We stopped by the venue for the 35th Ashiya Sakura Festival, which was held this year for the first time in four years.
↑The venue was packed, and there were also lots of people enjoying cherry blossom viewing along the riverbank!
↑It was so crowded and lively that even lining up at the festival stalls was a challenge!
↑It may be easier to see from the opposite bank. The area in front of the tents was packed with people!
↑The cherry blossoms were around full bloom to just starting to fall, and the fluttering petals were beautiful! The hanami scene was really lively too!
↑A special stage had been set up at Matsunouchi Ryokuchi, on the corner of Ekimae-dori, where live performances and concerts were being held.
↑We could see a little through the gaps between people. They were playing some lovely music.
↑In addition to the stage and festival stalls, there was also a special raffle. We heard that the first prize was tickets to a Takarazuka Revue performance.
↑Among the festival stalls, there was also a tent for Ashiya City. We wondered what they were handing out…
↑They were samples of the Ashiya City-designated garbage bags, which will be fully introduced from October! The bags are printed with an illustration of the scenery visible from around the festival venue.
↑On this day, not only the festival venue but also the area farther north along the Ashiya River, all the way toward Hankyu Ashiyagawa Station, was bustling with people enjoying hanami! Nearby shops were also holding special outdoor sales to coincide with the festival, making the whole area feel very lively.
The Ashiya Sakura Festival was finally held again after four years. It would be great to see events like this bring even more energy back to the city!
