Chuo-ku Tourism Association correspondent blog

Last week I saw a wonderful and rare okame cherry tree in an unexpected place.

Walking around the area of "Kami Shigeru" in Nihonbashi.

Ajisai-dori St. A dark pink okame cherry blossoms are blooming on both sides.

I'm sure it's in full bloom next week.

I thought I knew the area near the Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Main Store.

I've never known that there is Okamezakura on Ajisai-dori St.

I asked the master of "Mikado Coffee" who went to drink coffee.

It seems to have been around for a long time.

When it comes to plants, I was quite confident, but this time I am surprised.

A passing woman also said that it is rare for a kind of cherry blossom to bloom so much.

And every time I meet people, I recommend the Okamezakura on Ajisai-dori St.

Okame cherry blossoms are cherry blossoms that were crossed by British Ingram in 1947 with Mamezakura and Edhigan.

It blooms downward. The name is wonderful, isn't it?

 An annual mini-garden guided tour that takes a walk around the park with the guidance of a green adviser at the Pocket Plaza "Flowers, Water and Trees" in Harumi Triton Square.

This month was held on March 3rd. （12:30～、14:30～）

This time, we also pay attention to "flower buds".

At the "Flower Terrace", you can see Ginyouakasia (also known as Mimosa, legume family). (upper left)

One of the camellias native to Japan, the camellia (Camellia family), which grows in the mountains of the snowy area, also shows a glossy flower appearance. (left)

clematis has the image of flowers blooming in early summer, but this is a typical species of evergreen winter blooming type "Clematisan Sunensis" (Kinpoaceae).

White flowers at the tip of the petals are inverted downward.

On the "Sakura promenade" along the Asashio Canal, the red color of Kanhizakura (Rosaceae) is vivid. (upper right)

On the "Green Terrace", pheasant's eye, which was a bud last time, bloomed.

Blackoccus (Iridaceae), Setsubunsou (Primrose family), and Sarcococcus (Primrose family) are also blooming.

Among the flower buds, Sanshuyu (Mizuki family) and Benibasmo (Rosaceae) are just before flowering.

Is Licubai (Rosaceae) steadily preparing for flowering?

Tamushiba (mulberry family) has a lot of flower buds with a short fluff texture like velvet.

It was a plant walk that once again felt the breath of life of living things.

From the left, pheasant's eye, Setsubunsou, Sarcococca, Crematisian Senzhensis

From the left, Sanshuyu, Benibasmo, Likyubai, Tamushiba

 Okamezakura of Nihonbashi Honmachi "Ajisai-dori St." is blooming.

Okamezakura is a hybrid of Mamezakura and Kanhizakura, and is a combination of pale red early blooming.

Among the cherry blossoms, the flowers are small, the tree shape is compact, and it is said to be suitable for planting small land.

I heard that it started with 26 trees at first, but now there are rows of cherry trees all the way to the border with Chiyoda-ku.

At the storefronts along the street, the seasonal colors create a taste.

Sakura seems to be especially suitable for a long-established Japanese restaurant.

In the Nihonbashi area, the annual spring event "Nihonbashi Cherry Blossom Festival" will be held again this year. (March 18-April 10)

The cherry blossom strips fluttering in the spring breeze during the day, and the "Nihonbashi Sakurabashi Sakura Bar" on Muromachi Naka-dori, where you can enjoy new installations with video and sound production at night, the "Nihonbashi Sakura Bus", "Sakura Hitokiriki", "Sakura Workshop", and "entertainment Cherry Blossom Treasure Hunting Cherry Blossoms" are also happy.

The cherry blossoms are also planned to be lit up at Mitsui Main Building, Nihonbashi Mitsui Tower, Choledo Muromachi 1, Choledo Muromachi 3, YUITO, and YUITO ANNEX, and the Nihonbashi area will be dyed full of cherry blossoms during the period.

　I heard that the torii gate of Sumiyoshi-jinja Shirine, which had been removed and repaired, was newly installed because it was aging and may be damaged, and on the last day of February, Sumiyoshi-jinja Shirine and Tsukuda Kawai I walked a little.　It seems that the cherry blossoms at Tsukuda Park are waiting for the flowers to bloom, and the spring had already reached that point.　　　　　　　　　

　The previous torii gate was light green like a patina blew out, but the newly renovated torii gate is painted in crimson, and it seems that the presence has become quite clear.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　This is the Tsukuda Machikado Exhibition Hall. Sennuki portable shrine, lion head, etc. are on display. (Monoshiri Encyclopedia; Page 183)

Sumiyoshi-jinja Shirine Main Hall

Ryujin Shrine (precinct shrine) waiting for the Ryujin Festival (Sakura Festival)

　Sumiyoshi-jinja Shirine-Bluckhouse (Monoshiri Encyclopedia; page 136)

 grand Torii gate is located on the banks of the Sumida River at the entrance of Sumiyoshi-jinja Shirine Masamichi approach.

It was once removed due to aging in October last year, but on February 26, a brand-new grand Torii gate was erected.

Previously, it was a patina with copper plate (upper right), but this time it is a bright red-painted wooden (upper left).

It's a new dress.

When I got on a water bus and approached Tsukuda Island, grand Torii gate came into view against the backdrop of the high-rise apartments of Okawabata River City 21, and it was a landmark of Sumiyoshi-jinja Shirine.

At present, white, peach, and red plums are at their best in the precincts.

Ryu Shrine is the largest of the Sumiyoshi-jinja Shirine precincts, and is known as Ryujin-sama and Benten-sama.

Ryujin is a white snake, and since the enshrines Benten-sama is also a snake, the Reisai Festival is held every year on Sunday near the Snake Day from late March to early April, and the cherry blossoms bloom on the grounds.

This year, the "Ryujinsha Reisai Festival" (11:00-Gaisai ceremony) April 2-3 "Sakura Festival" will be held.