Our First Stop on a Tohoku Road Trip: Cherry Blossoms at Mizusawa Park

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It takes about an hour and a half to drive from Akita Airport to Mizusawa Park. Along the way, we stopped at Michi-no-Eki Nishiwaga to take a break and have lunch before continuing to our first sightseeing destination of the day to enjoy the cherry blossoms. It was April, and cherry blossom season had arrived.

Parking at Mizusawa Park

After parking at Mizusawa Park, we immediately spotted a cherry tree in full bloom nearby. Once we got out of the car, we saw rows of beautiful white cherry blossoms lining the roadside. The trees were in full bloom and looked magnificent. It was our first time seeing cherry blossoms in Japan’s Tohoku region.

The Entrance to Mizusawa Park

There was a short walk from the parking lot to the park entrance, with cherry trees planted on both sides of the road. The sunlight shining down through the sky made the scenery especially beautiful. By the time we arrived, it was already approaching evening.

A Bronze Statue of Shinpei Goto at Mizusawa Park

As we walked into the park, we found the cherry blossoms in full bloom there as well. A bronze statue stood nearby. When we took a closer look, we discovered that it was a statue of Shinpei Goto. His name sounded familiar, as if we had heard it somewhere before. After looking him up, we learned that he had served as the chief of civil affairs of Taiwan’s Government-General during the Japanese colonial period and had made significant contributions during that time.

Cherry Trees Lining the Roads in Mizusawa Park

We happened to visit on a Sunday, when an event was being held at Mizusawa Park. The event had just ended, and everyone was packing up and getting ready to leave. We, too, were preparing to leave this beautiful park. Our visit was well worth it, and the cherry blossoms in Japan’s Tohoku region were truly beautiful.