As the wind picked up, petals would fall like snow into the stream covered with vibrant, colorful decorations.
DAEGU GARRISON — One of the many benefits of being in Daegu and Area IV is the chance to look around and visit those must-see places that will leave you with a lot of precious memories of your visit to Korea. The good news is that thanks to the Community Activity Center (CAC) on camps Walker and Carroll, you can do this with relative ease. The CAC offers a variety of tours that include just about everything from A to Z. The recent tour to the annual Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival is just one example of a breathtaking experience. A small city located just 22 miles (35.4 kilometers) from Busan, Jinhae every year hosts one of the largest festivals in Korea that boasts having more than 2 million people in attendance.
With a history dating back 53 years, the festival was first held as a commemoration ceremony in honor of Korea’s greatest naval hero, Admiral Yi Sun-Shin. Known for its beautiful scenery, today Jihnae is recognized for its ROK Naval Port and Naval Academy open houses.
To avoid getting stuck in the familiar heavy traffic--something common to such big festivals, the Area IV CAC and Jinhae U.S. Naval Base cooperate closely to provide parking inside the base, which is located just a few steps from downtown.
For members of the USAG Daegu and Area IV community fortunate enough to take part in the CAC-hosted 2015 Cherry Blossom Tour, once they exited U.S. Navy Base Chinhae, nothing but cherry blossoms abounded.
Practically every roadside tree in Jinhae displayed the pink cherry blossom petals. A left turn out of the base gate was like a showcase of a road lined with the infamous Turn left, and the view of a road lined with cherry blossom trees seemed to run for 400 meters toward Yeojwacheon Stream.
From there, the view extended over 1.5 kilometers from Jinhae Station to Jinhae Girls’ High School. Cherry blossom trees were artistically lined up on both sides of the stream. As the wind picked up, petals would fall like snow into the stream covered with vibrant, colorful decorations.
Stepping up on the popular arched bridge provided an awesome view of Mother Nature.
Anyone fit and determined enough to walk a distance of 4 to 4.5 kilometers, Gyeonghwa Station was the place to be. During the festival, its railroad from Jinhae Station to Gyeonghwa station is open to the visitors -- allowing them to walk on the tracks. A special train for the annual festival did pass through at times, but as it is fairly slow, it was very safe to walk beside the passing train which resulted in being in the shade of cherry blossom trees next to the track.
As the ground level gradually goes up while walking on the tracks, the true beauty of Jinhae unveils in front of your eyes. Regardless of where you stand, the scenic view of the port city yields more than 347,000 cherry blossom trees spread out to Nam-Hae (the South Sea). Seeing the vivid cherry blossoms dotting the city landscape is definitely unforgettable.
Gyeonghwa Station--an old station, operates only for the festival. As the old iron carrier passes by, petals fall from the cherry blossom trees like feathers. It is a rare sight to see pedestrians walking safely beside a train, as nature puts on her best performance inside the floral tunnel.
The 800 meters –long cherry blossom tunnel creates a magical scene as you walk through. Cherry blossoms are at every turn -- above head and at ground level.
Jinhae Gunhangje is not just for watching breathtaking views. While food vendors were in every direction, there were various street performances on hand to entertain the old and young alike. As a matter of fact, more than 60 events --from the traditional Korean dance performance, to a fireworks display held at The Joongwon Rotary in downtown Jinhae, awaited the eager and anxious visitors.
Seeing a commemorating ceremony for Admiral Yi Sun-Shin is also an opportunity not to be lost. A street march during the ceremony is famous for their scale and solemnity. Entrance into the ROK Naval Academy and Naval port occurs only during the festival. Performances conducted by the Navy band and Navy honor guard were also a must-see.
Without a doubt, memories of the Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival are memories that will last a lifetime. Visions of the remarkable scenery are something members of the USAG Daegu and Area IV, will definitely tell others about. If you or your friends missed the beauty Korea has to offer during the cherry blossom festival, then it's always next year. Check with your CAC office to make sure you don't miss out on one of the best tours on the peninsula.
