Miharus ancient weeping cherry tree wonderland.
Japans ancient Miharu Takizakura weeping cherry tree in full bloom surrounded by vibrant rapeseed meadows.

Miharu Takizuka: The Most Beautiful Cherry Tree in Japan

A miraculous survivor of the 2011 earthquake, the blossom of the thousand-year-old cherry tree attracts more than 300,000 visitors every year!

The small agricultural town of Miharu is located in Fukushima prefecture. It inherited the name “Miharu”, meaning “three sources”, from the exceptional flowering of its fruit trees: cherry, plum and peach. The town of 17,000 residents is best known for Miharu Takizakura (三 春 滝 桜), literally “spring waterfall cherry blossoms”, or simply “the most beautiful cherry tree in Japan”.

Miharu Takizakura (三春滝桜)
Miharu Takizakura (三春滝桜)

A thousand-year-old cherry turned national treasure

This ancient tree has been classified as one of the three giant cherries of the Japanese archipelago (日 本 三 巨 大 桜) and among the five largest in Japan (日 本 五 大 桜).

The tree was also designated a national treasure in 1922, a first for any tree! Much appreciated by the Japanese, it is often cited in polls as the number one in the whole country.

Miharu Takizakura (三春滝桜)
Miharu Takizakura (三春滝桜)

It takes its name Takizakura (“cascade cherry”) from the shape of its branches, which when in bloom create a cascade of millions of pale pink petals, akin to a waterfall of blossom.

Modest in height (only 12 metres), it’s the circumference of the trunk (9.5 metres) and the spread of the branches (22 metres) that are so impressive.

A cherry waterfall dominating the hillside

Ideally located halfway up a small hill, visitors can admire the cherry tree from every angle: from the the roots upwards or from the top of the hill downwards.

Miharu Takizakura (三春滝桜)
Miharu Takizakura (三春滝桜)

Miharu Takizakura usually blooms between mid and late April. At its peak, hundreds of thousands of people come to admire the colourful petals.

Miharu Takizakura (三春滝桜)
Miharu Takizakura (三春滝桜)

These visitors represent an important source of revenue for the small municipality, which uses the entrance fee to maintain the tree.

Miharu Takizakura: a symbol of resilience

In 2005, snow almost got the better of the tree: heavy falls weakened some branches and they broke. Thanks to the mobilization of local residents, who cleared the snow and installed beams to support the tree, it held firm.

Miharu Takizakura (三春滝桜)
Miharu Takizakura (三春滝桜)

Then, on 11 March 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake shook the Fukushima region but Miharu Takizakura was miraculously undamaged.

The thousand-year-old cherry tree has become a regional symbol of resilience.

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Who Am I

Jordy Meow
This is me!

I am Jordy Meow, a French photographer based in Tokyo. I explore offbeat places in Japan.

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Rolling misty dreams, Blue and green whispers converge, Mountains touch the sky. ---転がる霧、 青と緑が囁く、 山は空に触れる。 ---#offbeatjapan #japan #mistymountains #dreamyscapes #naturewhispers #japaneselands #hakone #nikko
Orange drum resounds, Shadows dance on glass and wood, Old meets new at dusk.  オレンジの太鼓、 ガラスと木に影が踊る、 夕暮れに古と新が出会う。  #KanazawaStation #TsuzumiMon #urbanjapan #architecturelovers #offbeatjapan #japan #modernmeetstraditional
Blue haze softly glows, Stone paths bind past with future— Time whispers in night.青い霞が優しく輝く、 石畳が過去と未来を結ぶ— 時間は夜に囁く。#roji #nocturnalscene #japanlovers #urbanharmony #serenemoments #offbeatjapan #japan
Moss-clad gate whispers, Where sunlit streams softly dance, Nature’s shrine unfolds.苔むす門、 木漏れ日の小川、 自然の社。#sacredjapan #mossymagic #toriiwanderings #serenityinthetrees #hiddenretreat #spiritualjourney #offbeatjapan #japan
Modern white and blue, Reflects on ancient timber, Past meets the future.モダンな白と青が、 古い木材に映り込む、 過去が未来に出会う。#architecturalcontrast #traditionmeetstechnology #modernjapan #culturalblend #reflectivebeauty #offbeatjapan #japan
Golden walls whisper, Among emerald whispers; Where sky meets old dreams. ---黄金の壁、 エメラルドの囁き; 空が古き夢に触れる。 ---#offbeatjapan #japan #mysticalplaces #hiddenjapan #serenesetting #mountainscape #villagelife
Gray sky, rain-kissed tiles, Orange roofs glow through the mist— Green life clings to rail. ---灰色の空 雨が降る屋根の上 オレンジの輝き 緑の生命が手すりを掴む---#offbeatjapan #japan #coastalvibes #tropicalrain #stormyskies #hiddenjapan #urbanexploration
White snow whispers past, Gray corridors hold secrets, Number three stands still. ---白雪がささやく、 灰色の回廊は秘密を抱く、 数字の三が静かに佇む。 ---#HokkaidoMystery #SnowboundSecrets #WinterDecay #HiddenHokkaido #OffbeatJapan #Japan #AbandonedBeauty