing season last year to photograph some of the best spots for hanami. The Shiomi no Mori is a large park up in the mountains. The drive up there is quite wonderful at this time of the year, as the road is lined with cherry trees all the way. We stopped to take 360 pictures (you'll find them in the VR gallery at the top of this page). It felt like a luxury to stand there on the road and not a sole around disturbing the silence. Well, almost not a sole. Suddenly we heard laughter from a low laying area by the side of the road, and when we took a closer look we found a small group of elderly ladies enjoying a picnic down there. Back in the days of the samurai a lord would have his own private park for flower viewing - like the ones at the Golden or Silver pavilions in Kyoto. There the lord would sit in a tea house or beneath a tree, silently taking in the view. Now these ladies enjoyed the same luxury. Not only were the cherry trees splendid, there were also magnolia and all kinds of other plants in the area, and plenty of space to walk around and explore the gardens (you will find some pictures of this in the VR gallery).
The writer is inviting you to a personal guided tour of Tajimi.
There are also cherry blossoms down in the city proper, of course. I have included a picture from our little suburb called Onada. Right next to the creek where the picture was shot there is a small shrine honoring the ancient monk Kukai, who was something of a Leonardo da Vinci in Japan. Close-by there is also a very nice Shino shrine, which I wrote about in another essay.
You will also find a picture of the Tousai street, which is located closer to the centre of the city. The old railway from Kasahara once ran here, carrying ceramics from the industries there. The steam locomotive was not very powerful, apparently. On rainy days it would slip back down the hill when it was loaded with heavy goods.
And there is of course the Kokei park, pictured at the top of this page, and many others. We shall be more than pleased to take you around. Which brings us to the next section of this piece.
You will also find a picture of the Tousai street, which is located closer to the centre of the city. The old railway from Kasahara once ran here, carrying ceramics from the industries there. The steam locomotive was not very powerful, apparently. On rainy days it would slip back down the hill when it was loaded with heavy goods.
And there is of course the Kokei park, pictured at the top of this page, and many others. We shall be more than pleased to take you around. Which brings us to the next section of this piece.
but how can i enjoy all this?
Shiomi no Mori park is not only full of cherry trees, but also offers plenty of nice areas for a walk
Lots of people are beginning to realise that the Japanese countryside has a lot to offer for those who wish to explore the genuine Japan. As in other countries, heavy tourism leads to exploitation. The problem is, however, that underdeveloped areas lack many of the services foreign travelers require. Most importantly, there is very little information in English (a problem we are attacking with this site), and there is a lack of infrastructure for tourism, such as English speaking guides. This is also something we want to change. Feel free to inquire about travel to Tajimi, we are happy to answer any questions.
We are also happy to support you in making travel arrangements, booking hotel rooms, etc. We will put together a private tour for you so that you can enjoy a genuine experience of the countryside here in Tajimi.
Of course, there is plenty more than flowers to experience here. Sample the local food, which is characterized by richer flavor than the typical Kyoto dishes. The eel dishes are in a class of their own, for example. Try some of the pottery workshops - Mino ware is famous all over Japan and Tajimi offer plenty of opportunities to try making some pottery yourself. Bringing a bit of sake for your picnic under the cherry trees is not a bad idea. Why not try making your own sake flask as well?Last, but not the least, Tajimi is very conveniently located with good access to many other attractive places for tourists is Gifu. These include Inuyama, which has the oldest preserved castle in Japan, Gujohachiman, a very pretty, historic city with a great dance festival in autumn, and many other popular places.
We are also happy to support you in making travel arrangements, booking hotel rooms, etc. We will put together a private tour for you so that you can enjoy a genuine experience of the countryside here in Tajimi.
Of course, there is plenty more than flowers to experience here. Sample the local food, which is characterized by richer flavor than the typical Kyoto dishes. The eel dishes are in a class of their own, for example. Try some of the pottery workshops - Mino ware is famous all over Japan and Tajimi offer plenty of opportunities to try making some pottery yourself. Bringing a bit of sake for your picnic under the cherry trees is not a bad idea. Why not try making your own sake flask as well?Last, but not the least, Tajimi is very conveniently located with good access to many other attractive places for tourists is Gifu. These include Inuyama, which has the oldest preserved castle in Japan, Gujohachiman, a very pretty, historic city with a great dance festival in autumn, and many other popular places.
Oh, by the way, that stubborn monk in Kyoto, remember him from the beginning of this story? He did actually let my group in so they could see their garden after all, in spite of us arriving fifteen minutes late, and in spite of the rule to not admit latecomers. But don't tell anyone. It's supposed to be a rule without exception.
The author is proposing to take you on a special flower viewing tour off the beaten path.
Sake is a traditional part of a genuine flower viewing experience. What better way to serve it than from a Mino ware sake flask?
