Event Info

The Cultural Path Futaba Museum, built in Japanese/Western-style, is the former residence of "first Japanese actress" Sadayakko Kawakami and "king of electricity" Momosuke Fukuzawa during the Taisho period (1912–1926). It was established as the base facility for the Cultural Path (spanning approx. 3 kilometers east to west from Nagoya Castle to Tokugawaen) in February 8, 2005.
The name of the facility and the date it was opened are similar each other's Japanese pronunciations, and so February 8 came to be known as "Futaba Day", with various events such as taishogoto musical performances.

Nagoya City

Nagoya Castle

Best viewing time: The end of January-beginning of March
More than 10 kinds of approximately 100 trees (white and red plum trees)
Transportation: 5-minute walk from the Shiyakusho Station Exit 7 on the Meijo subway line, or just next to the Me~guru Nagoya Sightseeing Route Bus "③ Nagoya Castle" Bus Stop
Website

Togokusan Fruit Park (closed Mondays)

Best viewing time: The beginning of February-middle of March
35 kinds of approximately 200 trees (white and red plum trees, weeping plum trees)
Transportation: 13-minute walk from "Togokusan Fruits Park" City Bus Stop
Website

Higashiyama Zoo & Botanical Gardens (closed Mondays)

Best viewing time: The middle of February-middle of March
Approximately 20 kinds of approximately 200 trees (white and red plum trees)
Transportation: 3-minute walk from Exit 3 of Higashiyama Koen Station on the Higashiyama subway line, or a 7-minute walk from Exit 6 of Hoshigaoka Station on the Higashiyama subway line
Website

Aichi Prefecture

Ogata Shrine / Inuyama City

Best viewing time: The middle of February-end of March
Approximately 300 trees (red and white weeping plum trees)
Transportation: Approximate 20-minute walk from Gakuden Station on the Meitetsu Line
Website (External link: Japanese only)

Sori Pond / Chita City

Best viewing time: The middle of February-end of March
25 kinds of approximately 5,400 trees
Transportation: Chita Bus "Ume no Yakata-guchi" Bus Stop from Asakura Station on the Meitetsu Line
Website (External link: Japanese only)

Oike Park / Tokai City

Best viewing time: The middle of February-beginning of March
13 kinds of 300 trees
Transportation: Approximate 20-minute walk from Otagawa Station on the Meitetsu Line
Website (External link)

Mukaiyama Ryokuchi Plum Garden / Toyohashi City

Best viewing time: The middle of February-beginning of March
29 kinds of approximately 400 trees (white and red plum trees)
Transportation: 5-minute walk from Toyotetsu Bus "Daimachi" Bus Stop from Toyohashi Station on the Meitetsu and JR lines
Website (External link)

Gifu Prefecture

Bairin Park / Gifu City

Best viewing time: The middle of February-middle of March
Approximately 50 kinds of trees including 700 white plum trees and 600 red plum trees
Transportation: Approximate 3-minute walk from "Bairinkoen-mae" Bus Stop after taking a bus from JR Gifu Station (bus stop 14/15) or Gifu Bus Terminal
Website (External link)

View the flowers of approximately 700 trees, both red and white plum trees, as they come into bloom. Enjoy a petting zoo with small animals, street performances (*cancelled on rainy days), an open-air market, and bonsai display during the event period. *Parking during the event period is 500 yen.

Every year, candy called "kacchin-dama" is sold on this day only, and is said to bring divine help with safe birth, growth, protection from evil, etc. There are over 100 stands on the premises.

An awe-inspiring festival with that has been celebrated since the Nara Period. A religious ceremony in which a large number of (almost) naked men jostle with each other in order to touch a purified man (the Shin Otoko) and become blessed.

The Kinekosa Festival is held annually to pray for yakuyoke (protection from evil), shison hanei (prosperity), tenka taihei (peace), and gokoku houjyou (a good harvest). It is specifically believed that prayers for yakuyoke are particularly effective at this festival. The implements for the festival include kine (vertical mallets) and kosa (rice cake removed from kine) for which this festival was named.

First, male participants carry a piece of green bamboo to the Shonai River near Hichishosha Shrine and stand it up in the middle of the river. Then, a man from among them climbs up the green bamboo, and the direction in which the bamboo is bent or broken by the man’s weight is used to guide prayer and make predictions about the harvest.,Festival events are also held in the precincts of the shrine, and the kine and kosa are used to touch visitors during the festival. The visitors touched by these tools are believed to be protected from evil.

This festival at Hichishosha Shrine, said to have been established around A.D. 884 (Genkei 8), is registered as an intangible cultural asset and is one of the three major eccentric festivals in Owari.