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08231 ／さくらがわし

Sakuragawa City

Eighteen techniques, from cut to finish.

Makabe stone lanterns

Photo by Hoako (CC BY-SA 4.0)

01 ／ Cherry blossoms

Centred on Shiroyamazakura,with a list of named cultivars.

According to the city's tourist guide, cherry trees line both sides of the approach to Isobe Inamura Shrine for about 1 km. The stand is centred on Shiroyamazakura, and the guide lists named cultivars. Most of the giant old trees have died, and the guide says Somei-yoshino and Yamazakura are planted as replacements.

About 1 km along both sides of the approach
Nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument
Named cultivars listed

02 ／ Carvings

Eighteen carved panelsaround the outer walls.

It was originally the Shodendo hall of Kongoin temple, left standing after the temple was abolished in the early Meiji era, and now serves as Yahashira Shrine's main hall and worship hall. The main hall dates from 1785. Nine upper and nine lower wall panels of carvings circle its outside, with Chinese tales such as that of the Queen Mother of the West.

Prefecturally designated building
Built in 1785 (Tenmei 5)
Nine upper and nine lower panels

03 ／ Tree planting

In 1934, the first nationwidetree-planting event, at the foot of Mt. Tsukuba.

According to the Forestry Agency, the 1934 memorial planting on Arbor Day took place in a national forest on the northwest foot of Mt. Tsukuba, and cedar and cypress are recorded as planted. The site was later forgotten, then confirmed by a survey, and a 2 m memorial stone was raised in 1986.

Planted in April 1934
About 1.2 hectares
Memorial stone, April 1986

Sakuragawa City from the sky

Now and 1974–78. Tap a photo to zoom in.

Now1974–78

Wide (about 6 km across)

Close (about 1.5 km across)

Now (shot August 2013)Shot 1974–78

Source: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) GSI Tiles（全国最新写真（シームレス）／国土画像情報（第一期：1974〜1978年撮影））

Open in GSI Maps (now)Open in GSI Maps (1974–78)

Living here

Three Mito Line stations: Yamato, Iwase, Haguro.

about 40,000 people

The city was formed in October 2005 by the merger of the towns of Iwase and Makabe and the village of Yamato. Its JR Mito Line stations are Yamato, Iwase and Haguro. The city's tourist association directs visitors from Ueno on the Utsunomiya Line to Oyama, then on the Mito Line to Iwase Station, about 2 hours 10 minutes. The Sakuragawa-Chikusei Liner express bus to Tokyo Station ended service on December 31, 2025.

People living here: 39,122people
Area: 180.06km²
Households: 13,453households
Rent (average for rentals): 37,746yen
Healthcare: 2 hospitals ／ 21 clinics

Area and habitable land at the same scalee-Stat B1101 / B1103

Children waiting for childcare: —5 nurseries and similar
Home purchase subsidy: —
Average annual temperature: —

These 3 items are waiting on a nationwide data source. We do not fill them with estimates.

Shape

Borders 7 municipalities across 1 prefectures.

Sakuragawa City in Japan36.327°N 140.091°E

Territory of Sakuragawa City

Boundaries: National Land Numerical Information (Administrative Area Data), MLIT. Processed by Machigatari.Lakes: National Land Numerical Information (Lake Data), MLIT. Processed by Machigatari. Prepared with the approval of the Director-General of the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, using its Digital Map 25000 (Spatial Data Framework) and Digital Map 25000 (Place Names and Public Facilities). (承認番号平27情使、第585号)

North to south

21.0km

Ibaraki Prefecture: Chikusei City, Ishioka City, Kasama City, Tsukuba City
Tochigi Prefecture: Mashiko Town, Moka City, Motegi Town

Travel times per leg are not published by the municipality, so they are not shown.

Sakuragawa City isthis kind of town.

01Makabe stone lanterns trace to Kubota Kichibei in the late Edo period and are passed down master to apprentice. The city says 18 techniques are used from cutting to finishing, and that they were designated a national traditional craft in 1995. The city describes itself as a leading granite-producing area
02The Sakuragawa cherry trees at Isobe are a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument, a stand of Shiroyamazakura. The main hall of Yahashira Shrine is a prefecturally designated building, with 18 carved panels around its outer walls
03In 1934 an Arbor Day memorial planting took place in a national forest in Makabe, at the foot of Mt. Tsukuba. About 17.6 ha of Makabe's townscape is selected as a Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings

If something caught your eye, ask the town itself.

Sakuragawa City official site ↗Wikipedia ↗

From this town's themes