Tokyo to Tohoku Guide: Cherry Blossom Viewing at Funaoka Park

Funaoka Castle Ruins Park in Shibata Town is one of Japan's top 100 cherry blossom viewing spots. Alongside the famous "Hitome Senbonzakura" (meaning "a thousand cherry trees at a glance") that stretches 8 kilometers along the Shiroishi River, these locations are celebrated nationwide. During the cherry blossom season in April, approximately 200,000 visitors from across Japan come to admire the scenery. Unfortunately, during the visit mentioned, only about 10% of the cherry blossoms were in bloom, so the riverside was not explored. Instead, the summit was visited to enjoy the view of the Zao mountain range. From JR Tokyo Station, take the Tohoku Shinkansen Hayabusa for about 1 hour and 30 minutes to Sendai Station. Then transfer to the JR Tohoku Main Line for approximately 30 minutes to Funaoka Station. From there, it's about a 5-minute walk to the park. Available rail passes: JR EAST PASS (Tohoku Area)