Handayama Botanical Garden: Sakura Tunnel

Another sakura post today! :) After visiting Koraku-en, I headed over to Handayama Botanical Garden, located about ten minutes away from Hokaiin station (take the Tsuyama line from Okayama Station). Just follow the rail tracks and you'll spot it on your left. Built on the mountainside, this garden is known for its abundance of plants, herbs and flowers, but is also home to over a thousand sakura trees which burst into bloom during spring. As I made my way up the stairs, I turned onto a dirt sidewalk, only to realize that I was walking through a tunnel of sakura trees. Talk about a fairytale. What also makes this garden unique are the bricks that are used for various buildings and sidewalks, a rarity in Japan (especially in gardens). 

I arrived a little after 10:00 and was worried that there would be crowds to deal with, but was pleasantly surprised to see very little people there. It seems to be more of a local spot although I saw some tourists there as well. It isn't listed in many Okayama tourist guides as many of them focus on Koraku-en, Okayama Castle and Kurashiki. I would highly recommend this place-- the views that one can get near the top are absolutely stunning in addition to the hundreds of flowers and herbs that line the sidewalks and hills. 

There are numerous resting spots for visitors to sit down and enjoy the views of both the flowers and of Okayama City. If it hadn't started to drizzle, I would have loved to sit right at that table and relax.

Sakura tunnel-- one of my all-time favorite spots for sakura!

If you walk further up the stairs, you'll reach a spacious ground area lined with sakura trees-- perfect for a hanami party! :)

Walking up another set of stairs will take you to the lookout, offering breathtaking views of Okayama City and the sakura trees.

Mandatory selfie picture.

An amphitheater greets visitors as they pay the entrance fee, complete with a greenhouse and water fountain. Although many of the flowers and herbs weren't in bloom yet, I would imagine that this place bursts with colors during the summer :)

View of the sakura from the train tracks.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful week! :)