Bathed in gentle spring sunlight, rows of Somei Yoshino cherry blossom trees stood in full bloom, washing the shoreline of Lake Biwa in pale pink.
This is Kaizu Osaki in Takashima, Shiga Prefecture, one of the defining sights of spring on the lake’s western shore. Seen from above, the scene is striking: a ribbon of soft pink blossoms set against the lake’s shimmering blue.
Origins of a Landmark
Kaizu Osaki is a rocky headland that juts into the northern end of Lake Biwa. Its celebrated cherry blossom avenue is said to date to around 1931–1936, when about 600 saplings were planted as roadwork reshaped the area.
The road was cut through the rock face, leaving the surrounding slopes bare. In response, local residents are said to have come together to plant cherry trees and restore the landscape’s beauty.
In 1950, the area was chosen as one of the Eight Views of Lake Biwa, a group of scenic spots selected through a public contest in Shiga, and given the title “Dawn Mist – Kaizu Osaki Reefs.” Its four-kilometer stretch of cherry trees has also been selected as one of Japan’s 100 best cherry blossom spots.
Keeping the Blossoms Alive
Today, Kaizu Osaki draws around 100,000 visitors each blossom season, with traffic restrictions imposed on the busiest weekends.
Working to protect this source of local pride is the Beautiful Makino Sakura Guardians Association, founded in 1997. Its efforts range from cleaning the area and monitoring the trees to removing dead ones. The group is also planting Jindai Akebono, a hardier variety that is more resistant to pests and disease, in place of aging Somei Yoshino trees to help carry the landscape into the next generation.
Just before sunrise, as the sky slowly brightens, Chikubu Island floats offshore.
“We apply fertilizer after the blossom season ends,” said Hidetsugu Ebata, 72, the association’s current chairman, with a smile. “It’s called reigoe—’thank-you fertilizer.'” The name reflects a simple hope: that the trees will bloom beautifully again the following year.
A Place to Return To
For this writer, Kaizu Osaki is also bound up with a personal memory. About 30 years ago, not long after I moved to Kansai for work, a senior photographer took me there for a drive in his beloved convertible. I still remember passing through a tunnel of cherry trees along the lakeshore, with petals swirling around us like snow. Ever since, each visit has unfailingly offered one of spring’s most unforgettable views.
In recent years, however, the group’s members have grown older, and many have begun to worry about how to carry their work into the next generation.
At nearby Makino Higashi Elementary School, sixth-grade students plant a commemorative tree each year before graduation. Ebata, who once served as the school’s vice principal, said, “I want these to be cherry trees that make them want to come back, even after they’ve grown up.”
He added, “I hope the spirit of protecting and nurturing these trees will be passed on to the children, and that this cherry-lined road—admired for its natural, unadorned beauty—will remain here for many years to come.”
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(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: Yasushi Kawamura, The Sankei Shimbun
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