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Why don’t you go to see Soga plum grove and Mt.Fuji?

Why don’t you go to see Soga plum grove and Mt.Fuji?

I’m Nobu, I like traveling overseas and in Japan, visited 25 countries. I’ve got the license of the certificate English guide in Japan for 8 years.

I show you hidden Japan which you have never seen and heard of!

Soga plum grove

Red plum
Red plum

I went to the Soga plum grove in Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

This place is famous for its 35,000 white and red plum trees.

Soga plum grove
Soga plum grove

It is the collective name for the three plum groves of Bessho, Hara, and Nakagawara that stretch around JR Shimosoga Station.

3 popular plum groves


Together with Kairakuen in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and Ogose Plum Grove in Ogose Town, Saitama Prefecture, they are sometimes counted among the 3 major plum groves in the Kanto region.

History


Odawara City’s city emblem is also patterned after the plum flower.

Odawara city sign
Odawara city sign

Odawara has long had strong ties with the plum tree.

The Go-Hojo clan began planting plum trees in the 14th century.

It is widely believed that the cultivation of plum spread during the Edo period (1603-1867).

It’s a result of the encouragement of Tadamasa Okubo, the lord of the Odawara domain.

Odawara used to have an abundant supply of salt due to the spread of salt fields.

Furthermore, travelers using Odawara-postal town to cross the Hakone Mountains bought pickled plums to prevent rotting their lunch boxes.

That is why the production of pickled plums developed in Odawara.

In “Tokaidochu hizakurige”the popular novel published in the Edo period (1603-1867), pickled plums are introduced as a specialty of Odawara-postal town.

Tokaidocgu hizakurige
Tokaidocbu-hizakurige

Here, there are mostly white plum trees for eating, but the red plum trees for viewing are also beautiful.

And I found the large weeping plum were in full bloom.

Mt.Fuji

Weeping plum blossoms
Weeping plum blossoms

The good thing about this Soga plum grove is that if the weather is fine, we can even see Mt.Fuji.

Mt.Fuji and Soga plum grove
Mt.Fuji and Soga plum grove

Although it was a little hazy today.

JR Shimosoga Station is 1.5 hours from Tokyo Station and costs 1,520 yen( 15.2 dollars) .

The Soga plum grove is 15 minute walk from the station.

But we can see many plum trees on the way to the plum grove.

It’s free to walk around Soga plum grove area.

If you come to Japan in late February until early March, why not visit the Soga plum grove?

You will experience the early spring beauty here!

I’m Nobu, one heart enjoy together!!!



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>Enjoy Tokyo and Japan as locals do!

Enjoy Tokyo and Japan as locals do!

TOKYO travel TIPS is the site which offers local updated information of Tokyo and Japan. There are many traditional, modern culture , festivals and beautiful nature in Tokyo and Japan. We want to share with travel beginners and repeaters to Tokyo and Japan! Let’s enjoy as locals do!

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