Plum Blossom Festival in Atami Opens with Traditional Dance, Taiko Drumming

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:51 JST, January 30, 2026

ATAMI, Shizuoka — A plum blossom festival kicked off at the Atami Plum Garden in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, on Jan. 10. The garden is known for having the earliest blossoming plum trees in the country.

The Atami Baien Plum Festival will be held through March 8.

As of Jan. 10, more than 280 of the 469 plum trees of 60 varieties in the garden have started blossoming, according to the city. The opening event was held in a square in the middle of the garden on the day, featuring a show by kimono-clad Atami geigi dancers and powerful taiko drummers. Visitors delighted in the sign of early spring as they viewed red and white plum blossoms.

Meanwhile, the Atami Sakura Itokawa Cherry Blossom Festival also started on Jan. 10 in the city. People enjoyed the early blooming variety of cherry trees on the riverside, which have just begun opening their pink petals. They also browsed street booths and watched a musical performance by a band. This event continues through Feb. 8.