Izu · KawazuNo.1260★★★Open in map →

Kawazu-zakura

— The early cherry avenue along the Kawazu River

natureThe classic — done right

Early-flowering cherries line the Kawazu River on the Izu Peninsula, from the river mouth by Kawazu Station upstream into town. They bloom in late winter, and the original tree of the variety still stands in the town.

FromTokyo Station
One train, no changeLimited express Odoriko, direct
Get off atKawazu Station (Izukyu Line)
On foot
Kawazu-zakura

Directions ↗

Where it is

16 more notes in Shizuoka · open the map →

What to look for — in walking order

The original Kawazu-zakura treeDrivephotographer / CC0

Kawazu Stationthe station forecourt, where the cherry avenue begins
The river-mouth stretchthe embankment below the road bridge nearest the station, lit up after dark during the festival
The embankment walk upstreamthe riverside path heading inland under the trees
Kawazu-zakura Kanko Koryukanthe visitor hall with the town tourism association's information desk and a local produce shop
The original treethe first Kawazu-zakura, a large tree in a Tanaka garden that overhangs the road

How to actually get there

Tokyo Station → Kawazu Station (Limited Express Odoriko, direct).
Kawazu Station → the riverbank at the road bridge nearest the station (a short walk).
Walk upstream along the embankment, stopping at the visitor hall if you need bloom information.
Continue into the Tanaka district to see the original tree, then walk back to the station.

Limited express Odoriko from Tokyo: Tokyo Station →(Limited Express Odoriko, direct)→ Kawazu Station. The Odoriko runs from JR lines onto the Izukyu Line, so there is no change of train. Some Odoriko trains divide at Atami, and only the section bound for Izukyu-Shimoda calls at Kawazu, so check which cars to board.
Back from Kawazu Station: Return on an Odoriko toward Tokyo, or take a local train north to Atami and change there to the Tokaido Shinkansen. At peak bloom the town is crowded even on weekdays, so allow extra time for the return.

Directions from my location (Google Maps) ↗

About the place

Kawazu-zakura is a cherry variety with pink flowers that opens early in the year. Around 850 of the trees stand along the Kawazu River, planted on the embankments from the river mouth near Kawazu Station upstream into the town. In full flower the banks form a long pink corridor above the water. The stretch nearest the station is the festival's main ground, and a visitor hall with the tourism association's information desk stands further upstream. Beyond it, in the Tanaka district, the original tree of the variety still grows in the garden where it was first planted.

How to enjoy it

The trees usually flower around February and stay in bloom for about a month, but the peak moves from year to year. Check the festival office's bloom reports and live cameras before you fix a date. During the festival the stretch toward the river mouth is lit up after dark. At peak bloom the town is busy even on weekdays.

Background & history

In 1955 Iida Katsumi, a resident of the Tanaka district, found a young cherry and planted it in his garden. It first flowered in 1966. Study later showed it to be a new cultivar, a natural cross between the Oshima cherry and the Taiwan cherry, or kanhizakura. It was named Kawazu-zakura in 1974, and the next year the town made it its official tree. Residents then planted it near the river mouth and around the station. The first Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival was held in 1991.

Before you go

Cash: Walking the riverside costs nothing. Kawazu Station accepts Suica and other compatible IC cards. Parking near the festival grounds is charged during the festival, at rates set by the festival office.
Good to know: The avenue is an outdoor riverside path, so rain and wind decide the day. The festival office bans drones over the festival area during event hours. In years when cold weather delays the flowers, the bloom can run on after the festival closes.
Another way: From Atami, a Tokaido Shinkansen stop, take a train on the JR Ito Line that runs through onto the Izukyu Line toward Izukyu-Shimoda. Drivers can avoid the festival traffic with the association's park-and-ride, leaving the car near Izu-Kogen Station and travelling on to Kawazu with a discounted return rail ticket.
After you get off: From Kawazu Station the river is a short walk away. Join the embankment at the road bridge nearest the station and walk upstream along the river.