Mar. 16, 2023 UPDATE
Ujigawa River Cherry Blossom Festival
- 宇治川さくらまつり -Traveler Friendly
There are many sightseeing spots close by, and the event is easy to find if you go to Uji.
Information
English, Korean, simplified and traditional Chinese
Languages spoken
Only Japanese
PeriodHeld on the first Saturday and the first Sunday of April every year.
VenueAt Prefectural Uji Park on Nakanoshima Island and other places
Story & Recommendation
The Ujigawa River Cherry Blossom Festival heralds the arrival of spring to Uji
Uji is famous for Byodo-in Temple and tea, and every year in April the Ujigawa River Cherry Blossom Festival is held here in Uji. When the 2000 cherry trees lining both sides of the river from the Uji Bridge are in full bloom, there are events held on Prefectural Uji Park on Nakanoshima Island in the middle of the river. The park is lined with food stalls, and there is a market where you can buy Uji’s famous pottery. Beside this you can enjoy hanami flower viewing on a boat, so there is a lot to see at this festival! You can enjoy shopping and snacks, all the while looking at beautiful cherry trees of Uji, so if you go to Uji during the cherry blossom season I heartily recommend this festival!
1Highlight
The famous weeping cherry trees
The event grounds are made of the two islands on the river; Tachibana and Tonoshima Island, Mandarin and Tower Island respectively, and these two islands are connected by a bridge. On Tachibana Island, the big cherry tree has become a symbol of the island.
2Highlight
Enjoy the cherry blossoms leisurely from a pleasure barge
At this cherry blossom festival, taking a ride on a swaying pleasure barge is a popular activity (you need to buy a ticket). On the boat you can forget about what time it is, and enjoy looking at the cherry blossoms at your leisure. I am sure you will want to take a picture of the scene the pink cherry blossoms and the crimson bridge interweave in front of you.
3Let's join!
Uji’s famous products are sold on the spring market
During the festival there are many stalls selling famous products made in Uji. Dango made from Uji tea and matcha, soft cream and other sweets, spring-like flower viewing bento lunch boxes, and besides these food items there are handcrafts on sale as well.
4Let's join!
Sumiyama Pottery Market
On the days of the cherry blossom festival, there is a Sumiyama pottery market on Tonoshima Island. Sumiyama is a place where there are many pottery producers producing Kyo-yaki and Kiyomizu-yaki potteries, and on this market you can buy their products for cheap. Since many different potteries from Sumiyama sell their wares here, really many people come here every year to see if they can find treasures.
