Did you know Saitama Prefecture is home to Japan’s longest cherry blossom corridor? And according to Saitama City, it is not just the longest, but also Japan’s number 1 “sakura kairo”! Saitama Prefecture, beside Tokyo, is the only prefecture with a twenty kilometer long cherry blossom ‘corridor’ in all of Japan. It is called the Minuma Tanbo Cherry Blossom Corridor / Minuma Tanbo Sakura Kairo / 見沼田んぼ桜回廊. Moreover, they will have a spring festival, to celebrate the cherry blossoms, in 2023.
Japan’s longest Cherry Blossom Corridor Festival 2023
Obviously, at twenty kilometers long there are several different points of interest along the way. In addition, there are also key viewing areas along the route. Saitama City pinpoint six key cherry blossom viewing areas along the route. They are;
1. The area around the Citizen’s Forest
One of the key areas is the area around Saitama City Citizen’s Forest. The featured photo, at the top of this post, was taken in this area. >>You will find more detailed information for the photo location in this post<<. The Citizen’s Forest is also home to both Minuma Green Center and Saitama’s free squirrel (chipmunk) house:
2. Around Saitama City Hospital
Number two on the map from Saitama City shown below.
3. Minuma-Hikawa Park area
The area near Minuma-Hikawa park and around Hikawa Nyotai Shrine, also featured on the map below.
4. Around Omika Gakko Bridge
In an area called Hasumi Shinden. The bridge is named after the nearby elementary school.
5. In the area of Sojin Temple
Around the area of Sojin temple and also beside one of the Saitama Green Trust forests.
6. Minuma Nature Park
Along the north end of the park.
All six of these locations mapped on a Google MyMap:
Cherry Blossom Corridor Spring Festival 2023
The spring festival is held for two days during the bloom of the cherry blossoms. Interestingly, it is held at a seventh site, west of the six featured above, at Minuma Kizaki Square. They have a vegetable market and live music performances, such as taiko, on the two days of the festival. In addition, there are kitchen cars / food trucks also. They may cancel the festival in the event of rain. You can check on the official website on the day. The link is below the access information.
Information
Event: Minuma Tanbo Cherry Blossom Corridor Spring festival 2023 見沼田んぼの桜回廊 春まつり
Date: Saturday March 25th and Sunday March 26th.
Time: currently not specified.
Cost: Free.
Venue: (for the festival) Minuma Kizaki Square, 397 Misaki, Urawa Ward, Saitama, 330-0041. View on Google Maps.
Access
Directions for the spring festival: Minuma Kizaki Square is about a 30 minute walk from JR Yono station. However, if you alight at Kita Urawa Station you can get a Tobu bus, bound for 「東新井団地」, from the Kita Urawa bus stop to Yamazaki bus stop. It takes about seven minutes on the bus and then its about a five minute walk to the festival square.
Editor’s note: this post was temporarily removed from the website during the pandemic. It was republished on March 6th 2023.