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).

The Plum Blossoms of Oshittai, Nago City

The Plum Blossoms of Oshittai

View Map It! Okinawa in a larger map

Plum Blossoms, Oshittai Nago City

     GPS

Latitude	Longitude
N 26 35.539	E 128 05.822

The Plum Blossoms of Oshittai, Nago City

Rare here on Okinawa are the Plum Blossom Flowers. Much like their cousin flowers from the Cherry Tree, these delicate white flowers bloom during Okinawa's winter season, normally in mid-January. Typically, however, they bloom a week preceding the Cherry Blossom season. Once in full bloom they last for about a week.

Blooming Season: Mid January
Blooming Period: 5 Days to 1 week

Directions/Parking. Take Highway 331 north into Nago City (Nago City's east seaside) into the town of Teniya. Study the map carefully. Look for these signs (click here) on the left side of Highway 331. They will be at a Y-intersection. Turn left here. Follow the road for about 4km till you arrive at a T-intersection with these signs on the corner. It is here that you arrive at the village of Oshittai. Recommendation. It is highly recommended that you park near this T-intersection. The roads are narrow and during blooming season, there will be a line of cars driving through along with many pedestrians. The rows of Plum trees start about 50 meters from the T-intersection.

"Himawari Matsuri (Sunflower Festival), Kitanakagusuku"

Sunflowers standing strong

View Map It! Okinawa in a larger map

Himawari Matsuri (Sunflower Festival), Kitanakagusuku Village

   GPS

Latitude	Longitude
N 26 17.843	E 127 48.622

Himawari Matsuri (Sunflower Festival), Kitanakagusuku 

The start of the new year marks the beginning of a whole host of flower festivals here on Okinawa. Traditionally, it begins with Cherry Blossoms. But in late January to early February starts another special flower occasion,...the Himawari Matsuri, or Sunflower Festival, in Kitanakagusuku Village (北中城村のひまわり祭り). This is relatively a recent installment of flower festivals here on the main island first starting in 2008. About 22,000 square meters of farmland are dedicated to these yellow beauties. Special events during the festival period will vary from year to year. You will also see booths selling arts and crafts, vegetables, and other gifts for your enjoyment.

Basic Information.
When: Late February/Early March (varies annually) (Dates for 2020 have not been release. Flowers have not yet bloomed. See their Facebook Page for updates)

Time: 1000 - 1600 (this is a non-gated area, you can come and go as you please)
Fee: Admission Free
Website: himawaribatake.net or visit Facebook Page here
Phone Number: 098 935-2233 (Industrial Promotion Division )
YouTube Video: Click this VIDEO to see a past sunflower festival

Amenities/Facilities. Normally, portable toilets are dispersed near the parking lot areas. Be prepared to improvise if need be. Baby Strollers/Wheel Chairs: Around the sunflower fields are paved roads for ease of movement. However, it may be difficult to go inside the flower field itself with any kind of transport. There are areas that are padded down for ease of movement. Expect occasions of rain and muddy areas.

Directions/Parking. The field is in Waniya of Kitanakagusuku Village. Take Highway 329 south into Kitanakagusuku Village. The field is south of the Highway 81/Highway 227/Highway 329 intersection. There will be three (3) landmarks to the west side of Highway 329 to guide you in: Building with "Caleb" written on it, Family Mart, the ESSO Gas Station. At the next traffic light signal south of the ESSO Gas Station turn east (towards the ocean). You will be guided by signs. You will also see a large apartment complex. The sunflower field is walking distance to the west and across from this complex. Parking signs should be posted.

Source of information. 

Okinawa Times (Japanese Only), http://article.okinawatimes.co.jp/article/2013-01-27_44493, 

Official Website: (Japanese Only): https://www.himawaribatake.net/kitanakagusuku.php

Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HimawariInKitanaka

"Tsutsuji Matsuri - The Azalea Festival"

Admiring the Azaleas 

View Map It! Okinawa in a larger map

Tsutsuji Matsuri (The Azalea Festival)

     GPS

Latitude	Longitude
N 26 38.235	E 128 09.413

Tsutsuji Matsuri (Azalea Festival), Higashi Village

Every March, Higashi Village hosts the Azalea Festival, or better known to the Okinawans as 'Tsutsuji Matsuri'. The Azaleas are part of the genus Rhododendron, with these particular flowers being part of the subgenus 'Tsutsuji' (or 'Tsutsusi'), which are evergreen Azaleas versus their North American counterparts that are deciduous in nature (leaves fall off in the fall). The festival occurs at the Azalea park about 500 meters away from Highway 70. The festival itself last about 3 weeks long with various events and entertainment spread out during this period. However, you can still view the Azaleas for the entire month of March. Please visit the Higashi Village website for more information (Japanese only). They will have a schedule of major events and entertainment during the festival period.

The park itself is a nice walk on both high and low ground. Down below are small nature walk areas where you can see the Higashi greenery and some of the streams that flow between the hills. High up on the hills are several areas where you can view down and out toward the Higashi landscape. If you love nature and especially flowers, then this is great place to bring the family.

Time Frame: Entire Month of March (2018 Festival Period March 2-21, Flowering Viewing March 2-25)
Time: 9am-6pm

Entrance Fee. 300 Yen for High School Students and above, free for Middle School and below, and free admission for people with a disability
(For update and current information please visit website below)
Website. http://www.vill.higashi.okinawa.jp
Phone number for festival information.  098 043 2265
Food stands. Hot foods starnds are available during the festival period
Stroller Friendly. For the most part, the park is baby stroller friendly

For related articles on the Tsutsuji Matsuri see, http://www.okinawastory.jp/en/special/festivals_hotels/special/f_festivals.html 
http://www.okinawa-information.com/blog/azela-festivaltsutsuji-matsuri 

For information about Azaleas, please visit, 
http://www.pbase.com/azaleasociety/evergreen
http://www.azaleas.org

Directions. Take Highway 329 into Nago City. Then take Highway 331 going north on the eastern side of Okinawa. From Highway 331 take Highway 70. Look for the road signs off of Highway 70 that point to the Azalea Park. During the festival period you may see numerous banner flags along the road side that lead you to the Park. See map for other landmarks of the area.

Other places of interest nearby: The Sakishima Sappanwood Tree (Higashi), The Higashi Museum, Meoto Waterfall.

"A Dawn of a New Day..."

A Peace Pole at Hedo Misaki

View Map It! Okinawa - Okinawa Peace Poles in a larger map

Peace Poles - Hedo

     
     GPS

Latitude	Longitude
N 26 52.337	E 128 15.817

     *GPS is of the Parking Lot




June 23rd - Irei no hi

Between April 1st and June 22nd of 1945, up to 200,000 lives would perish in what would be dubbed the 'Bloodiest Battle of the Pacific'. Of that number, the Okinawans would pay the heaviest price – men, women, children, estimated to be over a hundred thousand...gone.

And up north on the main island, you will find Hedo Misaki. It is as far as one can get from the once war-torn regions of the south, where much of the carnage had taken place. And there, you will find two Peace Poles firmly wedged into the rugged coral cliffs of Cape Hedo. They are beacons of hope, with each side having a message inscribed in a different language. The message reads, “May Peace Prevail on Earth”. Both objects serve as a simple reminder of peace and of the tragedies of war. On June 23rd, the anniversary of the day after the war ended, many Okinawans will pay tribute to the fallen who passed away during those very dark times. It is their way of spreading this message of peace. It is their way of healing. It is 'Irei no hi', Okinawa's Memorial Day.

And for this special occasion, the picture above taken at Hedo Misaki is symbolic in many ways. Hardly scathed by war, Hedo remains almost as pristine as it did in 1945. Its innocence remains intact. And based on its orientation, Hedo is one of the first places on Okinawa to receive the warmth of the sun's rays, marking the beginning of a brand new day for the Ryukyu Island. And as you glare towards the horizon you are no longer facing the horrible images of the past. And on any given night, as you stare deep into infinity, all that lies between you and the horizon is an abyss of endless darkness, where no hope could possibly shine through. But at that magical moment,  a glimmer of life emerges from the clouds, a dawn of a new day..... and a shiny beacon of hope is lit.