Hitome Senbonzakura

Hitome Senbonzakura - the name means a thousand cherry trees at a glance - is one of Tohoku's most spectacular spring sights, an unbroken avenue of cherry blossom running for about eight kilometres along the banks of the Shiroishi River south of Sendai. Roughly a thousand trees, many of them planted in the 1920s, form a continuous pink tunnel between the towns of Ogawara and Shibata, and when they bloom in mid-April the effect is breathtaking: a river of water mirrored by a river of blossom.

What lifts the spot above Japan's many fine cherry avenues is its backdrop. Beyond the blossoms rise the Zao mountains, often still capped with snow in April, so that the soft pink of the sakura is set against white peaks and blue sky in one of the country's most photographed spring compositions. The contrast of blossom, water and snow-topped mountain is unforgettable, and photographers travel from across Japan to capture it in the clear morning light.

The experience is designed for walking. A riverside path follows the trees for the full length of the avenue, and during the annual Ogawara Sakura Festival the banks fill with food stalls, lantern illuminations after dark and pleasure boats offering blossom-viewing from the water. Visitors can walk as much or as little of the route as they like; a popular option is to stroll a scenic stretch and then continue to Shibata's Funaoka Castle Park, where a hilltop slope-car and observation deck give an aerial view over the blossoming valley.

The visiting experience is festive yet spacious. Because the avenue is so long, even large crowds spread out, and there is always a quieter stretch to be found. The riverside path is flat and easy, suitable for all ages and abilities, though festival crowds and temporary surfaces can make some sections busy. Seasonal restrooms and food stalls appear during the festival; outside the blossom weeks facilities are minimal, so the peak season is really the time to come.

That peak is narrow - usually a week to ten days in mid-April, shifting slightly with the year's weather - so timing matters. Check bloom forecasts before travelling, and aim for a clear morning when the Zao peaks are visible. Outside cherry season the riverbank is a pleasant but ordinary walk, so this is very much a springtime destination.

Getting there is easy and covered by the Japan Rail Pass. The JR Tohoku Main Line runs from Sendai to Ogawara Station in about thirty-five minutes, and the cherry avenue begins a short five-minute walk from the station. Combined with Funaoka Castle Park across the river, Hitome Senbonzakura makes a superb half-day hanami excursion from Sendai, and for many travellers it is the single most memorable cherry-blossom experience of a spring trip to northern Japan.