Around Kamioka Castle in Kamioka-cho, Hida City, Gifu Prefecture, nearly 450 cherry trees once bloomed in spectacular fashion. Built on the site of Higashimachi Castle — the only flatland castle in the city — Kamioka Castle was surrounded by cherry blossoms that residents could admire from the town below. Over the past two decades, however, disease, harsh weather, and poor soil conditions have drastically reduced the number of trees. A group of local residents has been working ever since to revive that beloved floral landscape.
How 450 Cherry Trees Came to Bloom Around the Castle
The slopes around Kamioka Castle were largely cleared of trees around 1937, when timber was cut during the installation of an aerial tramway at Kamioka Mine. By around 1965, only some cedar trees remained, and the hillside was otherwise barren.
During a stone wall restoration project at Kamioka Castle that took place between 1967 and 1970, the remaining cedar trees were removed — creating a risk of slope erosion and rockslides. In response, approximately 450 cherry trees were planted by local residents between 1970 and 1971 to stabilize the hillside and beautify the area.
A Sharp Decline Beginning Around 2000
Although some replanting was carried out by local organizations, the original cherry trees received insufficient maintenance and gradually declined in number. By around 2000, they were still blooming brilliantly, but after that point, witches' broom disease spread through the trees, while soil degradation on the steep slopes, aging, and wind and snow damage caused the population to drop sharply.
The Formation of the Kamioka Castle Sakuramori no Kai
To halt the decline, around 100 new cherry trees were planted in 2007 under the guidance of an arborist, along with pruning and removal of diseased trees. This effort inspired local residents to take ownership of caring for "their town's cherry trees," leading to the formation of the Kamioka Castle Sakuramori no Kai (Cherry Blossom Guardians' Association).
The group currently has 26 members. Activities came to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic, but driven by a strong desire to see the cherry blossoms return, the group resumed operations in 2024 — for the first time in four years. Members carry out fertilization, grass cutting, and snow fencing, and they also dedicate effort to cultivating the Kamiokazakura, a cherry variety native to Kamioka-cho. Discovered in 1984 during a specialist botanical survey, the Kamiokazakura is a rare natural hybrid of the Kinki Mame cherry and the Kasumi cherry — an early-blooming and late-blooming variety crossed naturally, making it an exceptionally unusual species.
Spring 2026 Activities Kicked Off on March 28
Eight members gathered on March 28 for approximately two hours of work, including fertilizing the cherry trees and repairing stakes used to support younger saplings. Fertilizer was spread on the uphill side of each tree's roots, using roughly one bag per five or six trees. Pruning of dead branches was carried out in pairs.
Message from the Association Chair
"Although our activities were suspended during the pandemic, we are finally starting to see results from our sustained efforts — the trees have begun to flower again. Nurturing cherry trees is not something that happens overnight. We hope more and more people will join us as we work toward restoring that magnificent cherry blossom scenery once more."
New Members Welcome
The association currently has 26 members, and while the group is aging, new members join each year. Anyone interested in joining the effort to restore Kamioka Castle's cherry blossom scenery is encouraged to contact the Kamioka Shinko Jimusho Kensetsu Nourinka at 0578-82-2254 (available 8:30 AM to 5:15 PM, closed on weekends, public holidays, and the year-end/New Year period).
