As I mentioned in my post back in January, Gifu houses one of the oldest sakura cherry trees in Japan, 薄墨桜 (Usuzumi-zakura). Usuzumi-zakura is supposedly 1500 years old, only be upstaged by Jindai-zakura in Yamanashi Prefecture which is about 2000 years old. According to legend, it was planted in 467 during the reign of Emperor Yuryaku who was the 21st emperor of Japan. There is some speculation on this, as some websites I've found on it say the year 487.
This particular type of sakura is known for it's pale pink petals that fade to white as they reach full bloom, then fade to a light gray as they fall. The name usuzumi-zakura literally translates to "light Chinese ink cherry tree". This name was given due to the fact that the petals do turn a light gray that is very similar to watered down traditional Chinese ink used in calligraphy and painting.
The tree itself is huge compared to the average size of a sakura tree. According to the official website (Japanese only), it is 16.3m (about 53.5ft) tall and 9.91m (about 32.5ft) around it's trunk. The thing is absolutely massive.
Instead of me just typing away about it, how about some pictures to look at?
You can click on them to see them bigger.
Later, once I go through all that I took, I will upload more to my deviantArt site, which is linked to the "Photo" button up top of this blog.
Look how massive that is!
Better look at the supports holding up the massive branches
The blossoms look pink from far away but...
When you get right up to them you notice they're actually white.
Except when the setting sun hits them.
We found a random old footbridge across a dried up river on the far end of the park.
The bridge led through a campsite, up a hill, and to a small little shrine.
This particular type of sakura is known for it's pale pink petals that fade to white as they reach full bloom, then fade to a light gray as they fall. The name usuzumi-zakura literally translates to "light Chinese ink cherry tree". This name was given due to the fact that the petals do turn a light gray that is very similar to watered down traditional Chinese ink used in calligraphy and painting.
The tree itself is huge compared to the average size of a sakura tree. According to the official website (Japanese only), it is 16.3m (about 53.5ft) tall and 9.91m (about 32.5ft) around it's trunk. The thing is absolutely massive.
Instead of me just typing away about it, how about some pictures to look at?
You can click on them to see them bigger.
Later, once I go through all that I took, I will upload more to my deviantArt site, which is linked to the "Photo" button up top of this blog.
Look how massive that is!
Better look at the supports holding up the massive branches
The blossoms look pink from far away but...
When you get right up to them you notice they're actually white.
Except when the setting sun hits them.
We found a random old footbridge across a dried up river on the far end of the park.
The bridge led through a campsite, up a hill, and to a small little shrine.
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