Mifuneyama Rakuen

Mt. Mifune in Takeo city is also known as "Mt. Karafune" (which literally means "Chinese ship") due to its resemblance to one. Mifuneyama Rakuen is a park which sprawls out on the western foot of this mountain. It was built over a period of approximately 3 years by Shigeyoshi Nabeshima, the 28th ruler of the Takeo Domain, as part of his holiday home. In spring the park is reminiscent of a Shan shui painting, with 5000 cherry blossom trees and 50,000 azaleas all blooming against a backdrop of the rugged cliff of Mt. Mifune. The park hosts a variety of events such as tea parties and photography sessions. In the Mifunegaoka Plum Grove on the eastern foot of the mountain, 10,000 plum trees bloom in all their brilliance from mid-February to early May, and the place buzzes with people attending the Plum-Viewing Festival.