Cherry Blossoms on Yaedake (Mt. Yae)

Cherry Blossoms during peek season on Mt. Yae

View Map It! Okinawa in a larger map

Cherry Blossoms on Yaedake

     GPS

Latitude	Longitude
N 26 39.414	E 127 54.696

        *GPS to Mt. Yae Entrance



Cherry Blossoms on Yaedake (Sakura Matsuri, 桜祭り)

Cherry Trees in Okinawa Prefecture are said to bloom before anywhere else in Japan. Mid-January marks Cherry Blossom season and every year, thousands of visitors travel to Yaedake and Nakijin Castle, to see the first blooms. It is claimed that over 7000 Cherry Trees occupy the hillside of Mt. Yae.(1) The Cherry Trees found here (Prunus campanulata maxim)(1)  are different than those found in Mainland Japan. They are said to come from Taiwan and southern regions of China.(1) Every year, the Motobu Town Office sets up a Cherry Blossom Festival or Sakura Matsuri (桜祭り) towards the latter part of January for about two weeks. Below is basic information for the Yaedake Cherry Blossom Festival.

Festival Information.
When: Normally the last two weeks of January and early February. (2020 January 18 to February 2)
Time: There are no opening or closing hours to enter. However, the best time to view the flowers is during the day.
Peak Viewing Time. Typically, last week of January.
Admission Fee: Free (games and other amenities my require a fee)
Amenities: Food Stands/Restrooms Available (various locations)
Parking: Available (various locations). Parking attendants should be available to direct traffic.
Websites: Motobu Town Website  (Japanese only). To go directly to information site visit here. Translator may be required.

Recommendation (Please Read). Expect heavy traffic up the hill on Mt. Yae during the festival period. If you wish to see Cherry Blossoms without the traffic, it is recommended that you see them the week prior (though they may not be in full bloom). There are different access routes to Mt. Yae as you can see on the map above. However, the blue route has Cherry Trees along both sides till you get close to the top (Note. You cannot reach all the way up Yaedake. There is a communications tower that is off limits to non-official personnel). The Nakijin Castle Cherry Blossom Festival will be held January 26th to February 11th. Consider going to both during the overlapping dates. The Nakijin Castle Night Illumination during the festival period has the edge over any Cherry Blossom Festival after hours. Please see article, Nakijin Castle Illumination (Cherry Blossom Festival). 

References.
1. Okinawa Story (Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau (OCVB))
2. Motobu Town Office.

What to Bring. Camera, warm clothing, Cash (Yen)

Related Articles. Nakijin Castle Night Illumination (Cherry Blossom Festival), Nago City Sakura Matsuri.

Directions. Take Highway 58 into Nago City, then Highway 449 to Motobu Town. You will then want to take Highway 84 heading east. You will see a sign marking the Mt. Yae Entrance (Pink Thumbtack in the map above).

"Kannon-sama, The Goddess of Mercy – Nago City"

Kannon-sama, Goddess of Mercy sitting in front of Cherry Blossom Trees - Nago City

View Map It! Okinawa in a larger map

Kannon-sama, Goddess of Mercy

     GPS

Latitude	Longitude
N 26 34.983	E 127 59.333

Kannon-sama, The Goddess of Mercy – Nago City

The statue you see above is a Bodhisattva referred to in Japanese as Kannon or Kannon-sama, also known as the 'Goddess of Mercy'. She is referred to by many different names in different languages and has taken both male and female forms depending on the folklore and legend. There are many such statues of this Bodhisattva that exist of much, much greater size and magnitude in other East Asian countries, to include Mainland Japan. This one, in Nago City, is a modest size of about 15-16 feet in height. Nevertheless, the scenery itself is a trifecta of sorts. First, the Bodhisattva is surrounded by Nago's greenery of trees and mountains. And then there is the Cherry Blossoms behind the statue strategically laid out on a hill top making this an ideal spot for your photographic moment during blooming season. And finally, the statue overlooks a very calm and beautiful view of the Nago Bay.

The Poem. Next to the statue lies a stone inscription of a poem in Japanese, written by a person with the  family name Yokoyama. (The Kanji of the first name could not be accurately determined). Translated, it reads: 

     “Those who won and those who lost are now gone, and the Okinawa ocean is now calm.”

Behind the stone inscription it says: “Those who chant the poem will be touched by the truth. By understanding the poem it will awaken the good in your heart. And by understanding the poem you will be inspired by its beauty.”

The interpretation of the poem, of course, is left open for discussion. But being that this is the 'Goddess of Mercy', the message is certain to be one of peace.

Getting there. The location is south of the Orion Beer Factory on a hilltop. There are several ways to get there. You can either take Highway 58 and approach it from the west or approach it from the east on Highway 18. Please see map above for recommended entry (blue route). Depending on which highway you use, the turn-off will either be the very last turn-off to the right before you go up the Nago Green Bridge or the very first turn-off to the left as you are coming down the Nago Green Bridge.

Parking. If this is your first time attending this location, I recommend parking at the base of the hill and walking up, especially during Cherry Blossom season. At some point the road is only wide enough for one vehicle and 3-point turns are difficult. It is not too difficult of a walk from the bottom. Possible parking spots have been plotted above. The Pink Thumbtack icon marks another entrance way to the statue location from Highway 18, but it is easy to miss. It can also be used to exit onto Highway 18 as you leave the statue area.

Caution. If you notice on the map there is another route branching off that goes further south roughly paralleling Highway 18. Be advise that tremendous road damage existed on this route when last visited in early December 2011. Warning signs have been place. Do not go past these signs. The roads were severely damaged due to an eroding hillside.

Other places of interest nearby: Ato no Utaki (Kyoda), Big Okinawan House, Scenic View Mount Tanodake,Giant Shisas (Kyoda), Green Bridge/Lower Creek Park, Haneji Dam Family Picnic Area, Mikaya Dam, Nago Museum,Nangusuku Castle Ruins, Route 18/Haneji Dam Route, Todoroki Waterfall (Sukata), Water From Hands (Kyoda).

Source1*:  White-robed Guanyin: The Sinicization of Buddhism in China Seenin the Chinese Transformation of Avalokiteshvara in Gender,Iconography, and Role by Jeong-Eun Kim.
Source2:  Japan Times - The Goddess of Mercy and Pets.

*Note: Guanyin is the Chinese name for Kannon-sama.

"Kin Town's Cherry Blossom Way"

Cherry Blossoms in Kin Town

View Map It! Okinawa in a larger map

Kin Town's Cherry Blossom Way

     GPS

Latitude	Longitude
N 26 27.729	E 127 55.934

Kin Town's Cherry Blossom Way

Normally not recognized for its Cherry Blossoms, Kin Town does have its own little tucked away corridor of Cherry Blossom trees. It sits beneath the Kin Town Bridge often unnoticed by the daily traffickers that skirt north and south along Highway 329. What you see above are the trees in their non-blooming season, but during full bloom this can be quite the photographic spectacle given the small ground it covers compared to some of the more popular locations like Mount Yaedake. Currently, in the background you will see the construction of the new Kin Dam. Though not an ideal scene yet for a panoramic photograph, but with a little imagination, good use of angles, and some cropping you will still be able to capture the photographic and natural beauty of these small wonders of nature. In a few years time, the completed Kin Dam will be a wonderful addition to the blend of Cherry Trees in the foreground. 

What to bring. Definitely a camera. If you are into photography, recommend you bring a step ladder or better in order to get a better vantage point. A little higher elevation can make a tremendous difference in your angle perspective and thus automatically crop out unnecessary obstacles that might be in a the way (i.e. overgrown vegetation).

Cherry Blossom Season: January-February time frame, pending climate conditions. 

Getting there. The location is just north of Camp Hansen. It is the first turn-off to the left heading north once you pass the Highway 104 and 329 intersection. The turnoff is immediately before the Kin Town Bridge.  

(Note: Photos of the full bloom will be added to the album once blooming season starts.)

Other places of interest nearby: Birth Place of Toyoma Kyuzo, Gold Hall, Kin Kannonji Temple, Kin Watch Tower, Kin's Castle Rock , Kinjo's Used Goods, Kin's Hidden Nature Trail, Kin Town's History Chronicles, Okawa, The Natural Spring, Oshiro Kozo Statue, Richamocha Cafe, Toyoma Kyuzo Statue.

"Iji Shrine and The Cherry Blossom Hill"

Iji Shrine and the Cherry Blossom hill behind it.

View Map It! Okinawa in a larger map

Iji Shrine & The Cherry Blossom Hill

     GPS

Latitude	Longitude
N 26 45.479	E 128 11.542

Iji Shrine and The Cherry Blossom Hill

Mark your calendar! Cherry Blossom season is just around the corner and with the season so short, it's a good idea to plan ahead to where you want to go and see these beautiful flowers. What's obviously missing in the picture above are the blooming Cherry Blossoms. That's because this photo was taken around October with the anticipation of coming back during the January/February blooming season (photos of the full bloom will be added to the photo album later). The picture is of Iji Shrine located in Kunagami Village, just north of the Okuma Recreational Facility. Behind the shrine is a large hill populated with Cherry Blossom trees. Though this is not Nago or Mount Yaedake, the backdrop of Cherry Blossoms still make for a beautiful scene. The god enshrined here is called 'Uji Kama-sama', with 'kama-sama' given reference to a god. There is a large stone with a poetic inscription by a poet named Toguchi Seisho. The poem compares the beauty of the Cherry Blossom to that of the people of Iji. 

Getting there. The location is not too far north of the Okuma Recreational Facility. Look at the map for the landmark. It is far enough to the south to give you an early warning. Once you pass the the landmark you make a right (if going north) on the second turn. This will take you into the Iji village. From there you will have to navigate your way north/northeast. Roads are tight in this neighborhood.

Parking. There is a small parking lot, but during Cherry Blossom season finding a close-by parking spot may be difficult and you may have to park further out. In fact, this may be a good idea. The roads are tight and exiting the place might be more difficult the closer you park near the shrine. And by walking, you will get to see the town as a whole and hopefully meet some of the locals along the way. A "Konichi wa" (good afternoon in Japanese) with a smile goes a long way in Okinawa. Even if you park near the 58, the walking distance shouldn't be too challenging. You also may be tempted to take a side route into the mountains as your escape. During the last visit, there was a unexpected dead-end though it does not show on the map. The roads going up are somewhat steep and most times large enough for one vehicle. Highly discourage any such spontaneous vehicle excursions here in Iji during the Cherry Blossom season. Good advice is to leave the same way you came out.

Other places of interest nearby: River Stream in Ura, Small Cave Spring in Kunigami, Yanbaru Wildlife Conservation Center.