About this location: Takato Castle Park
Takato Castle Park in Ina City sits on the ruins of a castle once held by the Takeda clan. About 1,500 endemic «Takato Kohigan» cherry trees bloom soft pink in early-to-mid April, earning the title «No.1 cherry blossoms under heaven.» It is one of Japan's three great cherry sites and listed in the 100 Best Sakura Spots. Evening illumination during the «Sakura Festival» is dreamlike, with the Central Alps as backdrop.
Key features
- Takato Kohigan Cherry — endemic to Takato; about 1,500 trees, smaller pale-pink blooms forming a cloud-like canopy at peak
- Oun Bridge — the park's iconic red bridge; the bridge with cherry blossoms is the canonical shot
- Central Alps backdrop — the white ridges of Nishi-Komagatake (2,956 m) and Kiso-Komagatake; spectacular through the cherry blossoms
- Evening Illumination — during the Sakura Festival, about 1,000 warm-toned bonbori lanterns make the blue hour magical
- Koen-kaku — a 1936 two-story wooden rest house; the retro architecture pairs beautifully with the cherry blossoms
Photography Guides
