Seven thousand red cherry trees that bloom in January, before anywhere else in Japan.
The mountain rises to four hundred and fifty-three metres and the road climbs it through the trees: over seven thousand kanhizakura, which are not the pale pink cherries of the rest of Japan but the dark red ones of Okinawa. They bloom between January and February, when there is nothing anywhere else. During the festival there is a free shuttle, and the caretaker's house only opens on Saturdays and Sundays.
Forest park on Mount Yaedake, in Motobu, with about five hundred parking spaces. It hosts the Motobu cherry blossom festival, which in 2026 is in its forty-eighth edition.
ℹ️ You go up by car. ⚠️ No official source states that entry is free, although it is likely. During the festival there is a free shuttle; out of season the mountain is a scenic road.
Holidays in Japan? Plan them with us.Over 2,000 real places, a day-by-day itinerary.FreeOpen the map →Sources: motobu-ka.com · town.motobu.okinawa.jp
Nearby
Shiokawa, the salt river4.5 kmphoto by さかおり ( talk ) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Nakijin Castle4.6 kmphoto by 690 Noda · CC BY 3.0
Sesoko Beach5.9 kmphoto by へいへ · CC BY-SA 4.0
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium6.1 kmphoto by Jordy Meow · CC BY-SA 3.0