A little of each town’s story

Mt. Shiudeyama

From: Chasing the cherry blossoms across spring Japan

Walking beneath cherry trees along the fence above the sea

At 352 meters, the highest peak on the Shonai Peninsula. About 1,000 cherry trees grow here (Somei-yoshino, Yoko-zakura and double-flowered Yae-zakura), at their best from mid-March to early April. The peninsula is steeped in the legend of Urashima Taro, and the mountain's name is said to come from the white smoke of his treasure box, which became a purple cloud trailing over the peak. The summit holds the remains of a Yayoi-period hilltop settlement from about 2,000 years ago, with pottery and stone tools on display in the site museum. The summit observation deck looks south to the Shikoku Mountains and north to the islands of the Seto Inland Sea.

Ohama, Takuma-cho, Mitoyo, Kagawa

Sources: city.mitoyo.lg.jp mitoyo-kanko.com rurubu.jp

This moment in the journey

Back west to Mt. Shiudeyama

While I was enjoying Tokyo's blossoms, Shikoku's reached their peak. So it was back west to Shikoku, to one of Kagawa's most spectacular cherry blossom spots: Mt. Shiudeyama.

On the way up stood a tent for the "Shiudeyama drive-up commemorative lottery." The sign read, "If you win, take one item from the box of that color." I reached into the colored boxes and drew one out.

From the summit, the view was breathtaking. Islands floated on the hazy Seto Inland Sea, and a town followed the curve of the cove below. Walking under the cherry trees along the fence, I saw nothing but clear sky blue and blossom pink. It was like a dream.

Watch this scene on YouTube3:35

Read this scene in the full journey