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Start
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Donghaewon
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Royal Tomb of King Muryeong
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Gongju Hanok Village
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Gongju National Museum
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Muin Hotel
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Cherry Blossom Festival
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Donghak Temple
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Finish
Enjoying tunnels of cherry blossom, Gongju 'Cherry Blossom Festival at Donghak Temple in Gyeryong Mountain'
Cherry blossom festival is affecting because we can enjoy it shortly in the spring. Cherry blossom festival of Gyeryong Mountain in Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do is hold for 10 days from April 10th till 20th around the Donghak Temple in Gyeryong Mountain which is Chungcheongnam-do's representative mountain. It's the representative local festival that has quite large scale, although it's not officially supported by Gongju-si. It's better known as Donghaksa(Temple) Cherry Blossom Festival but it seems to be changed as Gyeryongsan(Mountain) Cherry Blossom Festival this time. It should be good to visit the festival if you plan to go flower viewing this weekend and next weekend. It's about 100 km away from the metropolitan area so it's not that far.
Canon EOS 550D | f/8.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 10:52:10 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
On the route 32 to Gongju from Yuseong, Daejeon, there is Park Jeong-ja three-way intersection heading to the Gyeryong Mountain(Donghak Temple). When we turn left at this intersection, ample Cherry blossom trees greet us. Park Jeong-ja is not a person's name. It means a zelkova tree used as a pavilion. It's named as 'Park Jeong-ja' because an old man surnamed Park planted it. This 350-year-old tree still blooms leaves.
Canon EOS 550D | f/8.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 10:57:05 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
When I arrived there around 11 a.m, stores lining up along the street start to be open. Pink dense cherry blossoms are so beautiful.
Canon EOS 550D | f/8.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 11:02:26 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
I parked along the street and I'm viewing flowers screaming 'Wow~', but many cars have surged from the morning. There are many cars but it's not fully crowded because there is a large parking lot at the entrance of Donghak Temple. However if you want to enjoy flower viewing in leisure, it would be better to go in the morning.
Canon EOS 550D | f/9.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 13:15:34 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 28mm
Both public parking lot and private parking lot charge 4,000 won for 1 day. I will let you know how to do free parking at the closest area to the festival. You would see a sign, 'Mart' at the end of buildings in the picture above. If you purchase at least 6,000 of supplies, you can park for free whole day.
Canon EOS 550D | f/5.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 11:21:13 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
The name is S Mart. Beside the mart, there is a large open area that belongs to the mart. If you buy 6,000 won of merchandises, you can park here for free. Only a few cans of coffee and bottles of water cost over 6,000 won so it's worth to pay for them.(I'm not an employee of S Mart. ^^*) Shall I show you a map below?
If you go to the Donghak Temple with navigation, you would go along the blue line. If you take this way, you would meet a traffic jam at the green parking ramp. Enter the address of S Mart and take a back road nearby the mart, then you would drive the smooth road enjoying cherry blossoms. The part inside the red line is open area. If you have good chance, you would park here for free.
Park Jeong-ja Three-way Intersection → Turn Left at Donghak Temple Three-way Intersection → Cross Bridge(Donghak Bridge), go straight 100m, and turn right. Then come all the way past Gyeryongsan Auto Camping Site.
+ Address : 710, Hakbong-ri, Banpo-myeon, Gongju-si, Chungcheongnam-do
Canon EOS 550D | f/4.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 10:59:14 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
We quickly bought water and coffee and did free parking. Now we go around the festival. There is a ball throwing which is not common nowadays. The baseball player Ryu Hyeon-jin would get a big doll with just one try. ^^*
Canon EOS 550D | f/4.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 10:59:34 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
A young man who boasted to his girlfriend that he was a sniper in the military showed his shooting skill. Did he really win the first prize, hard liquor? Hahaha
Canon EOS 550D | f/8.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 11:00:45 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
The highlight of festival must be the food. Festival area is quite wide so you can ease your fatigue with meat and a cup of Makgeolli(Unrefined rice wine) when your legs are tired and heavy because of a long walk. There are many restaurants under this kind of tents at the festival.
Canon EOS 550D | f/4.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 10:58:28 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
There is a rice puffs merchant screaming “Rice Puffs~” like in countryside markets.
Canon EOS 550D | f/5.6 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 11:33:35 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
There is a store that fries whole squids and octopuses, as well. It seems they are crunchy and taste good.
Canon EOS 550D | f/8.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 11:34:04 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
Wow~ There is Grilled Octopus with Butter.
Canon EOS 550D | f/8.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 11:34:19 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
There is a shop where it sells everything like gift sets of Korea's street food. It includes chicken skewers, ramen, udon, noodles, Bungeoppang(Fish-shaped pastry filled with sweet red bean paste), waffle, Beondegi(Steamed silkworm chrysalis), as well as beverages and coffee. It's fun to take them in both hands going around the festival.
Canon EOS 550D | f/8.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 11:33:48 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 20mm
Do you remember the blue arrow sign on the map? Cars are waiting to park slowing down. If you take the way that I let you know, you can get to the festival so fast like the last picture of this post. Although I drive slowly, I'm happy under the tunnel made with cherry blossoms.
Canon EOS 550D | f/8.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 11:31:41 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 35mm
Canon EOS 550D | f/6.3 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 11:36:52 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 35mm
Cherry blossoms seem to be affecting because they are in bloom and gone soon. It's controversy about the country of origin. Some people say it's from Japan, and other people insist it's from China or Korea. What we have to do is just enjoying flowers regardless of where it is from.
Canon EOS 550D | f/8.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 11:43:31 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
At the end of the cherry blossom road, I face to an accessway heading to the Gyeryong Mountain(Donghak Temple). Many events are hold here and it's cheerful with a lot of people and music.
Canon EOS 550D | f/8.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 11:43:57 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
It looks like a local 5-day market and sells everything. Elderly people sell everything from agricultural products to industrial products. It's great fun to watch them.
Canon EOS 550D | f/5.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 11:46:10 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 17mm
There are always restaurants that offer Makgeolli and snacks at the entrance of trail, and there is a Makgeolli place as usual. If you like to have Makgeolli in the daytime, it would be good to stop by this place to have both meal and drink.
Canon EOS 550D | f/9.0 | iso 100 | 2015:04:09 13:20:42 | Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode | 35mm
As I explained you before, the back road heading towards the Gyeryongsan auto camping site is quiet and not busy like this. This road is also filled with ample cherry blossoms on both sides. You can turn back easily through this road. If you reach the end of the road, you will go out to the Park Jeong-ja three-way intersection which is the entrance.
If you didn't go flower viewing yet, I recommend you to enjoy the spring at the cherry blossom festival at the Gyeryong Mountain(Donghak Temple).
+ Address : 305-9, Oncheon-ri, Banpo-myeon, Gongju-si, Chungcheongnam-do
+ Parking Fee : 4,000 won for 1 day
