Kasumigajo Park

Kasumigajo Park preserves the stone walls and grounds of Nihonmatsu Castle, a hilltop fortification in Fukushima Prefecture with roots stretching back to the 14th century. The castle earned its poetic alternate name "Kasumiga-jo" (Castle of Mist) from the way morning fog would envelop its elevated position. Today the park is most celebrated for its approximately 1,700 cherry trees that transform the hillside into clouds of pale pink each April, drawing visitors from across the Tohoku region. The Nihonmatsu Chrysanthemum Festival in autumn fills the grounds with elaborate flower dolls and sculptures, a tradition dating back over 60 years. Walking trails wind up to the former honmaru (main enclosure) at the summit, where views extend across the Abukuma River valley.