Walking in Takao plume village while viewing plum blossoms in full bloom

Walking in Takao plume village while viewing plum blossoms in full bloom

Hello. Today I came to Takao plume village. From Kawaguchiko, where my home is located, it takes a little over 90 minutes by expressway. Takao is located in Hachioji City, Tokyo. But it is probably closer to get there from Yamanashi than from central Tokyo.

Today is March 2, 2024. We came here to Takao because the plum blossoms are now in full bloom, but the Ume Festival event is next Saturday and Sunday. I am a little worried if the best time to see the ume blossoms will last until next week.

The plum grove we are walking through now is called Promenade Plum Grove, and it is my favorite plum grove in Takao plume village. I like the feeling of an original Japanese landscape. This bird call is coming from the photographer’s phone. The cameraman may be trying to call the bird.

We are now at Komagino Garden near the promenade plum grove. The garden is a Japanese garden created in the home of the first director of Komagino Hospital, which is located next door. It is a nice garden even though it is free. If you come to Takao plume village, you should definitely stop by.

There is also a cafe so you can take a break. There are several bonsai on display in this garden. I am not a bonsai expert, but I love to look at them. Bonsai is a representation of a natural landscape on a small pot.

Unlike potted plants, where the flowers are the main attraction, bonsai is a work of art that includes the pot. Karesansui (dry landscape), expressing a conceptual world by placing stones and plants on white sand. Plum blossoms are at their best. Beautiful rope umbrellas protect pine trees from snow. Pine trees on water.

I was going to take a video of the beautiful Nishikigoi, but I was so caught up in the beautiful pine trees that I forgot. Sorry about that. 😅 The garden we are walking through now is called Kaiyushiki garden, where you can enjoy the changing scenery while walking around the pond.

It’s a plum tree, but the branches are a bit un-plum-like. My favorite bamboo grove is coming into view. I like the bamboo leaves swaying in the wind. Sanshuyu is also blooming beautifully. Hanamomo is already in bloom! The gardens are lovely, but this old Japanese house is also very nice.

Wild plum (yabai) flowers are still blooming, a little bit. This is the Sekisho Plum Grove. Sekisho Plum Grove is located along the old Koshu-kaido road.

Takao plume village was established about 60 years ago when plum trees blooming along the old Koshu highway were planted in gardens and fields to make it a tourist attraction. Red and white plum blossoms with yellow sanshuyu are magnificent.

In the Edo period, Sekisyo was there to keep guns from entering Edo and to keep wives of feudal lords who were hostages from escaping from Edo. Takao plume village is located on the old Koshu-kaido road, 4 km long with 10,000 plum trees.

Here in the Sekisho Plum Grove, there will be a performance and comical performances next Saturday and Sunday. The local people are preparing for the festival. There is a bus stop, so you may want to take a bus from here to Takao Station on your way home. Lohbai and witch hazel along the road.

Arai Plum Grove is located off the old Koshu-kaido road, toward the Chuo Expressway. This large bridge pier is more overwhelming than the plum grove. The plum blossoms here were a little past their best. On the slope of the mountain, we can see the Tenjin Plum Grove where we will go next.

Tenjin Plum Grove. A little further up the mountain is a small shrine. Walking along the river from the first plum grove on the promenade, we arrive here.

It may be a good idea to walk all the way along the river to Kokezawa Plum Grove, and on the way back, stop at Arai Plum Grove, Sekisho Plum Grove, and Komagino Garden. Actually, this is my second visit to Takao plume village, following last year.

Last year, I took that route to explore Takao plume village. Takao is very famous for Mt. Takao, which I climbed about 3 times when I lived in Tokyo.

Takao is an easy mountain to climb, accessible by train from central Tokyo. about 10 years ago, it became very crowded, so I haven’t climbed it since then. This route through Takao plume village to Mt. Takao also seems to be a popular route. Today, too, I saw many people with backpacks on their backs.

Takao plume village is not as well known as Mt. Takao, and I only learned about it a few years ago. Although I learned about it several years ago, I actually saw the plum blossoms in Takao plume village every year for about 30 years.

Even before I moved to Yamanashi, I used to go to Yamanashi every week, so this time of year, from the highway, the pink-colored mountains came into view, whether I wanted to or not. It only takes a moment to see them, but every year I am amazed at their beauty.

This is not a named plum grove, but it is a stunning plum blossom of magnificent color. Many of the plum trees in Takao are rarely pruned, so the trees are large. The trees are larger than those in other plum groves that are pruned, such as the plum trees in the Soga Plum Grove.

It would be better to enjoy the plum trees in Takao plume village in full bloom, like cherry blossoms, without worrying too much about the shape of the trees or the branches. Yunohana plum grove. This is a small plum grove, but it has weeping plum trees, a rarity in Takao plume village.

Visitors can enter this plum grove only during the plum blossom season. And you can only go inside from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. I am not sure why it is closed at night, but I guess it is to prevent accidents and to prevent parties at night.

I don’t think it would be good for the residents if they were having a big party at night. Weeping plum trees in full bloom. This is the Surusashi Plum Grove. A train is running on the Chuo Main Line.

This plum grove is also open from March 2 to March 17, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. This plum grove will also be the site of a performance and other events next week. Today is March 2, the plum grove is open to the public from today.

A reminder for those coming to the festival next week. There are no parking lots, food stalls, or convenience stores in Takao plume village. A festival like the Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival, which attracts many tourists, has a large parking lot and many food stalls. Don’t think it is the same as those festivals.

Enjoy the walk more than you enjoy the events of the festival. Just walk. Buses are available, so if you get tired, you can take a bus. We buy lunch and tea, pack our backpacks, and take a stroll through the plum blossoms.

Paper bush. Along the road, you can see flowers other than plum blossoms. As the road is narrow, it is wise not to come by car during the festival. I parked in a 1000 yen per day parking lot near Takao Station, but if you are coming from central Tokyo, I recommend taking the train.

Our final destination, the plum grove, is on the slope of that mountain. This is the last plum grove today, Kokezawa Plum Grove. This is the largest plum grove in Takao plum village. Here, I recommend first looking at the mountain slope from outside the fence.

Driving on the Chuo Expressway, this plum grove always catches my eye at this time of year. Actually, I was a bit relieved to see this plum grove from the highway this morning. Until that moment, I was worried.

Because I knew that there was a heavy snowfall about a month ago, and there were over 200 trees with broken branches and fallen trees. The heavy snowfall came just after the plum orchard was being prepared for the Plum Festival, and they suffered damage.

At the entrance of this plum grove, there is a donation box, and this time I made a donation, which is very unusual for me😅 I was worried, but the fallen trees have been taken care of and I don’t get the impression that the number of plum trees has decreased.

I imagine it took a lot of hard work to get them ready in time for the ume festival, which starts today. It is now after 12:00 noon, and as predicted, the clouds are coming. I am rather thankful that the sky has been clear until this time 😊

This is the last plum grove today, but there is actually another one called Kobotoke Plum Grove. When I came here last year, I was told by a local that the Kobotoke Plum Grove is no longer there, so I did not go there last year, and I will not go there this year either.

They say it was the first plum grove, but it looks like there are only a few plum trees. So I decide to eat my lunch as well. So far, I have already walked more than 5 km and will probably walk as much on the way back.

There was a tree with a broken branch at the edge of the plum grove. Branches broken by snow. A great number of them… How was Takao plum village? Next week, the weather looks good and there will be events. Walking is good for your health. Why not come to Takao plum village for that.

Thank you for watching the video until the end today 🙏 Next time: Kakegawa cherry blossoms in full bloom. The next day, I went to Kakegawa Castle. But still, don’t you think it is too big to be a plum tree?

Finally, let me end with a video of the highway. As I drive, I see this plum grove 😊

Today we came to Takao plum village, where the plum blossoms are now in full bloom.
Next Saturday and Sunday, the “Ume Festival” event will be held.
We hope you will find it helpful for your cherry blossom viewing.

Today, we started our walk from the Promenade Plum Grove and went to the largest plum grove, Kokezawa Plum Grove.
We walked 10 km round trip.

00:00 Opening
00:48 Promenade Plum Grove
02:47 Takao Komagino Garden
07:22 Sekisho Plum Grove
09:23 Arai Plum Grove
10:36 Tenjin Plum Grove
14:03 Yunohana Plum Grove
15:34 Surusashi Plum Grove
18:29 Kokezawa Plum Grove

Takao plum village, Hachioji City official website https://www.city.hachioji.tokyo.jp/kankobunka/001/p003240.html

Date taken : March 2, 2024
Camera : SONY ZV-E10
Lens : SELP1650
Resolution : 4K

*Using Google Translate. Therefore, please be aware that there may be typos or omissions.
*Please note that the information in the video may not be 100% accurate.

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