Sakura blooming in February / Kawazu-zakura @Harimazaka park

In early February, Lee and I went to the Harimazaka park. As I posted before, there is well known as a good place for enjoying Sakura (Cherry blossom). But, as you are aware, the best season of Sakura is the end of March to early April. So, we had not expected we could see the Sakura blossom in February…..

?!

Wow! Sakura is blooming!

This is “Kawazu-zakura”, Prunus lannesiana Wils. cv. Kawazu-zakura. A kind of Sakura which was found at Kawazu, Shizuoka pref. in 1955. It starts to bloom in the end of January. Botanists estimate they were produced by natural crossbreeding between Kan-hi-zakura and Oshima-zakura.

As you can see, these petals have deeper pink color than the popular Sakura (Somei-Yoshino).

In Kawazu-cho, the home town of this Sakura, the “Kawazu-zakura Matsuri” festival has been held until March 10th. I found the homepage of this festival.
http://www.kawazuzakura.net/index.html
Unfortunately they don’t seem to have English page, but you can enjoy the Sakura trees via Live camera.

http://www.kawazuzakura.net/html/sakuralives.html

Speaking of Kawazu-cho, that was located in the Izu peninsula and famous for the Onsen (hot spring), wasn't that? Why don't we go there and take a good Onsen, Shige?