Jinhae - The Cherry Blossom-Cursed City

Before entering Jinhae, No Need Gate or  Beautiful Welcome Signage for hometown of Cherry Blossom! 

Every year, Jinhae celebrate the upcoming of Spring by the blooming of cherry blossom trees all over the town. What I mean with all over the town is literally every where and all at once. Since the Government know how stunning their city in spring, they held Cherry Blossom Festival which usually held at early April and this year held from 01 until 10 April 2016. This festival is not only attended by "cherry blossom trees", peoples around the world, and of course Korean Hallyu : Singers and Actors/actress.

Approximately millions people come to Jinhae every year to celebrate the beauty of mother nature, that's why the mass transportation are so busy during that time.

At the City Border, Oranges are everywhere!

By the time I come there from neighbor city, Busan, it is already pass afternoon and the sun is soon set. Even before entering the city, I can see how the hill is 'pink-en-ing' because of cherry blossoms. The scenery is definitely stunning and magical.

My journey to Jinhae started from Seoul. I take bullet train KTX to Busan and it took 2.5 hours to get Busan Station. Once I arrived, I transferred to Metro using T-money and took the Red Line to Seomyoen station and then transfer once again to green line to reach Sasang station. From Sasang Station, walk straight about 200 meters to reach Sasang Bus Terminal. Along the pathway, we can see several cherry blossoms were already shed.  

Bus Ticket to Jinhae

At Sasang Bus Terminal, we are welcomed by big ticket counter with so many directions. We just said we want to go to Jinhae and the officer charged us KRW 5,100 for each person. Platform to Jinhae is number 17, and not long after we wait inside the bus, it is departed to Jinhae. Based on schedule, headway between buses is 40 minutes and usually they are punctual.

Jinhae intercity Bus Terminal

Night view of Yeojwacheon Stream 

The travel time to Jinhae is 1.5 hours with moderate traffic. The thing is, it is much faster to reach Jinhae if we took bullet train direct to Changwon and then transfer to Jinhae. But we missed to check the train schedule beforehand, so the closest departure schedule is to Busan. It took total almost 5 hours to reach Jinhae plus transfer and keep my luggage at hotel near Sasang Station. Considering the price, it will be more efficient if we took bus from Seoul with 4.5 hours travel time.

Cherry Blossom Everywhere!

Hence, all tiresome was vanished right after we saw how cherry blossom blooming wholly all over the town. The beauty is unarguable..petals is dropping like rain showers, plus I suspected that this city must be the hometown of Cherry blossoms-Goddess. May be, this must be hometown of Red Goddess from Glass Mask series!!

My most Favorite Man in my life!

Yoejwacheon Stream

My silly imagination projected how Maya Kitajima pose under the Cherry Blossom Tree (Read : Plum Tree) and made Masumi lost his breath seeing the magnificent of Plum Goddess. Everything in here is so mystical yet my biggest disappointment is timing. I wish I came earlier so I can enjoy the city both at noon and night.

Maya Kitajima in Action!

We got off at Jinhae Intercity Bus Terminal and directly buy ticket to go back to Busan. There is no time printed in the ticket, that means we can go back any time we want as long as there is any bus left. Then we should walk approximately 1.2 km to reach Cherry Blossom tunnels also ranked #1 must visit destination; Yeojwacheon Stream. Don't imagine 1.2 km is far away because it is not! Cherry blossom trees are really every 3 meter and they bloom. I don't even mind the rain falling like all day long! Right after I set my foot on Jinhae land, I only feels festive. Food stalls are everywhere and petals dropping along with rain. My movie title would be dancing in the petals :D

Cherry Blossom Canopy

Yoejwacheon Stream is a path spans about 1.5 kilometers. Both sides of Yeojwacheon Stream are lined with cherry blossom trees that create a natural canopy over the stream. Visitors can take romantic pictures against the backdrop of cherry flowers on beautiful arched bridges. In the evening, the area is decorated with ornamental lights, creating a romantic ambience.

Up close: The flowers 

Yeojwachea Stream and the crowd

After sunset, the lampoons are lit beautifully

Every thing in Jinhae is so perfect unless one thing, we found it difficult to search any romanji menu or sign board in down town's restaurants. We walk far and circling back only to find restaurant with chicken, pig or cow picture, but no familiar fonts. Most thing written in Hangul. Until we found picture of chicken, we decided to eat anyway because my stomach was already desperate eating my own colons. So, it is almost impossible to find halal foods in there. 

Chicken something, up until now I don't know the name

We back to Busan at 21.00 by Bus. The city already quite and the traffic was loosening. Yet, inside the bus were so full, some peoples didn't get seat and standing in the hallway. Along the journey,  I barely open my eyes because my tummy were full also my feet were already swollen and hurt. 

So far, my trip to Jinhae is ridiculously beautiful that I don't mind to going there once again in any spring season. 

Bonus : Our We-fie