Ishiwarizakura
石割桜
An Edo-higan cherry tree about 360 years old, growing out of a crack in a giant granite boulder. Designated a Natural Monument of Japan, it is Morioka’s most representative cherry tree.
Ishiwarizakura grows in the front courtyard of the Morioka District Court. An Edo-higan cherry tree has pushed its way out through a crack in a granite boulder about 21 meters in circumference. The tree is said to be more than 360 years old and is still slowly splitting the rock apart. Designated a Natural Monument of Japan in 1923, it symbolises tenacity and resilience. It usually blooms in mid to late April, slightly earlier than other cherry trees in the city. Crowds gather during bloom, and visitors can view and photograph it from outside the fence. Admission is free. Located on the north side of Morioka Castle Ruins Park, it is about a 5-minute walk away and is well suited to a visit alongside the castle site.
Opening hours
All day (viewing from outside the fence)
Nearby sights
- Morioka History and Culture Museum
- Morioka Castle Ruins Park
- Iwate Bank Red Brick Building
- Morioka Takuboku & Kenji Museum
- Konyacho & Nakatsu River
- Mitsuishi Shrine
- Azumaya Honten (Wanko Soba)
- Nanshoso