Cherry blossoms are intoxicating and irrepressible every year when the Sakura season rolls around. Sure there are many well-known, widely advertised "hot spots" and this is one of them, and somewhat shy of the hype, I rode over there on my KTM 390 Duke motorcycle, found it easy to park despite the crowds and also very positively surprised. The cherry blossoms and other spring blooms are indeed gorgeous in this local and quite sedate little village temple location. If you are traveling around this area in spring, do consider giving it a look, walk around, you can spend an hour here, and maybe get a little bite to eat from the food stalls. Should you drive up here from say Tokyo JUST for the blossoms? Not in my view, but the timing could be good as the sakura may be a week or so behind the Tokyo full-bloom.

All visitors going to this spot were no doubt for this tree, especially the sakura season. It was unfortunate that the weather was bad, then it became very crowded, and so difficult to admire the tree quietly. No matter what, it's still worthy to pay a visit there. That tree was around 2000 years old. It looked like more sacred as time passed, but it seemed to be too old that it would wilt soon. Take the chance to visit when it is still there.