Spring has come to Australia

Yesterday I went out for a Brompton ride to Yarra Valley, looking for incoming of Spring in Australia.

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Route: Millgrove～Wandin (a section of Warburton Rail Trail)
Distance: 25.2km

Lilydale Warburton Rail Trail is a popular trail near Melbourne with distance of 40 kilo meters, leading to Yarra Junction and Warburton. 

In the weekend a lot of riders enjoyed cycling and horse riding on the trail.

Cherry blossoms bloomed. Spring has come. 

Water and green have filled meadows in upper Yarra.  

A short break at Woori Yallock Station.

A lot of families came to enjoy a bike ride on the trail.

Coffee time at Seville Carriage Cafe.

I ended up today' ride around Wandin Station. Let's choose a bus ride from Wandin North to Lilydale Station to go home.

Cherry Blossoms in Hocchi

Brompton and I went to Hocchi, Numata City of Gunma Prefecture yesterday to visit some of famous old cherry blossom trees in bloom. The area was filled with full bloom cherry flowers at present. Because of its elevation of 600-700 meters, the full blooming of the cherry blossom trees there start about 2 weeks late from those in Tokyo and its vicinity.

Take bus bound for "Tambara" at JR Numata Station. (It takes about 3 hours from Tokyo Station by local train.)


Getting off the bus at Kashozan bus stop, I unfolded the bike and started to ride here. First destination was Kami-Hocchi Jizo Zakura,  an old famous weeping cherry tree in the area with more than 200-year old of its life. It still takes another few days to be fully bloomed.

Next, I arrived at Hocchi Higanzakura, a kind of cherry blossom, which is 15 meter tall and more than 500 hundred year old. It is very famous as one of Natural Monuments (Gunma Prefecture Designated).

 

Weeping cherry trees in full bloom at Tenshoji temple. Always wonderful.

I was also impressed by this cherry tree. It says "Cherry Blossom Tree of Hocchi Castle Ruins."

The tree has observed many wars and survivals of Samurai Lords for some hundreds years.

Brompton and I went down the sloped road to Numata-City. The town was covered by full bloomed cherry trees, too. The 2 photos below were Jobori River cherry blossoms. The Numata Castle was surrounded by several moats like Jobori River (Jobori means a moat). The castle was built in 1532 and existed until 1682.

Due to unsettled climate in recent weeks, quite a few Japanese were not able to enjoy cherry‐blossom viewing. But still you are in time for cherry-blossom viewing when you visit Numata City this week!

Spring soon finishes and rainy season will follow before Summer.

Yoshitaka Great Old Cherry Blossom

Brompton and I went to Inzai City of Chiba Prefecture where is within an hour area from the central Tokyo by train. Today's mission is to look at and enjoy Yoshitaka Great Old Cherry Blossom in full bloom.

Get off the train (Hokuso Railway) at Imba Nihon-idai Station and use your Brompton.

It takes about 20 minutes to reach the destination if you follow the route indicated above. As you need to go over some of unpaved roads, I recommend not to use slick tires for biking.

Suddenly you will see the 300-year old great cherry tree in full bloom!

Combination of colors, blue in sky, yellow of rapeseed blossom, and pink of cherry blossom, are perfect for feeling an arrival of the Spring season.

The full bloom only lasts for two or three days. I was lucky.

The field is totally owned by a farmar family whose ancestors developped and cultivated more than three hundred years ago.  By courtesy of the farmer family a lot of people come and enjoy Ohanami (cherry‐blossom viewing) of this famous old tree during the period at free of charge!!!

The board tells about the background and history of the tree. If you have a chance, let's go there next spring!

Cherry Blossoms Bloom

Brompton and I have been in Hocchi to see the cherry blossoms.

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route: From Numata Station to Shiei-juutaku Iriguchi, take bus. Then starting to ride to Hocchi and Kamihocchi
distance: 10.5km
maximum difference of an elevation: 208m
average % of inclination: total 1.8% ascent 3.4% descent 2.2%
gained elevation: ascent 220m descent 35m
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zVh_vanqLQwc.kig-uENyB-WQ

Weeping cherry trees in full bloom at Tenshoji temple. I was lucky.

Next, another kind of cherry blossom, Higanzakura. It is very famous tree of Natural Monument (Gunma Prefecture Designated). The cherry tree is in full bloom on April 19.

Then, a huge weeping cherry blossom at Kamihocchi. This tree is often called Jizo Zakura, a cherry blossom with stone statue. Can you see small Jizo and my brompton at the foot of the tree?

The tree still needs some more days to bloom but scarlet buds are beautiful with the blue sky backdrop. It will bloom soon next week.