Hanegi Park

This small hilltop park in a residential neighborhood of Tokyo explodes in red and white flowers in mid-February when its 650 ume, or Japanese plum trees, blossom. Plum blossoms are one of the first signals of the transition from winter to spring. They typically bloom between late January and early March—slightly earlier than the famous cherry blossoms. The local train station is even named in honor of the trees, called Umegaoka, or “plum blossom hill.”

Food and other vendors set up shop in Hanegi Park for the month-long Setagaya Plum Blossom Festival. The festival celebrates the flowering season with events like mochi pounding, tea ceremonies, and traditional music performances.