Kitsuki Castle, one of Japan's smallest surviving castle towers, sits on a hillock surrounded by cherry trees that burst into bloom each spring. The surrounding castle park fills with hanami picnickers enjoying panoramic views over Kitsuki's famous hillside samurai districts and Beppu Bay beyond. The intimate scale of the site makes it a quieter, more authentic alternative to larger castle cherry blossom events. Local food stalls set up along the approach path during peak bloom.
- Type
- Venue
- Category
- Cherry Blossom
- Season
- Spring
- Month
- Late March to Early April
- Region
- Kyushu
- Prefecture
- Oita
- City
- Kitsuki
Highlights
- ◆Historic small castle framed by cherry blossoms
- ◆Views over Beppu Bay and samurai-era townscape
- ◆Relaxed, crowd-free hanami atmosphere
- ◆Seasonal food stalls along castle approach
- ◆Combinable with Kitsuki's preserved samurai district walk