Photo= Visitors staring raptly at plum buds that are beginning to open (January 6, Keiunkan, Minato-cho, Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture)

An early spring attraction in the northern Lake Biwa area, "Nagahama Bombaiten," or the Bonsai Exhibition of Ume Trees with Blossoms, began on January 7. A sneak preview was held on January 6 at the event site, Keiunkan, in Minato-cho, Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture, where visitors enjoyed the fragrance of plum blossoms.

The event is hosted by the Nagahama Tourism Association. This year marks the 66th exhibition. During the event period until March 12, ninety out of about 300 plum tree bonsai will be exhibited at a time, being rotated sequentially with other plums. Early blooming white and pink plum blossoms exude an elegant scent. Yoshihiro Ogawa, director of Keiunkan, said, "The plums have bloomed about ten days earlier than usual. Please enjoy the blossoms when they have just opened, when they are in full bloom, and when they fall."

The exhibition is held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There will be illumination on Saturdays and Sundays from February 4 to March 5, during which the entrance will close at 8:30 p.m. The admission fee is 500 yen for high school students or above. For more information, call Nagahama Tourism Association at 0749-65-6521.