The long-awaited news of cherry blossoms has finally arrived in the Tohoku region, and the Sakura Festival in Kakunodate, Semboku City, Akita Prefecture, began today (the 15th).
Since the cherry blossoms bloomed early in Kakunodate this year, the festival has also been held earlier than usual, and the town is bustling with many tourists, including visitors from abroad.
The cherry trees lining the Hinokinai River and the weeping cherry trees at the samurai residences are already nearly in full bloom, and the sight of the entire samurai district blanketed in cherry blossoms is truly a sight to behold. Nighttime illuminations have begun along the Hinokinai River, and the bustle of Kakunodate known as the “Little Kyoto of Tohoku region into the night.
This post is a cover of a route by GPS artist Yassan, and it allows you to fully enjoy the streetscape of Kakunodate’s samurai district and the cherry blossoms.
I posted another route on this site three weeks ago, but I revisited during cherry blossom season to complete this report.
Route Details:
Depart from the free parking lot at Ochiai Sports Park → Hinokinai River Cherry Blossom Avenue → Weeping cherry trees at the samurai residences → Photograph the Akita Shinkansen Komachi at Kakunodate Station → Add floral patterns to the flowers → Tour the town to sketch the stamens → Weeping cherry tree at the special needs school (Natural Monument) → FINISH at Ochiai Sports Park
Drawing GPS art on mountain trails is difficult because there are limited routes, but the feeling of accomplishment when you finish is all the more impressive. Precisely because it’s a mountain, I try to create interesting GPS art while staying on the trails and footpaths. Since I began making my GPS art, I’ve been rediscovering the greatness of the Nazca people.
