Event Roundup: April 2020

Fight the spread of COVID-19 with physical distancing while enjoying back-to-nature activities (think hanami galore, but more than just cherry blossoms!). Most of the events listed below are suitable for physical distancing, as they take place in spacious natural areas.

To the best of our knowledge, at the time of publication all events listed in our April 2020 Event Roundup are still on. However, please keep in mind that these events are still subject to change or cancellation depending on how the coronavirus situation and government restrictions progress. For the most up-to-date information, please check directly with the municipalities or facilities hosting these events.

Tsutsumi ningyo dolls originated in Tsutsumimachi, Sendai during the Edo period. By the 1800s, the dolls had attained great popularity. Today, they are counted among Japan's greatest clay dolls, along with Fushimi ningyo from Kyoto, Hanamaki ningyo from Iwate, and Miharu ningyo from Fukushima.

Tsutsumiyaki pottery also originated in tsutsumimachi during the Edo period. At first, tsutsumiyaki was produced as tea ceremony items for feudal lords of the Date clan. Later, the Tsutsumi potters also began making everyday items like pots and plates. To this day, Tsutsumiyaki is made with local clay. The simplicity characteristic of the Tsutsumiyaki glaze is said to highlight the texture and high quality of the area's clay.

At this exhibition, see historical and notable examples of both Tsutsumi ningyo and Tsutsumiyaki. The museum where the exhibition is being held is located in the corner of Tsutsujigaoka Park, which also has beautiful weeping cherry blossoms that bloom from early to mid-April.

Hours: 9:00–16:45 (last entry 16:15)

Admission: ¥240 adults, ¥180 high school students, ¥120 children ages elementary to junior high

Closed days: Mondays (except national holidays), the day following a national holiday, the 4th Thursday of every month

Details: sendai-c.ed.jp

Location: Sendai City Museum of History & Folklore (仙台市歴史民俗資料館). Map here.

Access: 8-minute walk from Tsutsujigaoka Station

An exhibition of works related to Tohoku or by Tohoku-based artists. Think pastoral landscapes, nihonga paintings, and more.

Hours: 10:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30)

Closed days: Tuesdays (If Tuesday is a national holiday, it will be open Tuesday and closed the following day.)

Admission: ¥1,200 adults, ¥500 high school students, ¥300 children ages middle and elementary school

Details: shimakawa-museum.jp

Location: Shimakawa Art Museum (島川美術館). Map here.

Access: 3-minute walk from Hirosedori Station

Tomoko Ishida is a Fukushima-based koyori artist. Koyori is a type of string made from traditional washi paper. Ishida ties, weaves, and twists the koyori into large 3-dimensional shapes, creating an interplay of thread, light, shadow, and negative space.

Hours: 9:30–17:00 (last entry 16:30)

Closed days: Mondays (If Monday is a national holiday, it will be open Monday and closed the following day.)

Admission: ¥500 adults, ¥300 high school students and seniors ages 65+, children ages middle school & younger free

Details: city.koriyama.lg.jp

Location: Koriyama Art Museum (郡山市立美術館). Map here.

Access: 10 minutes by bus from Koriyama Station, followed by a 2-minute walk. From Koriyama Station Bus Stop 5 (5番乗り場), board bus bound for Bijutsukan via Tobu New Town (美術館経由東部ニュータウン). Alight at Koriyama Bijutsukan (郡山美術館) bus stop. Details and timetables here.

A Hinamatsuri celebration at the historic Abe House. Roughly six hundred antique hinamatsuri dolls, dating from the end of the Edo period to the pre-WWII era, are displayed. Visitors are also invited to make or paint their own hinamatsuri dolls here.

Hours: 9:00–16:30 (last entry 16:00)

Admission: Free

Details: yamagatakanko.com

Location: At the Kyu-Abe House (旧阿部家). Map here.

Access: 30 minutes by bus from Sagoshi Station. From Sagoshi Station Ekimae (砂越駅前) bus stop, board a Hirata Runrun Bus (平田るんるん) Sagoshi Kobayashi Line (砂越小林線) bus bound for Kobayashi (小林). Bus route map and timetable here.

Access to Sakata from Sendai: About 3.5 hours by train or highway bus. The Sakata Shoko Bus Terminal (酒田庄交バスターミナル) is the highway bus hub in Sakata, and is located next to Sakata Station. Highway bus timetable here.

*NOTICE: Due to concern over the spread of coronavirus, this exhibition has been suspended. For details and updates, see here.*

A exhibition illustrating the phases of Japonism in Western art, featuring masterworks from the collection of the Budapest Museum of Applied Arts. Highlights include numerous colorful and ornate Hungarian glass works.

Hours: 9:30–17:00 (last entry 16:30)

Closed days: Mondays (except May 4. The house will remain open May 4.)

Official website: fct.co.jp

Admission: ¥1,300 adults, ¥1,100 university and vocational school students, ¥650 children ages elementary to high school, children under elementary school age free

Location: Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art (福島県立美術館). Map here.

Access: 2-minute walk from Bijutsukantohokan-mae Station

*NOTICE: Due to concern over the spread of coronavirus, the Kamei Museum has been temporarily closed. For details and updates, please see the museum's official website.*

An exhibition of antique kokeshi dolls, focusing on prewar kokeshi of the Bunsei and Taisho eras. The exhibit is designed to express to viewers how the purpose and design of kokeshi changed over time: from simple children's toys to artworks valued by adult collectors.

Hours: 10:00–17:00

Closed days: Mondays (open if Monday is a national holiday)

Admission: ¥240 adults, seniors 65+ free, children ages high school & younger free

Details: kameimuseum.or.jp

Location: Museum of Kamei Collection (カメイ美術館). Map here.

Access: 8-minute walk from Sendai Station

Enjoy 60-minute all-you-can-eat strawberry picking at this local farm in Ishinomaki.

Reservations: None needed for individuals or small groups. Only needed for groups of 10+.

Hours: 10:00 until the strawberries run out for the day

Fee: Varies by month. For April, it's ¥1,600 adults & children ages middle school & up, ¥1,100 elementary school students, ¥800 children below elementary school age.

Official website: bf-fushimi.com

Location: Berries Farm Fushimi (ベリーズファームFUSHIMI). Map here.

Access: 15-minute walk from Ishinomakiyumino Station

The place for hanami in Miyagi! The Hitome Senbon Zakura (lit. "A Thousand Cherry Blossoms in One Glance") are group of over 1,000 sakura trees that line the riverbanks between the towns of Ogawara and Shibata. Most years there are a number of festivities happening in the area during peak cherry blossom season, but this year due to coronavirus concerns, those events have been cancelled. However, the towns are still welcoming visitors to take in the cherry blossoms while strolling the riverbank. At the Shibata end of the Hitome Senbon Zakura stretch, you'll find Funaoka Castle Site Park, another top cherry blossom viewing spot.

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Details (English): Hitome Senbon Zakura Facebook Page

Location: Along the Shiroishi River (白石川) between Ogawara and Shibata. Map here.

Access: 3-minute walk from Ogawara Station

One of the most popular spots for cherry blossom viewing in Miyagi. Funaoka Castle Site Park is located on a small mountain, where a castle stood until the Meiji Restoration. To get to the top you can either walk up through the park, or take a ride in the park's famous slope car, a ride that's especially pretty during cherry blossom season. Funaoka Castle Site Park is located right next to the Hitome Senbon Zakura, so you can easily hit both of these famous cherry blossom viewing spots in one outing.

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Details (English): visitmiyagi.com

Location: Funaoka Joshi Koen (船岡城址公園). Map here.

Access: 14-minute walk from Funaoka Station

A public park with sakura trees and seaside views. Hiyoriyama Park is located in Ishinomaki, one of the cities devastated by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. The park is on top of a hill so was left untouched, but the city below flooded and many people perished. The park's vantage point makes it a good place for getting a feel for the scale of destruction. Pictures taken before the disaster are posted next to viewpoints around the park, so visitors can compare the the present-day view to what the same spot looked like before the tsunami.

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Details: city.ishinomaki.lg.jp

Location: Hiyoriyama Park (日和山公園). Map here.

Access: 25-minute walk from Ishinomaki Station

It's said that the cherry blossoms of Kasumigajo (lit. "Castle in the Mist") are what gave the castle its moniker. Hundreds of years ago, people likened the sight of the castle surrounded by cherry blossoms to a castle floating in the mist, and the image stuck. The castle grounds are still famous for cherry blossoms to this day. Now a spacious public park, visitors can roam the grounds freely, taking in the legendary sight of Kasumigajo enshrouded in its sakura "mist."

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Details: nihonmatsu-kanko.jp

Location: Kasumigajo Castle (霞ヶ城). Map here.

Access: 17-minute walk from Nihonmatsu Station

Trees with their own Twitter account! These weeping sakura have fields of nanohana blossoms in front, making for an especially photogenic springtime-in-the-Japanese-countryside scene. For blossom status and the latest updates, follow the trees' Twitter @kassenba_s

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Details (English): rediscoverfukushima.com

Location: At Kassenba Weeping Sakura (合戦場のしだれ桜). Map here.

Rumored to be the best cherry blossom spot in Sendai, but much less crowded than other spots due to its slightly out-of-the-way location. Due to the large variety of sakura cultivars growing here (48 different kinds!), cherry blossom trees in full bloom can be seen here for over a month.

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Details: city.sendai.jp

Location: Mikamine Park (三神峯公園). Map here.

Access: 25-minute walk or a short bus ride from from Nagamachiminami Station (長町南駅). For bus info, see the Details page.

Saigyo Modoshi no Matsu Park, a hilltop park offering one of the best views of Matsushima year-round, is especially beautiful April, when the view appears to float on a cloud of delicate pink cherry blossoms. The park is also home to attraction-in-its-own-right Cafe Le Roman, a cafe serving light French fare in a sleek glass-enclosed space, offering visitors treetop views of the cherry blossoms and bay beyond as they dine.

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Location: Saigyo Modoshi no Matsu Park (西行戻しの松公園). Map here.

Access: 21-minute walk or 5-minute taxi ride from Matsushimakaigan Station

One of Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots. A reconstructed castle surrounded by 1,000 sakura trees. The unusual red-tile roof of Tsurugajo Castle complements the light pink of cherry blossoms particularly well, don't you think? Though the events associated with cherry blossom season have been suspended this year, the view of cherry blossoms with Tsurugajo in the background is as photogenic as ever.

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Details: tif.ne.jp

Location: Tsurugajo Shimin Koen (鶴ヶ城市民公園). Map here.

Access from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station: 20 minutes by Haikara-san or Akabe bus, followed by a 7-minute walk. Alight at Tsurugajo Iriguchi (鶴ヶ城入口) bus stop. Bus info & timetable here (English).

Access from Sendai: Aizu-Wakamatsu is about 2.5 hours from Sendai by highway bus. The highway bus hub for Aizu-Wakamatsu is the bus terminal across the street from Aizu-Wakamatsu Station (会津若松駅), but if you alight two stops later at Tsurugajo・Gotochosha-mae (鶴ヶ城・合同庁舎前) you'll be dropped off right at the castle. Timetable here.

Unfortunately, Miharu Takizakura has been blocked off to visitors this year due to coronavirus fears.  Instead, you can check out some of the other lovely weeping cherry blossoms nearby, many of which are said to be offspring of Takizakura. There's also Hanamomo Kairo (lit. "Peach Blossom Corridor") right near here that blooms around the same time (mid-April to early May), so don't feel like you'll be coming to see just one tree.

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Details: kanko-koriyama.gr.jp

Location: Benishidare Jizo Sakura (紅枝垂地蔵ザクラ). Map here.

Access: 34 minutes by bus from Koriyama Station, followed by a 35-minute walk. At Koriyama Station (郡山駅), board a Line #3 (３番線) bus bound for Ono Station (小野駅) or Yanagibashi (柳橋). Alight at Asaka Koko Odate Bunko (安積高校御舘分校) bus stop. See timetable here.

One of Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots, home to 730 sakura trees. The park is located at the site of Tsuruoka Castle, and next to the Chido Museum (致道博物館), a local history museum housed in a beautiful historical building. Though the museum is currently closed due to coronavirus concerns, the building still makes a photogenic and distinctive backdrop for cherry blossom pictures.

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Details: yamagatakanko.com

Location: Tsuruoka Park (鶴岡公園). Map here.

Access: 24-minute walk or 10-minute bus ride from Tsuruoka Station. At Tsuruoka Station (鶴岡駅), board bus bound for Yunohama Onsen (湯野浜温泉). Alight at Tsuruoka Shiyakusho-mae (鶴岡市役所前) bus stop. Timetable here.

Access from Sendai: Tsuruoka is about 3 hours from Sendai by train or highway bus. S-Mall Bus Terminal (エスモールバスターミナル) is the highway bus hub for Tsuruoka, and is located about a block away from Tsuruoka Station. Timetable here.

One of Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots. Twenty-five varieties of sakura grow here, for a grand total of about one thousand sakura trees. The festivities which usually accompany sakura season here, like evening illuminations and a shrine festival, have been suspended this year due to coronavirus concerns, but the cherry blossoms themselves are as lovely as ever.

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Details: city.nanyo.yamagata.jp

Location: Eboshiyama Park (烏帽子山公園). Map here.

Access: 18-minute walk from Akayu Station

One thousand weeping cherry trees line this three-kilometer long pedestrian/cycling path in Kitakata, a town of historic kura storehouses. The Nichuu Line railway used to run here. After the line was abandoned, it was converted by the city into this scenic walking path.

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Details (English): rediscoverfukushima.com

Details: kitakata-kanko.jp

Location: Nichuu Line Memorial Path (日中線記念自転車歩行者道). Map here.

Access: 20-minute walk from Kitakata Station

Enjoy rare the sight of wild sakura and the katakuri (dogtooth violet) blooming together here in this mountainside park. Most years, food stalls are set up serving freshly prepared food. No word whether the food stalls will make an appearance yet this year or not.

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Details: mishima-kankou.net

Location: Obayashi Furusato no Yama (西方地区・大林ふるさとの山). Map here.

Access: In past years a shuttle bus has run between the festival grounds and Aizu-Miyashita Station. No word yet on whether the shuttle will be running this year. For details about past years' shuttle bus service, see here.

Craft your own bamboo lantern at a workshop on the grounds of Ioji Temple! The results look professional, something you'll be proud to display and use at home.

Hours: 10:00–12:00 (please arrive by 9:50)

Fee: ¥2,000 adults, ¥1,000 children

Reservations: Required, can book online

Details (English): rediscoverfukushima.com

Official website: taketoro.com

Location: Ioiji Temple (瑠璃光山 医王寺). Map here.

Access: 11-minute walk from Ioji-mae Station

A spring illumination event held every year during cherry blossom season at the grand Shiogama Shrine. Come see the beauty of cherry blossoms at night! There will also be kagura and live musical performances on the shrine's traditional butai stage.

Hours: 18:30–20:30

Admission: Free

Details (English): visitmiyagi.com

Official shrine website: shiogamajinja.jp

Location: Shiogama Shrine (塩竈神社). Map here.

Access: 15-minute walk from Hon-Shiogama Station

The must-see spot for cherry blossoms in Inawashiro. A one-kilometer stretch of the Kannonjigawa River is lined with Yoshino and weeping sakura. By day, the area is so idyllic it feels like a traditional Japanese garden, the surrounding countryside shakkei borrowed scenery. By night, the riverside blossoms are illuminated by colorful lights.

Hours: Always open, but unlit late at night & outside of cherry blossom season

Admission: Free

Details (English): fukushima.travel

Location: Along the banks of the Kannonjigawa River (観音寺川さくら並木). Map here.

Access: 3-minute walk from Kawageta Station

Greet the morning in the company of songbirds! This early-morning tour takes place in a nature park on the outskirts of central Sendai, close enough to be easily accessible, but "wild" enough to have some interesting bird species. A guide will take you on a walk through prime birding territory in the park and introduce you to the species you encounter as you go.

Time: 6:30–8:00

Admission: Free (includes free loaner binoculars too)

Reservations: Not necessary

Details: sendai-park.or.jp

Location: Taihakusan Shizen Kansatsu no Mori (太白山自然観察の森)

By bus: From Sendai Station Ekimae Bus Pool stop #7, board bus bound for Yamada Jiyugaoka (山田自由ヶ丘) via Dainenji Nishitaga (大年寺西多賀). Alight at Koei Apartment-mae (公営アパート前) bus stop, then walk about 15 minutes.
By rail: 56-minute walk from Yagiyama Zoological Park Station

*NOTICE: In order to discourage visitors from visiting this year, all of the nanohana flowers have been cut down. For details, see here.*

Himawari no Oka in Sanbongi is best known for its stunning sunflower fields that come into bloom every summer. But in spring, nanohana flowers bloom in these very same fields. Smaller than sunflowers but just as cheerful in color, coming to see the nanohana is a great way to welcome the blue skies and mild-weather of mid-spring.The events associated with the festival have been suspended this year due to coronavirus fears, but the flowers will still be in bloom and viewable.

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Details: sanbongi.jp

Location: Himawari no Oka (ひまわりの丘). Map here.

Access: 30 minutes by bus from Furukawa Station, followed by a 10-minute walk. At Furukawa Station (古川駅), board a Sanbongi-Ohira Line (三本木・大衡村線) bus bound for Sanbongi Otonashi (三本木音無). Alight at Sanbongi Otonashi bus stop. Timetable here.

A scenic mandmade expanse of grassy hillsides dotted with sakura trees. Located in the Mount Zao area, the pasture also affords some nice views of the wild yamazakura blooming on the nearby mountain slopes as well. If you're lucky, you may also spot some cute cows taking it easy in the shade of the sakura!

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Details: city.yamagata-yamagata.lg.jp

Location: Nishizao Pasture (西蔵王放牧場). Map here.

A hillside park where 4,000 tree-sized bushes of mountain azaleas grow. The azaleas were planted by a youth association in the aftermath of the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905) as a symbol of hope for the town. Now, over a hundred years later, they still bloom as beautifully as ever, tinting the hillside a vivid magenta every spring.

Hours: Always open

Admission: Free

Details: town.hanawa.fukushima.jp

Location: Furoyama Park (風呂山公園). Map here.

Access: A 21-minute walk from Iwaki-Hanawa Station

*NOTICE: Due to concern over the spread of coronavirus, ropeway operation has been suspended and Eboshi Ski Resort is asking that visitors refrain from coming to view the flowers. For details, see here.*

The snow at Eboshi Skijo is long gone, replaced by hillsides full of blooming flowers. Come see 30 types of narcissus flowers with about 550,000 in total! You can also ride the ropeway for a panoramic view of the flowers from higher ground.

Hours: 9:00–16:00

Admission: ¥600 adults & high school students, children ages junior high & younger free

Details: miyagi-kankou.or.jp

Location: Miyagi Zao Eboshi Skijo (みやぎ蔵王えぼしスキー場). Map here.

Enjoy a rainbow-like scene of row upon row of 10,000 colorful tulips in 60 varieties. Though the stage events have been cancelled this year due to coronavirus concerns, it looks like the local product and tulip bulb sales are still on.

Hours: 9:00–16:00

Admission: Free

Details: city.tome.miyagi.jp

Location: Michinoeki Yoneyama (道の駅米山 ふる里センターY・Y). Map here.

*NOTICE: Due to concern over the spread of coronavirus, the Hirata Shibazakura Festival has been cancelled for 2020. In addition to the cancellation of the festivities, the parking lot and facilities associated with the festival grounds will be blockaded. For details, see here.*

One of the best places for shibazakura (pink phlox) viewing in Tohoku. the hillsides here are covered in various shades of the flower, from white to day-glo pink. The gardeners have put the color variation to good use, "growing" various designs, and even spelling out the name of the town in flowers. Most years there are also stage events associated with the festival; no defiitive word about stage performances for 2020 yet.

Hours: 8:30–17:00

Admission: ¥500 adults & high school students, children ages junior high & younger free

Details: tif.ne.jp

Location: Jupiland Hirata (ジュピアランドひらた). Map here.

Access (from Koriyama Station): 50 minutes by bus, followed by a 20-minute walk. At Koriyama Station, board bus bound for Kamiyomogita (上蓬田). Alight at Shimoshinden (下新田) bus stop. Timetable here (weekdays) and here (weekends & holidays).