This February, the 54th Odawara Plum Festival will take place.
What happens?
Mainly happening around Sōga Bessho Bairin — a grove of about 35,000 plum trees — this famous festival gives visitors the chance to see the plum blossoms in full bloom. Not only will you see different types of plum blossoms, but also a clear view of Mt.Fuji.
Other famous viewing spots in the surrounding area include Odawara Castle, Odawara Flower Garden, and Tsujimura Botanical Park.
There will be stalls selling special products and food, and there will be other smaller events such as a haiku (Japanese poem) meeting.
How to get to Odawara Plum Blossom Festival
Odawara, located in Kanagawa Prefecture, is only an hour and a half away by train from Tokyo and the castle is easily accessible from the station.
To get to Sōga Bessho Bairin, take the JR Gotemba Line to Shimo-Soga Station from Odawara Station and then walk up to 15 minutes.
Alternatively, take the train to either Odawara Station or Shin-Matsuda Station, and then take the bus that stops at Shimo Bessho.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.
