TsukuBlog

筑波山つつじまつり(Mt.Tsukuba Azalea Festival)
April 22(Sun) to May 20(Sun)

Events:
April 28(Sat) 11am
Kocarina * Concert at the “outlook floor” of the building in front of Tsukuba Sanchou Station on top of Mt.Tsukuba (*Kocarina is a music instrument from Republic of Hungary )

April 28(sat) 1pm
100 baby azalea trees give away at the cable car(tramway) Miyawaki Station and ropeway(aerial tramway) Tsutsujigaoka Station

May 5(sat) Children’s Day 11am
Children’s Day free gifts given to first 200 kids at Miyawaki Station and Tsutsujigaoka Station

May 12(Sat) 11am
Machitsuki (pounding of “mochi” or rice cake) and tasting of mochi
at the “outlook floor” in front of aerial tramway Nyotaisan Station. Tasting of mochi is limited to first 200 people.

May 19(Sat) 11am
ガマの油売り口上(performance by a tradionational “Toad’s Grease” seller) at the “outlook floor” of the building in front of Tsukuba Sanchou Station

1pm
Charity “Tsukamidori(grabbing)” game at cable car Miyawaki Station　(I don’t know what, but it looks like you have a chance to win nice prizes) First 100 people

I don’t know how much it’ll cost to get into this festival, but it shouldn’t be that expensive. The azalea festival in Kasama has already started last weekend. I’ve been to the one in Kasama twice, and I really liked it!

第３６回笠間つつじまつり(The 36th Kasama Azalea Festival)
April 14(Sat) to May 13(Sun)　8am to 6pm
Admissions: 500yen for adults(high schoolers and up), Junior high kids and under are free

Events:
April 28, 29, May 2, 5 from 10am to 3pm
tea ceremories

May 3 10am to 3pm
琴(koto or Japanese harp) concert

May 4 10am to 12pm
稲荷ばやし(Inari bayashi), traditional Japanese festival music in Kasama

May 4 12pm to 3pm
岩間ばやし(Iwama bayashi), traditional Japanese festival music in Iwama

May 5 10am to 3pm
sales of local produce

The site of Himatsuri, the big pottery fair I mentioned in this blog before, isn’t far from this azalea festival, so you can visit two festivals in one day. If you have a time (and energy!), I highly recommend visiting Kasama Inari Shrine near the azalea festival site because the Japanese wisteria at Kasama Inari Shrine is simply just breathtaking!!

ぼたん・しゃくやく・バラ祭り(tree peony, Chinese peony, rose festival)
at Tsukuba Peony Garden
April 21(Sat) to July 15(Sun)
Open 9am to 5pm on weekdays and 8am to 5pm on weekends and holidays Admissions: 800yen for adults, 300yen for kids*

*If your child(ren) attends a public school in Tsukuba, then she/he should have received a free ticket from school last week.

You can eat the soba noodle, made from soba grown in Tsukuba in the restaurant inside this garden.

A special exhibit on サクラソウ(sakurasou or primrose) will also start tomorrow at Tsukuba Botanical Garden. The weather’s been crazy lately, but spring is definitely here!