Watching the Illuminated Cherry Blossoms at Night by Sango Bridge at the Far End of Kitakami Tenshochi

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On the first afternoon and evening of our self-drive trip to Japan’s Tohoku region, we planned to visit two attractions. Our evening destination was Sango Bridge, located at the far end of the long, narrow Kitakami Tenshochi park. By the time we drove here from Mizusawa Park, it was already getting dark. Kitakami Tenshochi offers nighttime illuminations during cherry blossom season, so we decided to stop by and check out the blossoms first.

Cherry Blossoms Illuminated at Night Beside Sango Bridge at Kitakami Tenshochi

We had not eaten dinner yet, but decided to drive here first. After crossing Sango Bridge, we noticed a parking entrance, but it seemed to be closed for the night. We eventually found a parking lot by following the narrow streets. The parking lot was completely dark, so we got out of the car and walked toward Sango Bridge. As soon as we reached the riverbank, we could see the illuminated cherry blossoms. They were absolutely beautiful! It was my first time seeing cherry blossoms at night.

Driving to the Free Parking Lot Beside Sango Bridge at the Far End of Kitakami Tenshochi to See the Nighttime Cherry Blossom Illuminations

↑A video showing the driving route after crossing Sango Bridge. The video is approximately one minutes long.

Walking Across Sango Bridge from Kitakami Tenshochi to the Opposite Bank

We could see bright lights coming from Kitakami Tenshochi on the opposite bank. We walked across Sango Bridge to the other side and soon came across a small park where some visitors were enjoying the swings.

Viewing the Nighttime Cherry Blossom Illuminations at Kitakami Tenshochi from Beside Sango Bridge

As we crossed Sango Bridge, we saw a large cherry tree growing right beside the bridge. Its branches reached all the way up from below to the level of the bridge deck, bringing the blossoms incredibly close. We could admire the flowers at such close range without even having to look up!

Cherry trees also lined the riverbank, forming a cherry blossom tunnel stretching approximately two kilometers along the Kitakami River. The trees were beautifully illuminated with white lights.

Illuminated Cherry Blossoms Beside Sango Bridge

Since we planned to return to Kitakami Tenshochi the following day to see the cherry blossoms in daylight, we decided not to walk any farther and headed off to find dinner. We walked back along Sango Bridge toward the parking lot, where our car was parked. As we passed the large cherry trees growing beside the bridge, we stopped on the bridge to take a few photos of the blossoms. Bathed in the lights, the cherry blossoms at night were truly beautiful.