Japan-Certified Cherry Blossom Spot: Sun Moon Lake’s Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village Cherry Blossom Festival Kicks Off on February 1

By MOOK Travel Life Network, Reported by Chen Guanxin

 

Every February marks the season when cherry blossoms are in full bloom, drawing numerous visitors to Nantou’s Sun Moon Lake to immerse themselves in the vibrant and romantic sea of pink. This year, the 13th edition of the Sun Moon Lake Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village Cherry Blossom Festival will commence on February 1. When the over 5,000 double-petal pale pink cherry trees in the park burst into bloom, it not only becomes Taiwan’s largest cherry blossom event but is also the only overseas cherry blossom spot certified as a “preferred viewing site” by the Japan Cherry Blossom Association. In addition to the breathtaking daytime cherry blossoms, this year’s event will feature a night cherry blossom light show accompanied by symphonic music and colorful light projections, as well as cherry blossom tea ceremonies, sketching competitions, and photography contests, allowing the public to enjoy the spring cherry blossom feast in various ways.

The Japan Cherry Blossom Association has certified Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village as an overseas “Preferred Cherry Blossom Viewing Site” this year. This is the first time the association has designated an overseas preferred site since it selected the “100 Best Cherry Blossom Spots in Japan” in 1990. The double-petal pale pink cherry trees in the park begin blooming right on time every February, reaching full bloom by mid-February. The over 5,000 cherry trees in the park boast lush clusters of hundred-petaled blossoms in vivid crimson hues, creating a dense and resplendent floral spectacle that draws visitors year after year to admire the romantic scenery.

 

During this year’s cherry blossom festival, in addition to a goodwill visit and commemorative plaque unveiling by Japan’s 24th Cherry Blossom Queen, the park has introduced charming rest areas such as the Cherry Bear / Owl Cherry Zone, carp streamers welcoming the spring cherry blossoms, the Night Owl Guardian Area for night cherry blossoms, and the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village Cherry Blossom Market. Some of the park’s shuttle buses will be transformed into Chopper the Great Cherry Blossom Buses. Other highlights include performances such as the Pine Garden Original Dance, the cherry blossom dance creation “Crimson Cherry Blossoms in the Wind,” the nighttime “Night Dance Festival,” and the Cherry Blossom Lake Night Theater. Additionally, two cherry blossom tea ceremonies are scheduled for February 17 and 23, featuring Japanese tea ceremony master Kudo Sonoko, as well as Zhang Shuzhen, Huang Qionghui, and Liu Tingyu from Zhenzang Tea House, and Zhang Wenhui from Erya Tea Studio, showcasing tea culture and etiquette from Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. Tea enthusiasts will gather by the Cherry Blossom Lake to savor fine teas from Sun Moon Lake while admiring the falling petals.

This year’s cherry blossom sketching competition will take place from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on February 24, divided into watercolor and oil painting categories. Entries can be submitted online or on-site, with results announced on February 26. The first prize in the watercolor category comes with a cash award of NT$40,000, while the oil painting first prize offers NT$50,000. Winning works will be exhibited at Sun Moon Lake Station from March 8 to April 7. The photography competition submission deadline is April 7, with the first prize carrying a cash award of NT$30,000.

 

To coincide with the floral festivities, from February 1 to April 7, tickets to Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village are available at a special price of NT$580, while the afternoon ticket for the night cherry blossoms is NT$450. These packages include access to Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, One Piece Theme Park, Sun Moon Lake Gondola, the Cherry Blossom Festival, and Taiwan’s First Night Cherry Blossoms—except during the Lunar New Year period from February 10 to 16, when regular prices of NT$780 apply. For detailed event and competition registration information, please visit the official website: www.nine.com.tw/2013sakurafestival.

 

 

● Read More: Run Along a Fairytale Course with Dancing Cherry Blossoms – Sun Moon Lake Lakeside Fun Run Now Open for Registration

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