Hirayama-jōshi Park, Castle ruins and metropolitan park in Hachioji and Hino, Japan.
Hirayama-jōshi Park is a castle ruin site and metropolitan park that spreads across about 120,000 square meters on a southeastern slope. The grounds are covered with mixed woodlands of Japanese blue oak and konara oak trees that together form a continuous green forest landscape.
The grounds once held a watchtower of Heike general Hirayama Kiyoshi during the warring states period. His grave stands at the nearby So-in-ji Temple, marking the strategic importance this place held during that era.
The park serves today as a gathering place where people celebrate the seasons, particularly in spring when around 500 cherry trees bloom and visitors come to picnic and stroll. These trees, combining Somei Yoshino and wild mountain varieties, shape the character of the place during this time of year.
The park is easy to reach by taking the Keio Line to Hirayama-joshi Park station, followed by a walk of around 20 minutes through residential neighborhoods to the entrance. The best time to visit is spring when the cherry blossoms bloom, or the warmer season when the woodlands are greener and walking paths more pleasant.
A natural pond formed by groundwater surfacing through geological layers creates the park's water feature. This naturally sustained element offers a rare glimpse into how water moves through the earth in an urban setting.
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