It has been said that viewing and smelling cherry blossoms are advantageous for your health. Seeing flowers like sakura can reduce stress, improve concentration, speed up the body’s healing processes, and help your nervous system relax. According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, viewing cherry blossoms in urban parks leads to lower blood pressure.
No wonder cherry blossoms are used as infusions in skincare and hair care products. Believe it or not, those sakura are also concocted into a health tea, providing anti-inflammatory benefits and promoting better cardiovascular, immune system, and digestive health.
Touring Hiroshima, you’re most likely to visit its attractions dedicated to the World War II bombing. However, this is also a good place to enjoy cherry blossom trees. What are the best cherry blossom spots in Hiroshima? Read on.
1. Miyajima
Miyajima is indomitable as the most famous cherry blossom viewing spot in Hiroshima. This small island just off its coast is home to the beautiful Komyoin Temple and Itsukushima Shrine. Around the island are almost 2,000 cherry blossom trees, so you’ll always find a place to take photos. Cherry blossoms are at their most gorgeous here in spring but be prepared for thick crowds and some hungry deer that could distract you.
2. Hiroshima Peace Park
Second, you’ve got the Hiroshima Peace Park. Situated in central Hiroshima City, this attraction was built to commemorate those who perished during the deadly atomic bombing and to remember them for their legacy toward world peace. Though the sakura trees here are fewer, unlike in Miyajima, that means fewer crowds, and there are also benches where you can sit while you have fun with the cherry blossoms.
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3. Hiroshima’s Mountains
Meanwhile, if you are willing to work out your limbs and trek before immersing in the beauty of cherry blossom trees, then head to Hiroshima’s mountains for them. There are cherry blossoms at Fukuyama Castle and Mount Kobayama. The journey from the nearest bus stop to the mountain’s peak is about 20 minutes.
4. Atomic Bomb Dome
Nothing beats being able to learn history and be in rhyme with nature. At the Atomic Bomb Dome, cherry blossom trees are also all over the place. Rows of hundreds of these trees are along the banks of the Motoyasu River. It is also fantastic to visit at night as the trees are illuminated. Seeing sakura in this place sets the perfect backdrop for the haunting events that took place there.
5. Hiroshima Castle
If you’re more into doing your OOTD or OOTN photoshoots for social media posting, it’s most recommended to see cherry blossom trees at Hiroshima Castle. With about 450 sakura trees around the castle grounds, you will always find a spot to post and take pictures, even with the crowd around.
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6. Around the Seto Inland Sea
They don’t have these on the coastlines of Capri, Italy. For an even more dramatic sakura viewing experience, see them around the Seto Inland Sea, where the freshest seafood in Hiroshima is caught.
Particularly, you can visit the Kosanji Temple and Innoshima Park in Onomichi, with the former treating you to a splendid flower spectacle against a colorful pagoda. You may also proceed to Mihama or Shofukujiyama Park, a small mountain that turns pink with all the cherry blossoms.
7. Shukkeien Garden
Just a short walk from Hiroshima Station, Shukkeien Garden has been providing nature’s benefits to locals and tourists since 1620 when it was a paradise of mountains, valleys, and rivers. The 1945 atomic bombing destroyed those, but thankfully, it was rebuilt as the city’s resilience after the war. There are also plum and peach blossoms here.
Should you be in search of the most breathtaking spots where you can take photos with Japan’s prettiest cherry blossoms, head to one of those places presented above? Most won’t charge admissions fees, so you could lounge around for as long as you want. Hiroshima must be part of your bucket list for viewing cherry blossoms.
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Looking to dive deeper into Hiroshima’s rich culture and history? Join our local tour guides for our Hiroshima Free Walking Tour!
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