By the Kamakura period (1185–1333), these fragrant blossoms had become beloved by samurai and commoners alike. In Kamakura, plum blossoms begin to bloom from late January through mid-March ...

Over 800 years ago, Kamakura flourished as Japan’s shogunal capital, with the samurai class and others nurturing a new culture of fortitude and vigor apart from the aristocratic centers of Nara ...