月ヶ瀬梅渓 Tsukigase-baikei Tsukigase Plum Valley
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Plum blossoms, with their delicate pink petals and fragrance, symbolize the coming of spring before any other flower, and are cherished as a poetic representation of early spring. In the middle of the Tsukigase area of Nara prefecture lies a picturesque valley of plum blossoms called “Tsukigase-baikei or, Tsukigase Plum Valley”. Along with Hirohashi and Anou, it is one of the Three Great Plum Forests in Nara. The view of 10,000 plum trees lining both sides of the Satsuki River is spectacular. In high season, the area attracts many visitors who enjoy walking along the river and losing themselves in the plum blossoms. Tsukigase reportedly dates back to the middle of the Kamakura period when some plum trees were first planted in the precincts of Shinfuku-ji Temple. During the Edo period, scores of writers and artists visited the area. A stone slab stands in the valley inscribed with Matsuo Bashou’s haiku and there is also a monument commemorating Tomioka Tessai, a prominent literati painting master who represents Modern Japan. In 1922, Tsukigase Plum Valley was designated as a National Scenic Area by the Japanese government.
- address
- Tsukigase Oyama, Nara, Nara Prefecture
- name
- Tsukigase Plum Valley