Pretty in Pink – Finding Hiroshima’s Beautiful Plum Blossoms

Feb 26, 2021

Pretty in Pink – Finding Hiroshima’s Beautiful Plum Blossoms

While the cherry blossom is the flower that tends to dominate the imagination of Japanese botanic appreciation, it is perhaps the plum (ume) blossom that should be the more celebrated. Reddish pink or white flowers distinguishable from the sakura by their split-ended petals and their strong sweet smell, before the Nara Period (710-794 AD), it was, in fact the blossom of the plum tree that Japanese referred to as hanami (flower viewing). As the flower bloomed in mid-February, it more accurately heralded the coming of spring than sakura blossoms a month later.

To this day, there are many great places to view the ume blossom all over Hiroshima, so why not wrap up warm and take the first picnic of the year under the branches of these beautiful trees.

Shukkei-en Garden

Located in the center of Hiroshima, Shukkei-en Garden is perhaps the best-known spot to see plum blossoms. The garden itself was created in 1620, commissioned by the then ruling chieftain Asano Nagakira, and is filled with aspects representing mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, and islets.

However, it is the plum blossoms that are the key draw at this time of year, and more than 100 trees line the paths.

Where: 2-11 Kaminoboricho, Naka Ward, Hiroshima (map)
Website: shukkeien.jp

Hiroshima Botanical Garden

Perched atop a hill overlooking the Seto Inland Sea to the south, Hiroshima Botanical Garden is a 1.83 hectare garden in Saeki Ward.

There are approximately 234,600 plants from 11,700 species, and you can find the ume trees on the slope next to the exhibition museum and in the innermost Japanese garden.

Where: 3 Chome-495 Kurashige, Saeki Ward (map)
Website: hiroshima-bot.jp

Manchou Farm

Eschewing his chosen life as a fisherman, Manchou Farm’s owner turned to the region’s other great industry, growing citrus fruit. From there, he expanded into persimmon, and next it was ume.

From June, the farm is popular for its plum-picking experience, but in early March, they hold Manchou Umebayashi, their plum blossom festival. It is perhaps the best place to see ume, as there are more trees than anywhere else in the prefecture.

Where: 1816 Fukamachi, Mihara City, Hiroshima Prefecture (map)
Website: manchou3.com

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Image: flickr.com “Plum blossoms(Hanegi Park)” by kanegen (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Image: By jj-walsh via flickr.com [CC BY NC-ND 2.0]
Image: By h orihashi via flickr.com [CC BY NC-ND 2.0]
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