Cherry blossom update: Yeojwacheon and Gyeonghwa Station, Jinhae

Hi, I’m CULT.
Here’s an update on the cherry blossom bloom status in Jinhae. The Jinhae Gunhangje, one of South Korea’s signature cherry blossom festivals, is coming up this week. Some trees have already started blooming, but they aren’t in full bloom yet. Still, many blossoms are expected by this weekend, so it’s good to know this before you head out on a weekend trip.
Everything is progressing smoothly enough that you don’t need to worry too much, and I’ll also share a brief overview of the festival preparations.

The 64th Jinhae Gunhangje

The 64th Jinhae Gunhangje will take place from March 27 to April 5. Of course, it’s a very famous festival that those living in Korea know well, and I recommend that visitors to Korea try to visit at least once. The cherry blossoms are incredibly beautiful. I don’t have any photos at the moment, so I’ll start taking lots of pictures around the 26th and will show you more next year.
After all, this is how Cultravel’s stories about Korea begin.

Yeojwacheon Area

As for the Jinhae small station… it doesn’t look like the construction will be finished. I stopped by to check it out last December, and it was under construction then too — it still doesn’t look like it’ll be finished anytime soon. It was a rather pretty little station, though. Still, the place you should visit is Gyeonghwa Station, so I’ll explain that again below.

Jinhae Yeojwacheon Area

When you think of the Jinhae Gunhangje, this is the image of Yeojwacheon that comes to mind. Around April 1st, the trees you see there are usually filled with white-hued blossoms. As for the Jinhae cherry blossom blooming status… the flowers weren’t blooming at all.

The location shown in the photo is Seolyeonggyo, and the Google Maps link is here. If you’re using Naver Map in Korea, click here.

These tents have been put up in advance for the festival. They’ll be used for various events and to sell food and souvenirs. Since the festival hasn’t started yet, nothing’s really set up. I’ll visit on the opening day of the festival and give you a full update after I check everything out.

Cherry blossoms along Yeojwacheon are beginning to bloom little by little. They haven’t opened up noticeably yet, but they’re expected to be blooming quite a bit by this weekend, so no need to worry. The photo was taken on March 20, so there should definitely be more now.

If you walk all the way up Yeojwacheon Cherry Blossom Road, you’ll find cafes like this open, so it’s good to keep in mind. If you park your car or arrive by a charter bus, you’ll usually come in on the Romance Bridge side. Yeojwacheon Cherry Blossom Road is about 500 meters long, so it’s nice to walk straight to the end, stop for a cup of tea, and then stroll back out.

Getting to Gyeonghwa Station

I have a snap photo shoot reservation at Gyeonghwa Station this week, so I’m on my way to check the blooming status there. These railroad crossings aren’t operational, so you can just cross them — they’ve been preserved as tourist attractions.

Jinhae Gunhangje is lovely both by day and at night. Illumination displays popular with Japanese tourists are switched on, so you can enjoy the scene even after sunset. And nearby meals are reasonably priced, so it won’t be a big expense.

I came by bicycle to plan my route—deciding where to take photos and how to get around. So I need to be more familiar than anyone with Jinhae’s cherry blossom bloom status and which spots are the prettiest. I’ll keep sharing more great spots with you 😀

I’ve arrived at Gyeonghwa Station. The trees lining both sides you see here will turn into white cherry blossoms by this weekend. It’s incredibly beautiful, so if you’re traveling in Korea, be sure to stop by. I think it might be one of the most beautiful places in Korea. I’ll come here at dawn, though — that way I can bring you a more vivid account of the festival next year.

Jinhae Cherry Blossom Blooming Status

Here’s the cherry blossom situation in Jinhae. These are the blossoms at Gyeonghwa Station, and looking closely they’re not double-flowered cherry blossoms. It’s a bit disappointing, but still very pretty. I lived in Okinawa for about a year and three months, and after coming back to Korea I’m always surprised when I see the cherry blossom varieties in Korea or mainland Japan — they’re so showy and beautiful.
I also lived in Europe for 11 years, and Europe doesn’t really have many cherry blossom spots…

This road, too, will be in full bloom with cherry blossoms by this weekend, so it’s going to be incredibly beautiful.

I’ll be doing a casual photo shoot at this location next weekend. It’s a family we’ve already photographed in Okinawa, and their baby is so full of energy that I think we’ll be able to capture lots of beautiful photos — I’m already looking forward to it.

If you want to see how beautiful this place will be, it’s a good idea to check the Jinhae Gunhangje website. [Jinhae Gunhangje Website]

This is a model of Gyeonghwa Station. It used to be a small station that was actually in operation, but now, as a disused station, it has become one of the signature spots of the Jinhae Gunhangje Cherry Blossom Festival.

The camellias and magnolias are in full bloom. These flowers bloom when the temperature rises a bit, while cherry blossoms need the temperature to rise and then drop and be hit by a cold wind before they bloom—Sangyeon says these flowers bloom earlier than the cherry blossoms. So… now most of the plum blossoms have already faded.

I’ve roughly worked out how to handle snap photography during the Jinhae Naval Port Festival. I’d prefer to shoot during the day… but since they say only night slots are available, it’s a shame but there’s nothing I can do, and if we take lovely shots this time I expect more people will want daytime shoots next year. Of course, I’ll keep gathering a variety of stories and tips that will help you on your travels.
I’ll keep this short for now and come back with more travel tips 😀