Famous Sakura③ Taki Sakura
Taki Sakura(Waterfall Cherry Tree)
Taki Sakura” literally means “waterfall of cherry blossoms.
Yes, its blossoms cascade like a stream of water, flowing in every direction.
Taki Sakura was planted over 1,000 years ago by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, a shogun known for subduing northern tribes during the Nara period. He brought a seed of Beni-shidare (red Cerasus spachiana) sakura from the imperial palace in Kyoto.
Taki Sakura has many beautiful descendants—children and grandchildren of the Beni-shidare variety—such as Jizo Sakura, Fudo Sakura, and Battlefield Sakura.
These blossoms from the Beni-shidare family lend the area an air of miyabi, the refined elegance once associated with Kyoto’s ancient court culture.
- Trunk girth: 9.5 meters
- Height: 12 meters
- Branch spread: 22 meters east–west, 18 meters north–south
Yu-pon has visited this place three times in the past. Yu-pon truly loves this sakura and the surrounding landscape.
Taki Sakura stands in a unique spot—on one of the many overlapping foothills that ripple along the mountain’s base. Looking up at its blossoms, you might feel as if you’ve stepped into a scene from a fantastical Shangri-La.
Access
| Name; | Taki Sakura |
| Place; | 296 Sakurakubo Aza, taki Ooasza, Miharu town, Tamura County, Fukusima prefecture |
| Access; | 8 km from Miharu station (JR banetutousen line, 12min from Kooriyama) usually take a taxi, pay shuttle bus in season |
| By car; | from Tokyo, take Tohoku Expressway change Ban-etu Expressway to Exit at Funabiki &Miharu I.C., Drive 3km to Taki Sakura. |
Yu-pon recommends visiting by car, as it allows you to explore many beautiful shidare-zakura (weeping cherry trees) located near Taki Sakura.
You can also use the expressway to reach nearby hot spring towns such as Iwaki, Dake, Takayu, and Bandai Atami.
Within a 1–2 hour drive, you’ll also find sightseeing spots like Lake Inawashiro, Aizuwakamatsu Castle (also known as Tsuruga Castle), and Kitakata, a town famous for its historic warehouses and ramen.
