TEMPO.CO, Taiwan - The delightful beauty of cherry blossoms is present across Taiwan, with many locations adorned with the blooming white and pink flowers as spring awakens.
Tempo visited the Tamsui Wuji Tianyuan Temple in Tamsui District on Monday, February 10, 2025, to witness such a lovely sight, alongside several media crews and influencers from Indonesia.
Maskun Aslim, our guide in Taiwan, explained there are two types of sakura, or the cherry blossom. One is the mountain sakura, which differs from the well-known Japanese sakura, which blooms from January to February. "The sakura currently in bloom has smaller petals and is redder in color," said Maskun.
Some cherry blossoms, he said, will bloom from March to April. These flowers are the same ones blooming in Japan. “The petals are large and white in color,” Maskun explained.
Besides foreigners, local residents also welcome the blooming beauty of sakura. On Monday morning, several visitors are seen coming to enjoy the sight of cherry blossoms at the Tamsui Temple. Some came with friends and family, while many tourist groups arrived by bus.
Cherry blossoms in Tamsui Wuji Temple, Taiwan, Monday, 10th February 2025. Tempo/Dewi Rina Cahyani
The Wuji Tianyuan Temple, as one of the most popular destinations for tourists seeking cherry blossoms in North Taiwan, finished construction in 1985. The temple complex is divided into two main zones, each planted with two different types of sakura.
In the back area of the temple, the three colored cherry blossoms—with light pink, white, and peachy red colors—bloom first as early as late January to mid-February.
Meanwhile, around the front yard of the temple, the Yoshino sakura from Japan grows, which has single white petals. Tourists usually flock to the temple around the peak of Yoshino cherries’ blooming, from mid-March to the end of April.
There are several other places hailed as the best to enjoy cherry blossoms. Citing news.immigration.gov.tw site, Sakura also blooms in Yangmingshan National Park in Taipei, Lala Mountain Enlai Farm in Taoyuan, Hsinchu Sima Kusi, Yilan Ma Gao Ecological Park, and others.