What Wonderful Travels in Hokkaido, JAPAN!: Nakajima Park （中島公園）| Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom

Monday, May 07, 2012

Nakajima Park （中島公園）| Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom | Sapporo

Located in downtown Sapporo, Nakajima Park （中島公園） is a large area of greenery and water with a mumber of wonderful attractions and cultural facilities.

Cherry blossoms here are now in full bloom! Beautiful, aren't they??

Let's walk through the park and I'll show you the main attractions here!

Syobu Pond （菖蒲池） is at the northern part of the park.

Usually couples are rowing a boat like this!

There are several monuments created by famous artists in the park. This is "Growing Children （のびゆく子等）" made by Kenjyu Ono （小野　健寿）.

Constructed in 1880, Hoheikan （豊平館） used to be a guest house, hotel and event venue for officials and celebrities including the Emperors and the Imperial family members, and now works as a wedding venue and restarant. This historical building was designated as the national Important Cultural Property in 1964.
(* It is been renovated now.)

In front of Hoheikan （豊平館）, there is "Kitara", a concert hall.

This is "The Echoes （相響）", my favorite monument created by Kan Yasuda （安田侃）, a worldwide artist who is from Bibai, Hokkaido. Actually I'm a member of Arte Piazza Bibai, a sculpture park in his home town, showing about 40 his works as permanent exhibitions.

The Echoes consists of three works; one is outside of the concert hall, and the others are inside of the facility. Usually kids are playing around it like this↓

Let's continue to walk through the park!

This is the Hokkaido Museum of Literature （北海道立文学館）.

At the edge of the park,

there are two shinto shrines. This is Iyahiko Shirine （伊夜日子神社）, constructed in 1920.

Let's return to Subway Nakajima Koen Station （中島公園駅）!

As it was a little bit windy, we could see cherry blossoms falling in the wind! How romantic the situation is!!

Cherry trees are planted along Kamokamo River（鴨々川）. I'm sure now is one of the most recommendable seasons to visit this park!

The park has the Sapporo Astronomical Observatory（札幌市天文台）, too!

Last but not least, this park also has a Japanese garden（中島公園日本庭園）. I sometimes come here with something to eat and drink, and relax for a while!

Looks perfest, doesn't it?

Please walk along the pond so that you can enjoy every angle of it!!

If you find a tall lady looking at the pond, while drinking tea, she may be me!!! Hahaha!

This is Hasso-an （八窓庵）, a tea house, one of the most historical Japanese-styled buildings in Sapporo. It was designated as a national Important Cultural Property in 1950.