🌸 Morioka — A Hidden Gem for Your Cherry Blossom Journey! 🌸

#cherryblossom25 When people travel through Tōhoku for cherry blossom season, they often treat Morioka as just a transit hub on their way to places like Aomori, Kakunodate, Hachinohe, or Hirosaki. It's true that Morioka has convenient transportation and relatively affordable accommodation — but its own cherry blossoms will absolutely surprise you! ✨ I didn't expect it to be this beautiful. You really should plan at least half a day just for exploring Morioka. 🌸 HIGHLIGHTS: Shidarezakura (Weeping Cherry Trees) at Yama-no-Kami Shrine Weeping Cherry Trees at the West Side of Nakabashi Bridge Somei Yoshino Blossoms at Morioka Castle Ruins Park Beautiful Weeping Cherry Tree across from the Iwate Educational Hall Iwate Mountain View from Kōbata Bridge Takamatsu Park: Famous for the breathtaking scene of cherry blossoms mirrored in a lake with snow-capped mountains in the background 🚉 TRANSPORTATION: Except for Takamatsu Park, all other locations are within a 20-minute walk from JR Morioka Station. Takamatsu Park is a bit farther; you can take the Bus #301 (Ueda Line) or grab a taxi. 🍜 NEARBY TIPS: Near Sakurayama Shrine, there's a small oil noodle shop — just across from the shrine to the left. Kakunodate's weeping cherry trees are actually not as large as Morioka’s and definitely smaller than Kitakata's (I discussed Kitakata earlier). Kakunodate is more about historical and cultural experiences. #travel