Underrated spring: shibazakura

Do you have any shibazakura displays in your corner of Japan? It's a flower that I don't think gets enough love in spring, but it's so pretty!

My first shibazakura experience was at one of the country's best (in my opinion!) festivals for it—the Fuji Shibazakura Festival in Yamanashi. This year's event runs from early-ish April until late May, and it's an event I would definitely recommend checking out at least once in your life. Try and time it on a clear day, if you can, because you can get some great views of Mount Fuji from the grounds.

A little closer to home for me nowadays is the shibazakura display in Uonuma. The flowers here are usually at their best around mid-May, but specific dates haven't yet been released for this year. I love the combination of the pretty flowers blanketing the ground with the snow-capped mountains off in the distance! There's no admission fee, so to speak, but they do suggest a donation of 300 yen per person -- not bad for such a lovely display!