Yashiro Station Area, Nagano

#cherryblossom25 Yashiro Station isn’t flashy, but during cherry blossom season, the small-town charm kicks in hard. The streets leading away from the station are lined with sakura trees, turning an ordinary commute route into a pink tunnel of light. I loved seeing locals on bikes and kids walking home from school under the blossoms — it felt like real, everyday Japan, not a tourist spectacle. There’s also a small park nearby where people gather for relaxed hanami, and I joined a local family who insisted I try their homemade pickles while we watched the petals fall. My #cherryblossom25 post captured a candid street scene: an old woman on a bike with her basket full of groceries, sakura petals swirling around her. If you want an authentic, heartwarming slice of Japanese spring life, Yashiro delivers in the sweetest way.