Fukuoka｜Sunshine cherry blossoms at Sannomaru Square are in full bloom, but the variety from Ehime has a sad story

Not wanting to miss out on seeing more cherry blossoms in full bloom, I walked around Ohori Park and saw a pink cherry blossom in full bloom at Sannomaru Square near Ohori Park. Foreign students in kimonos were excitedly taking photos with the cherry blossoms. After some research, I found out that this plant is called Sunshine Sakura. It is characterized by single, bright pink flowers. It blooms earlier than Somei Yoshino. It was created by Mr. Masaaki Takaoka from Ehime. It is a cross between Amagi Yoshino and Taiwan's Kanhizakura. It was officially registered as a new variety in 1981. There is actually a sad story behind this. During World War II, Masaaki Takaoka was a teacher at school. When his students were drafted to the battlefield, he would always remind them to "come back safely." However, things went against his wishes. Some of his students died in Siberia and some in subtropical areas. He felt very guilty and thought that he had sent his children to the battlefield with his own hands. He spent his life studying cherry blossoms, trying to find a type of cherry blossom that could grow in any climate and use it to calm children's souls. It took Masaaki Takaoka thirty years to finally succeed. He donated many Sunshine Cherry trees to various countries for free, and they can now be seen in Taiwan, South Korea, and Mexico. If you come to see the cherry blossoms, don't miss it. The Shiomi Turret was rebuilt and just opened to the public this spring. It was moved to Sofuku-ji Temple in 1908 and used as a Buddhist temple. The Fukuoka City Government carried out the restoration of the monument, using materials and methods from the Edo period. You can see how superb the carpenters' skills are. Then you can go to the nearby Ohori Park to row a swan boat and enjoy the romance of spring. 📍Address: 〒810-0043 Fukuoka Prefecture Fukuoka City Chuo District 2-2 🚗Two minutes walk from Exit 5 of Metro Ohori Park Station #FukuokaSakura