The first signs of spring! Plum blossoms at Osaka Castle.

Something about this winter has made it seem to drag on forever. So I decided it would be a good idea to get outdoors and see if I couldn’t lift my mood.

And I arrived at the Plum Grove in Osaka Castle Park. The castle is well-known as a cherry blossom picnic destination, but it also has an amazing garden full of plum trees! They bloom a few months earlier than the cherries and they smell heavenly.

You can tell you’re getting close by the sweet aroma in the air.

The plum grove is located just to the east of the main tower, between the Inner Moat and the East Outer Moat. And depending on which way the wind is blowing, you should be able smell the sweetness of the plum blossoms on the breeze as you approach. Birds love them too, so you’ll probably see a few Japanese bush warblers or white-eyes perched on the branches of trees when you visit.

The plums are a sign of spring. Even though they bloom when it’s still cold out, they bring color into the drab landscape and cover the garden with bursts of fuchsia, pale pink, crimson, and fifty shades of white. The Osaka Castle Park Plum Grove has over 1,200 trees and more than 100 varieties. There are only about 300 varieties of plum, so that means you can see 1/3 of all plum varieties, just by visiting this one garden.

The plum blossoms were just beginning to bloom when I got there (the first week of February). But look— they are full of potential! I can’t wait to see what the garden looks (and smells) like next week. You can actually find detailed information on each variety and when they bloom on the Osaka Castle Park website.

Spot a look-alike. The difference between plum and cherry blossoms.

At first glance, they’re very similar. But upon closer inspection, you’ll notice the subtle differences between these flowers. The Japanese plum and the cherry blossoms are actually in the rose family and the flowers are formed in layers of five petals. The pistils are slightly more prominent in the plum blossom. Can you tell which is which?

Plum blossoms (left) Cherry blossoms (right)

Since they look so similar, it can be hard to tell them apart. Another difference is the shape of the petals. The cherry petals are slightly split on the outer edge, which gives them a heart-like appearance. Plums don’t have long stems so they appear to be blooming right on the branches, whereas cherries bloom in clusters with the stems shooting away from the tree, giving the blooms a fuller appearance.

Plums also bloom earlier in the season, starting in January, peaking in February, and fading away by mid-March. That’s when you can expect to see the cherry blossoms open.

Another difference is the smell. Although plums have fewer blossoms, the sweet fragrance is distinct and much more aromatic than the cherry. If you can’t tell by looking at the flowers, you should be able to determine which kind of tree you are looking at by using your nose.

That’s another fun thing about visiting the Plum Grove. It’s a little like taking a walk in a rose garden. You’ll notice distinct differences in the smell of the flowers and want to stop at each tree to see which ones look the best and smell the best.

Osaka Castle has so many varieties. Below you’ll see one that I fell in love with— the “Kanko”. The flowers were so bright and colorful. It smelled nice too!

February and March is the best time to see the Plums!

January is a bit early to see the flowers. A few of the trees will be starting to bloom, but the action really starts happening in February. By mid-month at least half of the trees will have started blooming and there will still be young buds waiting to open. In March, you can see many of the trees in full bloom, but some of the trees will have lost their flowers.

And there is a limited time LAWSON located right inside the garden and it is only open when the flowers are. Hot tea, snacks, amazake (sweet low-alcohol sake) and other seasonal items are sold here so you can show up empty handed, and still enjoy refreshments in the garden.

This was just the kind of outing I needed. Flowers, fresh air, and snacks!

Osaka Castle Park has lots of other spring flowers too. Take a walk through the park and you’ll see daffodils popping their heads up and other blooming trees like the wintersweet pictured below.

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