Tsukigase Plum Grove — Attraction in Nara

A few days ago, on a fine spring day, I went to the Tsukigase plum grove (月ヶ瀬梅林) along the Nabari River in Nara Prefecture. A steep path leads along the mountain facing the Nabari River. The trail lined with white and pink plum trees is a lovely sight. The Tsukigase plum grove is famous here in Japan and frequently mentioned on TV during the plum blossoms season. "The Cherry may be the prettier of the two; but when once you have seen the red Plum-blossom in the snow at the dawn of a spring morning, you will no longer forget its beauty." -Fujiwara no Kintō (藤原 公任). The fragrance of plum blossoms "comes from the bitterness and coldness," as the Japanese saying goes. Souls are tempered in the depth of experience, growing in inner strength and...

What a pretty place to explore. When the winter is ending, plum starts to blossom and it's the best time to come to this spot. Sakura has always been the talk of the spring in Japan, but plum blossom is also super pretty.

Tsukigase plum groove is located in a hilly area overlooking river and bridge, a perfect spot to spend a day exploring, or just sit down for a picnic while enjoying the flowers blooming.

It also has a few spots for foods, drinks, and snacks, and the best part of it, no entrance fee

It is a rather inconvenient place to reach by public transport, so you have to check and plan your trip carefully. If you come by your own vehicle, worry not, you will also enjoy the trip...

I go to see Japanese apricot blossoms here almost every year. You can enjoy seeing massive blossoms in March, but the full blooming days are different year by year. There are some parking place and almost all of them are for free (I guess it's so hard to get there without car). There are also some shops sale food and drink, and so are restaurants, but I strongly recommend bringing boxed lunch because if you have that you can enjoy your meal under the blossoms! (On top of that, both shops and restaurants are expensive!) You can walk dogs...