Odawara Ume Matsuri 小田原梅まつり
Plum festival
In Odawara, a coastal town on Sagami Bay in Kanagawa Prefecture, the end of winter is brightened by the blooming of more than 35,000 plum trees! The municipality honors them by organizing, every year in February, and for 49 years, a festival rich in cultural events.
Odawara is unquestionably one of the most beautiful places in Kanagawa Prefecture to admire plum blossoms, including the splendid "weeping plum trees". Two main places, distant from each other, share the honors: Joshi Koen Park and Soga Bairin (the plum grove).
Where to admire the plum trees in bloom?
Soga Bairin is made up of three gardens : Nakagawara , Bessho and Hara . This is where most of the events take place. The 35,000 or so plum trees with their white, dark pink, or even red plumes perfume the air as much as they delight the eye.
In the distance, the mountains of Hakone Hot Springs and Mount Fuji loom, which has earned the location be selected as one of “Kanto's 100 Best Views for Viewing Mount Fuji”.
- Access: 15 min on foot from JR Shimo-Soga station, Gotemba line.
Joshi Koen, the park of Odawara Castle, sees some 250 plum trees blooming, revealing between their branches the keep and the castle gate in the background. The place is very popular with photographers.
- Access: 10 min on foot from JR Odawara station.
plum blossoms
Tatsuo Owada
Cultural events
The highlight of the festival is the horseback archery competition (yabusame) with archers in period costumes from the Takeda Archery School. In 2019, this event will take place on February 11 (17 in case of bad weather) from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm in the Ume Soga Hayashibara district.
On Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays (February 11), professionals and amateurs animate several events such as haiku recitals, calligraphy demonstrations, koto concerts, a lion dance, and even a lantern dance, Odawara being known for its artisanal manufacture of lanterns.
As in all festivals in Japan, many food and drink stalls are set up everywhere. This is an opportunity to taste local specialties made from ume (green plums that cannot be eaten raw): umeshu (plum liqueur), plum jam, or even umeboshi (plums sweet and sour). Please note that these various events are canceled in the event of snow or rain.
Plum tree at Hanegi Park
yy flickr
Address, timetable & access
Address
Timetable
JR Odawara station is about 1h30 by train from Tokyo, on the Tokaido line.Access
In 2019, the festival will take place from February 2 to March 3.
