Cherry Blossoms · Tohoku

Shiroishi River Hitome Senbon Zakura

Ogawara, MiyagiRiverside🌸 Typical peak: Early Apr – Mid Apr✦ Night sakura

Overview

An avenue of about 1,200 Somei-yoshino running along the Shiroishi River embankment from Ogawara to Shibata in southern Miyagi Prefecture. It is just a short walk from the JR stations, and usually peaks from early to mid-April.

Address: Shiroishi River embankment, Ogawara-machi and Shibata-machi, Shibata-gun, Miyagi
Time needed: About 1–2 hours
Official website: https://www.town.ogawara.miyagi.jp/2874.htm

Area weather

Sendai & MatsushimaWeather and what to wear in Sendai & Matsushima →

Tours & tickets for this areaPR

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Peak Time

When to See the Blossoms

Typical peakUsually early to mid-April

March

April

May

Bloom dates shift with each year’s temperatures. Check the bloom calendar on the Ogawara Town tourism website for the latest conditions

Peak times are typical guides. Blooming and full bloom shift with each year’s temperatures.

Highlights

The appeal of this seemingly endless riverside avenue is its scale: as the name says, you can see “a thousand trees at a glance” (hitome senbon). The JR Tohoku Main Line runs right beside the avenue, and during the cherry blossom festival trains slow down so passengers can enjoy the blossoms from the windows. At night there is an LED night sakura illumination.

📷 Best views

Cherry avenue on the Shiroishi River embankment

About 1,200 Somei-yoshino line the river

From a JR Tohoku Main Line train

During the festival, trains slow down so you can view the blossoms from the train

Illumination

Night illumination

Period: Usually during the Ogawara Cherry Blossom Festival (Apr 1–14 in 2026)

LED night sakura illumination. 18:00–21:00 in 2026

Admission

Temporary riverbed parking (regular cars)¥1,000

Cashless payment only (2026)

Prices may change. Check the official website before you go.

Tips

Tips for travelers

✓Both Ogawara and Funaoka stations are close to the avenue, so you can walk the avenue from one station and return from the other

Access

Getting there

Nearest station / bus stop: Ogawara Station (JR Tohoku Main Line)About a 3 min walk
Funaoka Station (JR Tohoku Main Line)About a 3 min walk
From major stations & airports: Murata IC (Tohoku Expressway): By car (About 15 min)
Shiroishi IC (Tohoku Expressway): By car (About 20 min)
By car & traffic restrictions: Temporary riverbed parking during the cherry blossom festival (regular cars ¥1,000, cashless payment only). In 2026, temporary parking was also set up at the town hall and other sites on weekends
Getting back: Extra trains run on the JR Tohoku Main Line during the festival (as in 2026)

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Crowds

Crowds & best times

Busiest: Weekends during the cherry blossom festival

Weather

Temperature & what to wear

Typical temperatures: April normals in Sendai: high 15.5°C, low 6.3°C (JMA)
What to wear & bring: It gets cold if you’re viewing night sakura, so bring a heavy jacket

☁ Tohoku weather by month

January February March April May June July August September October November December

Rules

Hanami rules & etiquette

!The town asks visitors to use public transportation during the cherry blossom festival
!No cash at the riverbed parking (cashless payment only, 2026)

Facilities

Payment: Temporary riverbed parking accepts cashless payment only (2026)

Events

Events & festivals in Sendai & Matsushima

August

Sendai Tanabata Festival

Tohoku ・ Sendai & Matsushima

Every year August 6–8 (Sendai Tanabata Fireworks Festival as the eve event on August 5)

December

SENDAI Pageant of Starlight

Tohoku ・ Sendai & Matsushima

Usually December (December 5–28 in 2025)

See all events →

Attractions

Attractions in Sendai & Matsushima

Aquarium

Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium

Tohoku ・ Sendai & Matsushima

An aquarium near Sendai Port. Across two floors, it shows sea life from Tohoku, Japan, and the world's oceans, starting with the large Sanriku-themed tank Inochi Kirameku Umi. It's about 18 minutes from Sendai Station to Nakanosakae Station on the JR Senseki Line, so it's easy to fit in between sightseeing in the city.

Zoo

Yagiyama Zoological Park Fujisaki no Mori

Tohoku ・ Sendai & Matsushima

A zoo run by Sendai City on Yagiyama hill. It's close to Yagiyama Zoological Park Station on the Tozai Subway Line, about 12 minutes from Sendai Station. General admission is an affordable ¥480, making it a good half-day trip from central Sendai.

See all attractions →

Cherry Blossoms

Cherry Blossoms in Tohoku

Castle

Kajo Park (Yamagata Castle Ruins)

Tohoku ・ Yamagata, Zao & Yamadera

🌸 Typical peak: Early Apr – Mid Apr

✦ Night sakura