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A JR EAST Train Trip to Tsubame-Sanjo ④: Spring Cherry Blossoms and Seasonal Sightseeing

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Join Japankuru on a trip to this lesser-known JR EAST shinkansen station, where springtime brings warm weather and pink cherry blossoms. Find out more about the best local spots recommended by the JR EAST staff themselves!

Tsubame & Sanjo: Where Spring Bursts Into Bloom



Is the fresh spring air of Japan's countryside calling your name? Getting ready to check train schedules and cherry blossom forecasts? The area around Tsubamesanjō Station is full of artisan factories and awash with ancient legend, but these two cities are also blessed with four lovely seasons, from snowy winters to verdant green summers. So when spring rolls around, there's no better place to enjoy the beauty of Japan's cherry blossoms and feel the cool breeze coming off the Sea of Japan!

Getting to Tsubamesanjō Station

As a stop on the JR EAST Jōetsu Shinkansen (bullet train), access to Tsubamesanjō Station is extremely convenient for anyone starting in or around Tokyo! Tsubamesanjō Station is one of a dozen along the train line, which starts from Tokyo Station and stops at Ueno before heading into Niigata Prefecture, and finally arriving in the Tsubame-Sanjo area!

The trip is a little under two hours, which makes this an ideal destination for a weekend away, or a little excursion using a rail pass. The "JR EAST PASS (Nagano, Niigata area)" is especially convenient when heading to Tsubame-Sanjo: for 18,000 yen (tax included), the pass lets you ride all the JR EAST trains you want for five days, including shinkansen and limited express trains, and even some JR buses. From Tokyo to Tsubamesanjō Station, tickets with reserved seats normally cost a little under 19,000 yen round trip, but using the pass means you can freely travel all over Niigata and Nagano during your trip. You don't have to be a short-term traveler in Japan, either. Foreign residents can use the pass too!

JR East
"About JR EAST"
Official Website (en)
"Seat Reservation Service Online for Shinkansen and Limited Express Train in East Japan Region"
JR EAST Train Reservations (en)

Okozu Bunsui Sakura Park: Cherry Blossom Heaven Along the River



The two-city area of Tsubame-Sanjo hasn't yet built a reputation for cherry blossoms on a national level, but it's actually home to a cherry blossom viewing spot ranked in the country's top 100, making it a favorite for cherry blossom fans in the know! This hot 100 cherry blossom spot is Okozu Bunsui Sakura Park, known for its path lined with seemingly unending rows of cherry trees. The trees are spaced evenly along the road, so they create walls of pink petals, and even join overhead to create heavenly tunnels. Even during the peak of cherry blossom season, when the flowers are all abloom and a strong breeze will send petals fluttering past, the park tends to be uncrowded, and you'll mostly see locals who come to enjoy the weather or walk their dogs.



The park stretches over 10km along a road running parallel to the river, lined with more than 2,600 Yoshino cherry trees. Not only is it a nice place for a stroll or a hanami picnic, but it's also a great spot for a leisurely drive with the windows down, with flower petals floating in on the breeze.

Okozu Bunsui Sakura Park (大河津分水 桜並木)
4026 Gosengoku, Tsubame, Niigata

Bunsui Station: Stationside Cherry Blossoms, Noon and Night



Another major cherry blossom viewing destination in Tsubame is especially popular with railway lovers and fans of Japan Railways, because it's found at Bunsui Station! One of the platforms at this little local station is lined with tall cherry trees, and more cherry trees surround the train tracks beyond the platform, so the flowers are ready to greet each passing train as it comes in or out of the station during the spring.



When the trees are in full bloom, train fanatics and photography lovers alike will line up along the platform, aiming for the perfect photo spot and then waiting in anticipation until the next train arrives, so they can take pictures of the train cars in front of a pretty pink backdrop.

Bunsui Station (分水駅)
1-1 Bunsuisakuramachi, Tsubame, Niigata



The view from Bunsui Station's platform is lovely at any time of day, and many sightseers and photographers also gather after sunset, when the cherry trees are brightly lit from below. Once a year, the atmosphere becomes especially festive with the arrival of one train in particular, the JR Shu*Kura. The Shu*Kura is a special sightseeing train that only makes one stop in Bunsui each year, to take passengers on a fun ride past the beautiful cherry blossoms. Locals gather and make something of an event out of it, ringing musical "Cherry Bells" to welcome passengers getting off the train, and setting up food stalls outside the station. It's fun to join the festivities whether you're getting on the train or not!

Shu*Kura Train (シュクラ)
Official Website (en)

・Bonus!・ Yahiko Park + Panda Sweets



One extra cherry blossom recommendation in the area is Yahiko Park, not far from Yahiko Shrine! This park is mostly known for colorful autumn foliage, so we'd definitely recommend coming back again in the fall, but you certainly won't be disappointed if you visit in the spring! The lanterns add a little something special to this park path lined with cherry blossoms.



Next to the park, you can also grab yourself a bite to eat while you enjoy the flowers: a local snack that's won praise on a national level! The "panda-yaki" manju (パンダ焼き) at Bunsuido sweets shop are little steamed cakes made in the shape of a panda, and they have such a uniquely chewy texture that you might mistake them for mochi. Filling options for the little pandas include red bean, custard, or cream cheese, but the most popular filling of all is zunda (ズンダ), which is a sweet bean paste made with edamame! The surprising flavors and textures of this local treat won awards at Japan's "National Oyatsu Ranking Grand Prix" (a national competition for sweets and snacks) a few years back, so you know it's worth trying!

Bunsuido (分水堂菓子舗)
1041-1 Yahiko, Nishikambara District, Niigata
Official Facebook Page

A Region of Seasonal Delights



When the spring cherry blossom season starts to come to a close in cities like Tokyo, that means Japan's northern regions are just starting to look their best, so don't mourn the end of the year's cherry blossoms just yet! Visit Niigata Prefecture and get off at Tsubamesanjō Station for another dose of beautiful spring flowers and wonderful seaside weather, then come back again to see the green of summer, the red autumn leaves, and the white snow of a Niigata winter! The shinkansen is waiting to whisk you away!

▲ See the cities brought to life in our Tsubame-Sanjo video!

Tsubamesanjō Station Access
▶ JR EAST Jōetsu Shinkansen Line
・Under 2 hours from Tokyo to Tsubamesanjō Station.
JR EAST Pass (Nagano, Niigata area) Recommended!
・5 days of JR EAST trains, including shinkansen and limited express trains, plus some JR buses for 18,000 yen (tax included).
・Available to foreign travelers and foreign residents.

▶ "About JR EAST"
Official Website (en)
▶ "Seat Reservation Service Online for Shinkansen and Limited Express Train in East Japan Region"
JR EAST Train Reservations (en)

For more info and updates from Japan, check Japankuru for new articles, and don't forget to follow us on twitter, instagram, and facebook!

Details

NAME:Tsubame-Sanjo Area

ACCESS:Tsubamesanjō Station (燕三条駅)

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A Tokyo Winter Must-See: Tokyo Mega Illumination

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    • Niki, in south-west Hokkaido, is about 30 minutes from Otaru. The small town is rich with natural resources, fresh water, and clean air, making it a thriving center for fruit farms. Cherries, tomatoes, and grapes are all cultivated in the area, and thanks to a growing local wine industry, it's quickly becoming a food and wine hotspot. Together with the neighboring town of Yoichi, it's a noted area for wine tourism.

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    • Kyoto flourished as the capital of Japan between the years 794 and 1100, becoming a center for poilitics and culture, and to this day it's a great place for close encounters with Japanese history. The cobbled streets of Gion, the atmospheric road to Kiyomizudera Temple, Kinkakuji's golden walls and countless historic attractions, even Arashiyama's Togetsukyo Bridge―Kyoto is a place of many attractions. With new charms to experience throughout the seasons, travelers can't stop themselves from returning again and again.

    • Nara Prefecture's important history reaches back to 710, a time now called the Nara era, when it was once capital of Japan. Called "Heijo-kyo" during its time as a capital, it's said that nara was once the end of the silk road, leading it to flourish as a uniquely international region and produce important cultural properties of all kinds. To make the most of each season, travelers head to Nara Park, where the Nara deer who wander freely, or climb Mount Yoshino, a famous cherry blossom spot.

    • Osaka is known for friendly (and funny) people, but its history is nothing to laugh at, playing a major part in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's 16th century unification of Japan. Thanks to long years of economic activity, it's one of Japan's biggest cities, and Osaka's popular food culture earned it the nickname "The Kitchen of the Nation." To this day Osaka is the model of western Japan, and alongside historic structures like Osaka Castle, it also has major shopping malls like Umeda's Grand Front Osaka and Tennoji's Abeno Harukas. Osaka is a place to eat, eat, eat, with local specialties like takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and kushi-katsu, and for extra fun, it's home to Universal Studios Japan.

    • CHUGOKU

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      The Chugoku Region (中国地方) consists of five prefectures: Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, and Yamaguchi. In Chugoku you’ll find the sand dunes of Tottori, and Hiroshima’s atomic bomb site, plus centers of ancient history like Grand Shrine of Izumo.

    • HIROSHIMA

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      Hiroshima Prefecture has everything, from world heritage sites to beautiful nature and delicious local cuisine, and it's either an hour and a half from Tokyo by plane, or four hours by train. Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island and the Atomic Bomb Dome, two Hiroshima UNESCO sites, are famous around the world, but in Japan it's also famous for food. Seafood from the Seto Inland Sea, especially oysters, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, and Setouchi lemons are all popular, and the natural scenery alone is worth seeing.

    • SHIKOKU

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      On the other side of the Seto Inland Sea opposite Japan’s main island, Shikoku (四国) is a region made up of four prefectures: Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi, and Tokushima. The area is famous for its udon (in Kagawa), and the beautiful Dogo Onsen hot springs (in Ehime).

    • Kagawa Prefecture is on the northern part of the island of Shikoku, facing Japan's main island and the Seto Inland Sea. It's known for being the smallest prefecture in Japan, by area, but at the same time Kagawa is called the "Udon Prefecture" thanks to its famous sanuki udon. Aside from Kotohiragu Shrine and Ritsurin Garden, the prefecture's small islands are popular, and Kagawa is full of unique destinations, like Angel Road. They say that if you lay eyes on Zenigata Sunae, a huge Kagawa sand painting, you'll never have money troubles ever again.

    • Located in the most southwestern part of Japan, Kyushu (九州) is an island of 7 prefectures: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima. The island's unique culture has been influenced by Chinese and Dutch trade, along with missionaries coming in through Nagasaki's port. Modern-day travelers love the lush natural scenery and fresh food, plus the natural hot springs found all throughout the area (thanks to volcanic activity)!

    • FUKUOKA

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      Fukuoka Prefecture has the highest population on the southern island of Kyushu, with two major cities: Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. Thanks to growing transportation networks, Fukuoka is more accessible than ever, and so are the many local attractions. On top of historical spots like Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, travelers shouldn't miss Fukuoka's food scene, with motsu nabe (offal hotpot), mentaiko (spicy cod roe), and famous Hakata ramen―best eaten from a food stall in the Nakasu area of Hakata. Plus, it's full of all sorts of destinations for travelers, like trendy shopping centers, and the beautiful nature of Itoshima and Yanagawa.

    • KAGOSHIMA

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      Kagoshima Prefecture played a major role in Japan's modernization as a backdrop for famous historical figures like samurais Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, who pushed Japan out of the Edo era and into the Meiji. Because of that, Sengan-en Garden is just one of many historical destinations, and when it comes to attractions Kagoshima has plenty: the active volcano of Sakurajima, popular hot springs Ibusuki Onsen and Kirishima Onsen, World Heritage Site Yakushima Island, even what Japan calls the "island closest to heaven," Amami Oshima. Kagoshima might be found on the very southernmost tip of the southern island of Kyushu, but there's plenty to see.

    • OKINAWA

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      The island chain of Okinawa (沖縄) makes up the southernmost tip of Japan, which is why it's also the most tropical area in the country. Thanks to a history of independence and totally distinct political and cultural events, Okinawa has a unique culture, and remnants of the Ryukyu Kingdom are still visible all over the islands. Food, language, traditional dress, it's all a little different! It's also said to be the birthplace of karate.

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