Fukushima's Mountain of Flowers

An enchanting spring outing

Radica Sooknarine Apr 20, 2015 - 1 min read

<p>The peach blossoms are incredibly beautiful</p>

<p>There are several different varieties of cherry blossoms on these hills</p>

<p>Unlike most other hanami spots, there is a huge variety of flowers here</p>

<p>This is just one glimpse of one part of the mountain</p>

<p>Even the drain covers celebrate the beauty of the cherry blossoms</p>

<p>Grape hyacinths line the streets at certain points on the trek up the mountain</p>

<p>These flowers have a very strong scent. They also have a lot of visitors.</p>

<p>Although the mountain is open to the public, it is still private property. These signs gently remind visitors of that fact.</p>

<p>I passed several of these on the way to the mountain top. The farmers leave their produce and a cash box. Deposit your money into the box and take the item you paid for.</p>

<p>So many lovely trees full of blossoms</p>

<p>At this point I was almost at the summit. It's such an amazing view that I had to stop to take it all in.</p>

Spring in Japan is synonymous with cherry blossoms, but can you imagine a mountain full of different types of cherry blossoms and many other kinds of flowers? Well, such a place does indeed exist!

Mt. Hanamiyama is just a bus ride away from the Fukushima Station. The area was once used for cotton cultivation and in the off season, the farmers planted flowers for sale. Soon enough the flower industry grew while cotton dwindled. The farmers have opened up their lands so everyone can appreciate the magnificence of the flowers here.

I highly recommend a visit here for hanami (flower viewing) enthusiasts.