Kariya Park

As it turns out, we didn't have to travel so far to see Japanese Cherry trees blossoming, there are some right here in Mississauga, though only about 27.

Since 1981, Mississauga has enjoyed a twin-sister relationship with Kariya, Japan, which lies between Kyoto and Tokyo. The park honouring Kariya was opened in 1992, and features many of the trees and flowers that grow in Kariya, including Kariya's official city flower, the rabbit-ear iris (Iris laevigata), and rhododendrons, pine, gingko and sweetgum trees, as well as several varieties of sakura.

In the main entrance of the park stands another Japanese feature, a gift from Kariya, a friendship bell, a very large bell cast using traditional methods, it has both Japanese and Canadian symbols.

The park has a number of winding trails, several ponds, and various wildlife, including geese and duck (and recently I saw several ducklings and goslings).

The park is located south of Burnamthorpe, west of Hurontario, on Kariya Way (southeast of Square One). There is very little parking available.

Sakura in High Park

This year, finally, we decided to make the effort to go see the Sakura blooming in High Park. And, despite the large number of people and the lack of available parking, we did achieve just that, enjoying the pink-white blossoms, and giving our daughter her first "taste" of Spring blooms (and taste it was, nearly).

In 1959, 2000 Japanese Sakura trees were given to Toronto by Tokyo, in appreciation for relocating Japanese-Canadians following the Second World War. Many of these trees were planted in High Park, specifically near Grenadier Cafe, around Grenadier Pond. More Sakura were planted over the years; in 1984, several trees were planted near the Children's Adventure Playground; 50 or so were planted more recently, again around Grenadier Pond. You can read more about the cherry trees in High Park here.

It was the grove of trees near the Children's Adventure Playground that we finally saw and took pictures of, after inching around Grenadier Cafe after entering the main entrance on Bloor Street, and unsuccessfully finding a parking place close by there, we did finally manage to snag a parking place near their small Zoo, which we got to by driving down Parkside Drive and going into the side park entrance. If you have small children, or, like us, babies in strollers/travel systems, the Adventure Playground area is a better option, as some of the hills around Grenadier Cafe/Pond are quite steep; conversely, the area around Adventure Playground is only a little hilly.

Getting to High Park is relatively easy. By TCC, the High Park or Keele station on the subway gets you close to the entrance, or take the 506 Streetcar via Howard Park or the 501 Streetcar via the Queensway. By car, go to the Bloor Street entrance (main entrance) just west of Keele, or take Parkside Drive south (on the east side of High Park) from Bloor, or north from Lakeshore Blvd., to go to the East entrance.

Going to see the Sakura blossoms are well worth it, an interesting and beautiful aspect of Toronto, though next time we will go during the week, so we can go to the other, larger, grove of trees, and easily find a parking place.