There are plenty of arguments to be made about Japan's best cherry blossom viewing spots, and people's favorites will differ based on a myriad of reasons. However, if you're after a sakura experience with a bit of history behind it, Fukushima's Miharu Takizakura is hard to beat. Estimates place the age of the tree somewhere over a thousand years old, and it's revered so highly that it was designated as a National Treasure back in 1922. Standing around 12 meters in height and with branches spanning 22 meters in parts, the tree attracts several hundred thousand visitors each year.
The best time to catch this iconic tree in bloom is from the mid to late April timeframe, and admission to the area is charged at 300 yen.
Getting there
The Miharu Takizakura tree can be reached within about 10 minutes by taxi from Miharu Station, served by the Ban'etsu East Line.
For those who opt to drive, free parking is available on-site.
