Ōsaka Mint Sakura Tunnel

One of the famous sakura-viewing events in Ōsaka is the 'torinuke' (going through) viewing at the head office of the Japan Mint, the government-affiliated body that makes the nation's coins. For one week in April the gates are opened and the mint hosts between 700,000 to 800,000 sakura lovers eager to see the famous trees inside the compound. The 560-meter path, called 'sakura no touri nuke' (sakura tunnel), offers over 100 varieties of sakura trees most of which are varieties that start blooming later in the season marking this 120 year old event as one of the last chances to catch sakura hanami in this region. The throngs of people that shuffle shoulder to shoulder through this narrow one-way path makes this event very claustrophobic, however, I was lucky enough to be invited by some friends for a 'by invitation only' night viewing. We also enjoyed some uniquely salty sakura tea complete with whole flowers heads and petals.