Sakura in full bloom at Takato Castle

Takato Kohigan-Zakura is a unique sakura (cherry trees) with darker pink blossoms than commonly-seen sakuras such as Somei-yoshino.

Takato Kohigan-Zakura is a unique sakura (cherry trees) with darker pink blossoms than commonly-seen sakura such as Somei-yoshino.

Yesterday was a sunny and worm day as if it had been in early summer in Nagano.

In this unseasonablel warm weather all the cherry blossoms in Nagano seem to be in their full bloom except for some colder areas.

: The pink wall of cherry blossoms

I had heard the beauty of the cherry blossoms at Takato Castle, but had no chance to visit until yesterday.

It is a custom for Japanese people to appreciate ‘sakura’ (cherry blossoms) and have a drinking party under the trees. In the following picture are some groups of people enjoying themselves viewing sakura. You can get drinks and snacks as well as souvenirs at the stalls. Please remember most of the booths with loudly- designed colorful banners are usually from other areas as far as Tokyo run by professionals, so I would recommend you buy things at other boothes if you would like to buy things produced locally such as bean-jam buns and sake!