森林公園・Shinrinkoen

March2nd

After checking on the park’s website and seeing that the plum was in flower I had to go and soak up that gorgeous scent. Not only that but we’ve had bizarrely warm temperatures which meant that the smell was deliciously strong, hanging heavy on this warm, sunny day.

I decided to walk to the park from the station, something I’ve never done before, and a nice walk it is too. There’s plenty of interest along the way – plants, sculptures, mini quizzes, and signs every 100m telling you how much further you have to go. Very easy, just don’t forget to turn right and cross over the road just before you get to the mall (unless you want to stop off for snacks or a bento). It takes about 35 minutes if you’re walking briskly.

Once in the park I was dreading the hoards but it wasn’t too bad. The wonderful thing about this park is it can absorb an awful lot of people. You don’t have to go too far away from the central areas before you can find empty paths to follow. When I first got to the plum tree area there were quite a few people there but it wasn’t overwhelming. I strolled through enjoying the flowers, before continuing on into the park. I followed side trails and the cross country course for a bit and enjoyed getting lost in the Spring warmth.

I took a very circuitous route up to the botanical gardens just past the central gate where I always take a look for plant inspiration for my little garden, then took a different set of trails back to the south exit for some more lungfuls of that gorgeous scent before heading on to the station. The park was a lot more crowded in the afternoon so it’s best to visit earlier rather than later.

The birds were singing, there was the odd woodpecker and the bees were buzzing happily in the plum blossom. We’ve a cold snap coming next week though so I hope everyone has the sense to go find someplace warm to hide.