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Winters in Yokosuka City and the Miura Peninsula areas are comparatively mild, and generally, there are no killing frosts or snow storms.  After the New Year's celebrations and the height of winter weather in January, things slowly begin to change during February.  It still is cold, but Pacific Ocean weather fronts with warmer air & winds, as well as rain showers, start to occasionally arrive from southwest.  During the first half of February, the Setsubun (節分) festival is celebrated, and shortly thereafter, the Japanese buy and indulge in lots of chocolates on Valentine's Day (see the links below).  Later on, as the seasonal weather slowly shifts towards Spring, many trees in Yokosuka will start to bloom with white or pink flowers -- those are plum trees, and they are quite beautiful showing their winter flowers.  In the olden days, Japan adopted from Chinese culture the idea of: SHO-CHIKU-BAI (松竹梅).  SHO = pine tree, CHIKU = Bamboo, and BAI = plum tree; and together they are known as the "Friends of Winter".  Even though it is cold, the pine tree remains green; bamboo is strong and bends with the winds; and the plum tree, which buds and blossoms even though snow may be on its branches.  Of interest, Yokosuka is host to the only plum tree forest on the Miura Peninsula.  It is named: "Taura Plum Grove" (TAURA BAI-RIN, 田浦梅林) and is located on a bluff above JR Taura train station.　　During February, hundreds of plum trees blossom in Taura Plum Grove, which is also a nature park with hiking trails.  There is some information about this unique and beautiful park linked below.  We hope you will enjoy viewing the winter plum blossoms in and around Yokosuka!    

Written by Good field          

LINKS:

SETSUBUN:

"節分 SETSUBUN"｜Off Base Housing Yokosuka | IINO REAL ESTATE is for rental housing in Yokosuka Japan...Civilian, Military house agency

VALENTINE'S DAY:

Valentine's Day｜Off Base Housing Yokosuka | IINO REAL ESTATE is for rental housing in Yokosuka Japan...Civilian, Military house agency

TAURA PLUM GROVE:

Taura Plum Grove | よこすかルートミュージアム (routemuseum.jp)

Taura Plum Village - A Must-Visit Destination for Plum Blossom Lovers - Yokosuka Travel Guide (guidoor.jp)