Mt.Tsukuba Ume Festival 2005

Every year, many Japanese people visit various parks and other viewing spots to enjoy cherry blossoms, or 'sakura' in Spring. You might have seen the images of people partying & getting drunk under the cherry blossom trees.

I think the way people appreciate the Japanese plum or 'ume' is a bit different. I feel that a lot of people enjoy the Japanese plum in the way they enjoy the turn of the year. I think that the Japanese plum trees are like giant 'bonsais' and are more picturesque!

The Mt. Tsukuba Ume Festival was from February 19 to March 21 this year. According to the Mt. Tsukuba Ume Festival website, ume blossoms reached full bloom on March 16. ( Darn! I went there just a few days early(>_<)~)

Mt. Tsukuba is only about 20-minute drive from Tsukuba Center area (I'll be able to say 20 min. from Tsukuba Station once the Tsukuba Express starts its operation in August!). There are many toll parking lots around the plum-grove park, but you'll need to walk a bit since parking spaces aren't directly by the park. I'd say it wouldn't be easy to walk around the plum-grove park either if you have knee problems or if you are pregnant/elderly/or any other physical difficulties because it was very rocky and hilly. No wonder there were so many people walking around in mountaineering gears (or they just "stopped by" the festival on their way to the top of Mt. Tsukuba).

The view from the viewing platform

Looking up at one of the viewing platforms. (I think this one is the newest one)

A viewing platform shaped like a cottage with thatched roof. Very picturesque!

A path to one of the viewing platforms

Ahhhhh, gama(toad), the Tsukuba specialty.....
(No, people around here DO NOT eat toads!)

The park dedicated to toads is just by the plum-grove park. You can purchase the famous "gama-no-abura(toad's grease)" here though I'm not sure if this medicated cream is really made from the toad's grease. The performers from this association that's trying to preserve the art of selling toad's grease often perform in the events held at Mt. Tsukuba. I've seen them perform during the Matsuri Tsukuba, but I enjoyed watching them again during this festival. It's like getting a glimpse of what the street hawkers used to look like in the Edo Period.

(left)The stairs that lead to the gate(??) of Tsukubasan Jinja (Mt. Tsukuba Shrine). Tsukubasan Shrine is only a few minutes drive from the plum grove, but walking there from the park will be a bit difficult for some because the shrine is located even higher up in the mountain.

Tsukubasan Shrine (right)

If you want to ride the cable car, just go up the steep stone steps behind this shrine. The steps are very steep and to make things worse, the height of each step is high and uneven. It'll be very hard for the elderly to visit this place:-(

Updates:
The toll for the Mt.Tsukuba Skyline (road) became free on April 27.
However, please note that the parking spaces in front of the "Ropeway" station are no longer free.

- The number of tourists to Mt. Tsukuba has increased rapidly after the opening of TX, Tsukuba Express Railroad.
Since there is only one road (route 14) that leads to the Mt. Tsukuba plum grove or the shrine, that road is jammed all the time. It used to take less than 10 minutes to get to the "Tsukuba-sandou Iriguchi" crossing from the route 14 and 125 intersection, but it now takes a lot longer, like 45 minutes. There are local buses leaving from Tsukuba Center Bus Terminal, but those buses also end up being stuck in the traffic jam there. If you are planning on going to Mt. Tsukuba on weekends, try getting there VERY early in the morning!

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