It’s been over a decade since the triple disasters of 2011 wreaked havoc on Japan’s Tohoku region. Even today, many people still fear traveling to Fukushima Prefecture due to some ill-formed notion that they’d be at risk of radiation poisoning. Sadly, no matter how many years seem to pass, Fukushima just can’t seem to shake its bad rap. While the prefecture is indeed home to some truly amazing spots for cherry blossoms, the shadow of 2011 means that many international travelers are just going to opt to go elsewhere in Japan.
As stated time and time again here on this blog, Fukushima is a huge prefecture and even the questionable areas around the reactors are far away from most anything else. Thus, you shouldn’t be shy about wanting to venture up to Fukushima to see the cherry blossoms. After all, the prefecture is home to so many amazing spots to see Japan’s iconic springtime flowers. Despite going every year now since 2020, there are still a lot of areas in Fukushima left for me to visit during the spring.
While Fukushima does in fact offer many amazing locations for seeing spring’s cherry blossoms, nowhere can hold a candle to the famed Miharu Takizakura. Located to the east of Koriyama in the town of Miharu, this ancient cherry blossom tree is estimated to be well over 1,000 years old. Unlike with other more common variants of cherry blossom trees, the Miharu Takizakura’s blossom-covered branches flow down to the ground like a waterfall. Standing at a height of over 12 meters, this venerable specimen of nature is truly a sight to behold in spring.
Especially if you’re already planning to go see somewhere like Aizu-Wakamatsu, a side trip to see Fukushima’s Miharu Takizakura is definitely worth adding to your itinerary. The storied cherry blossom tree can be visited early in the morning before heading off somewhere else in Fukushima or even further north in Tohoku. Regardless though, the Miharu Takizakura is certainly one cherry blossom tree that you’ll want to see if you ever find yourself in this part of Japan during early to mid-April!
How to Get There
Let’s take a quick break to cover some key logistics. As the proverbial crow flies, the Miharu Takizakura is actually not located all too far away from Koriyama Station. During the rest of the year, getting to where the famed tree stands would be child’s play. Alas, when the Miharu Takizakura’s annual blooming always draws a huge crowd. This means that access is a lot harder than it might otherwise appear if you did some research online with a tool like Google Maps.
When I visited, I went with another content creator who could drive a rental car. This is likely the best way to go see the Miharu Takizakura as it gives you the most freedom. Just expect there to be A LOT of traffic on the road so do yourself a favor and get as early a start on the day as you can. The parking lot near the Miharu Takizakura can only hold so many cars and if you arrive later in the day, you may find yourself looking for a spot for a lot longer than you might like.
For those of you without a rental car, know that you can still get to the Miharu Takizakura via public transportation. Normally, there is little if any service to this rural section of Fukushima but during the season when the cherry blossom trees are blooming, there is actually a handy shuttle bus that runs to and from Miharu Station. For the price of 700 yen, you can get a one-day pass but expect to be packed onto the shuttle bus with everyone else going to see the beautiful Miharu Takizakura…
The “Waterfall Cherry Tree”
Once you arrive at the Miharu Takizakura’s parking lot, you’ll have to pass through a ticket gate area and there is almost always a bit of a line here. Entry to the space where the magnificent cherry blossom tree is located will set you back a few hundred yen but it’s totally worth the price of entry. Thankfully, there should be a number of local food vendors along the approach to the tree so you can grab a bite to eat here without battling the traffic on the way back to Koriyama.
The Miharu Takizakura itself is situated up on a hillside so you’ll need to hoof it a little bit at first (just follow the crowd — you really can’t get lost). As you’ll see when you visit yourselves, there is a stepped pathway that encircles the tree allowing for you to get up close and see it from different angles. That said, just be careful not to stop the flow of foot traffic as there are going to be a lot of other travelers also trying to behold the ever-enchanting Miharu Takizakura.
By far, my favorite vantage point is actually a little higher up the hill past the Miharu Takizakura. From here, you can get a good glimpse of the revered cherry blossom tree. When set against the yellow nanohana carpet and the backdrop of a bright, blue sky, this creates an amazing spectacle that will be etched in your memory for life. There are also a few other cherry blossom trees up here too and it’s away from the horde of other onlookers.
Note that there is actually a small offertory box right in front of the Miharu Takizakura (as can be seen in the image at the start of this article). This is due to the ancient animistic Japanese belief that all living things, including the Miharu Takizakura, have a divine spirit within them. If you’re up to it, say a quick prayer to the kami that is thought to reside in this old cherry blossom tree!
Other Nearby Attractions
As great as the Miharu Takizakura is, it would be a real shame to come to this part of Fukushima Prefecture and only see the storied cherry blossom tree. As noted in the opening paragraphs, the Miharu Takizakura pairs well with a trip to the historic castle town of Aizu-Wakamatsu. Also known for its cherry blossoms, this part of Fukushima is one of my favorites so know that it comes highly recommended by me.
When I went to the Miharu Takizakura, my travel companion and I took a ride over to Aizu-Wakamatsu. All in all, the drive took us somewhere around 90 minutes or so. If you don’t have your own set of wheels though, you’ll have to take JR’s Ban-Etsu West Line. This will get you there in around the same amount of time but their departures are semi-infrequent so the whole trek will take a little bit longer.
If you’re going to make the journey over, I highly suggest that you spend the night in one of the area’s many hot springs. While dual allures of Tsuruga Castle and Sazaedo (two great spots for cherry blossoms by the way) are doable in a day, other attractions like Ouchijuku will require a bit more time. So, rather than rush back, I suggest you stay the night in a ryokan at Ashinomaki Onsen or Higashiyama Onsen.
Until next time travelers…
