Shizumine Furusato Park, Ibaraki

#cherryblossom25 Shizumine Furusato Park in Ibaraki is what I’d call a hidden wonderland. It's famous for its yaezakura — the double-petaled cherry blossoms — and they create a richer, more textured look than the typical sakura you see elsewhere. I came in mid-April, just after the standard blossoms started fading in Tokyo, and was so glad I did because the yaezakura were still in full glory. The park has over 2,000 trees, and there's this gentle slope where you can walk through layers of blossoms — I felt like I was floating in a sea of pink. It wasn’t too crowded, so I took my time, snapped tons of close-up flower shots, and even had a peaceful picnic under one massive tree. People in the park were warm and chatty, and I loved seeing how many locals were just soaking up the sun and sakura. Totally deserves more love on #cherryblossom25.