The Attic

© Epoch

Ama-no-hashidate

One of the traditional "Three sights of Japan" (along with Matsushima and Miyajima, all coastal sites), Ama-no-hashidate is a natural sand spit formation that almost closes the mouth of the Miyazu bay, covered by a ribbon of old pine trees. The cable car climbs the hills at the north end to give passengers a better view — the location is deep in the bay, so although on the northern coast, the Sea of Japan is out to the left in the picture.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued May 2017
An Epoch puzzle: 2542 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E75028 (75-028 on package)
Retail price ¥3500

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© Minoruta Ken'ichi

Hirosaki park cherry blossom

The moat of Hirosaki castle is a famous spot for cherry blossom. This puzzle includes something like 1000 pieces of cherry blossom, both overhead and reflected, making it an interesting challenge.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 2542 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E75501 (75-501 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Epoch

Tokyo cherry blossom

A mass of cherry trees line the banks of Sumidagawa, the great river through Tokyo that was once a transport artery, but is now more a leisure attraction.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued January 2017
An Epoch puzzle: 2542 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E75510 (75-510 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Cherry avenue

This avenue runs along the bank of the Gongendô river, in the middle of the Kanto Plain, and is a famous location for cherry-blossom viewing.

This will not be an easy puzzle - more than half of the area of the picture is occupied by the mass of pink blooms.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 2016 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E23504 (23-504 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Hirosaki castle moat

The moat of Hirosaki Castle, in northern Japan, overhung with its famous cherry trees, the first of which are said to have been brought from Kyoto in 1715.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 2016 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E23529 (23-529 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Himeji Castle

Famous as the best-preserved example of Japanese castle building, the historical origins of Himeji castle are said to date back to the building of a fort in 1333. From a supposed resemblance to the outstretched wings of a bird, it is also known as "White Heron Castle."

Himeji Castle website (includes English version)

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 2016 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E23549 (23-549 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Philosopher's walk in spring

This famous path in Kyoto is named after the philosopher Kitaro Nishida who would meditate while strolling along it. The cherry trees lining the waterway provide a display surely enough to raise the springtime spirits of any philosopher...

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 2016 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E23550 (23-550 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Itsukushima in spring

The great torii, or Shinto ceremonial gateway of Itsukushima shrine seen from an unusual perspective, looking out from Miyajima to the mainland. Completed in 1875, this torii is somewhat unusually sited in the tidal part of the bay, and is famous as one of the traditional "Three sights of Japan."

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 2016 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E23563 (23-563 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Magome post town in spring

Magome is the forty-third station on the old Nakasendo route (counting from Tokyo), and together with the forty-second (Tsumago) has been restored as a historical monument. It is easy to imagine how daunting this slope would have looked to travellers of centuries past, being the start of many uphill days.

The richly-varied textures will make this an enjoyable, and never tedious puzzle.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 2016 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E23564 (23-564 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Masato Tsubaki

Aizu-wakamatsu Castle

Although this castle boasts a history stretching back more than 600 years, it was damaged in the Battle of Aizu — hostilities during the switch from the rule of the Shoguns to the Meiji restoration — and the main tower was destroyed by 1874. It was rebuilt (in reinforced concrete) in 1965, and finally in 2011 the black roof tiles were returned to the authentic red tiles from the time of its destruction. The castle grounds contain around a thousand cherry trees, one of which frames the view here.

The castle is in the modern city of Aizu-wakamatsu, after which it is usually named in English, but it is also known as Tsurugajô, or "Crane Castle".

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued July 2018
An Epoch puzzle: 2016 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E23575 (23-575 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Matsushima cherry blossom

One of the traditional "Three sights of Japan", the picturesque Matsushima bay contains innumerable small islands. A pale moon hangs over just a few of them, seen through the massed pink blossom...

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 2016 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E23576 (23-576 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Beverly Enterprises

Cherry blossom time, Hirosaki Castle

Hirosaki Castle, in northern Japan, framed by its famous cherry trees, the first of which are said to have been brought from Kyoto in 1715. There's also a glimpse of the castle foundation wall, in the usual "diagonal" building style.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 2000 pieces; 720 x 490 mm (28" x 19")
Code: BS72504 (S72-504 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Himeji Castle

Famous as the best-preserved example of Japanese castle building, the historical origins of Himeji castle are said to date back to the building of a fort in 1333. From a supposed resemblance to the outstretched wings of a bird, it is also known as "White Heron Castle."

(This is a reissue of puzzle code E20050.)

Himeji Castle website (includes English version)
More castle puzzles

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 2000 pieces; 1020 x 730 mm (40" x 29")
Code: E19016 (19-016 on package)
Retail price ¥4200

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© JTB photo

Himeji cherry blossom

A panoramic display of cherry blossom front Himeji Castle, famous as the best-preserved example of Japanese castle building, whose origins are said to date back to the building of a fort in 1333.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1518 pieces; 1020 x 340 mm (40" x 13")
Code: E18507 (18-507 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Philosopher's walk in spring

This famous path in Kyoto is named after the philosopher Kitaro Nishida who would meditate while strolling along it. The cherry trees lining the waterway provide a display surely enough to raise the springtime spirits of any philosopher...

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1518 pieces; 1020 x 340 mm (40" x 13")
Code: E18508 (18-508 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Rape flowers and cherry blossom (Ehime)

With their mellifluous Japanese name, na-no-hana, these yellow flowers have earned a place in popular songs as an emblem of the countryside in spring. They set off the pink cherry blossoms perfectly in this view near Imabari, a city facing the inland sea.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1500 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E15517 (15-517 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Springtime under steam

A steam locomotive captured among the cherry blossoms, on the Mōka line in Tochigi. Passing through a traditional cotton-growing area, this line has never been electrified, and on weekends and holidays the usual diesel railcars are replaced by this steam train.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1500 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E15531 (15-531 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch / Aflo / Minowa Masashi

Omihachiman navigation channel

Originally opened up as a route for carrying thatching reeds between Lake Biwa (the largest lake in Japan) and the small lake, Nishi-no-ko, this canal is now a favourite tourist destination, particularly in cherry-blossom season.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1500 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E15543 (15-543 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Morita Toshitaka

Thatched cottage (Hiroshima) (Morita)

An idyllic scene in late spring: this thatched cottage, with its accompanying kura (storehouse) is reflected in a newly flooded paddy field, the scene completed by a cherry in full flower and a splendid set of koinobori (carp streamers for boys' day).

The house is preserved in Bihoku Park, in Shobara (Hiroshima Prefecture).

Born 1946 in Osaka, Morita set out as a freelance scenic photographer in 1975. He has had numerous collections of his work published in book form, as well as calendars and other media, and continues a punishing schedule, spending 200 days a year tramping the Japanese archipelago for material. (Morita is his family name.)

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Apollo puzzle: 1500 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: P15111 (15-111 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

More puzzles like this one

© Apollo

Hanging cherry (Kakunodate)

Weeping cherry trees, many up to 200 years old, line the streets of the samurai area of the town of Kakunodate.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued October 2017
An Apollo puzzle: 1053 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: P47603 (47-603 on package)
Retail price ¥1800

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Itsukushima cherry blossom

The great torii, or Shinto ceremonial gateway of Itsukushima shrine seen from an unusual perspective, looking out from Miyajima to the mainland. Completed in 1875, this torii is somewhat unusually sited in the tidal part of the bay, and is famous as one of the traditional "Three sights of Japan."

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued January 2017
An Apollo puzzle: 1053 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: P47613 (47-613 on package)
Retail price ¥1800

More puzzles like this one

© Beverly

Himeji Castle

One of the best-restored castles in Japan, Himeji Castle is also known as "White Heron Castle." Here a boatload of tourists make their way along the moat.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2020
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 720 x 490 mm (28" x 19")
Code: B51213 (51-213 on package)
Retail price ¥2800

More puzzles like this one

© Beverly Enterprises

Night blossom (Takato Castle)

A striking night view of the cherry blossom inside the ruins of Takatô castle, in Nagano Prefecture. The season here, in the mountains, is from mid to late April, and although spring brings warmer weather, the nights are still long, and many sites are lit up for evening "flower-viewing" parties.

There is enough pink that this puzzle will not be the easiest (though not too much of the jet-black sky), but the result is a very striking picture.

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 490 x 720 mm (19" x 28")
Code: B71294 (71-294 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

More puzzles like this one

© Beverly Enterprises

Fuji cherry blossom

The ultimate symbols of Japan - Mt Fuji and the cherry blossom, in this view from the north, across Kawaguchi lake.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 720 x 490 mm (28" x 19")
Code: B71336 (71-336 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

More puzzles like this one

© Beverly

Fuji in spring

Cherry blossoms line this brook, with Mount Fuji towering in the background, still in its winter coat.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below Mount Fuji, the best views are from the north and east sides.

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 720 x 490 mm (28" x 19")
Code: B71375 (71-375 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

More puzzles like this one

© Masato Tsubaki

Aizu-wakamatsu Castle

Although this castle boasts a history stretching back more than 600 years, it was damaged in the Battle of Aizu — hostilities during the switch from the rule of the Shoguns to the Meiji restoration — and the main tower was destroyed by 1874. It was rebuilt (in reinforced concrete) in 1965, and finally in 2011 the black roof tiles were returned to the authentic red tiles from the time of its destruction. The castle grounds contain around a thousand cherry trees, one of which frames the view here.

The castle is in the modern city of Aizu-wakamatsu, after which it is usually named in English, but it is also known as Tsurugajô, or "Crane Castle".

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued May 2018
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 720 x 490 mm (28" x 19")
Code: B71397 (71-397 on package)
Retail price ¥2600

More puzzles like this one

© Beverly

Cherry blossom in Kyoto

Kimono-clad maiko, young traditional entertainers, cross the bridge in Gion, the preserved area of old Kyoto.

This puzzle has TINY pieces!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2020
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: BM81565 (M81-565 on package)
Retail price ¥2200

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Weeping cherry - Niigata

Weeping cherry in full bloom, pink petals dotting the surface of the stream that wends its way under the ornamental bridge. The setting is a park in Yuzawa, high in the mountains north of Tokyo - this town is famous as the location of Kawabata's novel The Snow Country. "The train came out of the long tunnel into the snow country..." (Seidensticker's translation)

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10631 (10-631S on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Cherry blossom time - Itsukushima

The great torii, or Shinto ceremonial gateway of Itsukushima shrine seen from an unusual perspective, looking out from Miyajima to the mainland. Completed in 1875, this torii is somewhat unusually sited in the tidal part of the bay, and is famous as one of the traditional "Three sights of Japan."

See also: Itsukushima - the classic view (1000 pieces) and Ama-no-hashidate (1000 pieces), one of the other "Three sights"

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10649 (10-649S on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Kintai bridge

An image of surreal colours — the pink cherry blossom blending with the pink-purple of dusk as the floodlights being to light the pillars. This bridge is a landmark of western Japan, with both red maples and cherry trees planted alongside, for gorgeous pictures in all seasons. We are told that the name Kintaikyô - or "Brocade sash bridge" - is derived from a resemblance to a kimono sash. This is pretty unconvincing, until you realise that the river under the bridge is Nishikigawa: this Nishiki is the Japanese reading for "brocade", written with the same Chinese character as the Kin in Kintai.

The bridge consists of five wooden arches: at the time it was originally built (1673), wheeled transport was almost unknown in Japan, so presumably it was not worthwhile going to the extra effort of providing a level roadway. It seems unlikely that this design would have been used in Europe at that time.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10721 (10-721 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© JTB photo

Kiyomizudera at cherry blossom time

This very famous Kyoto temple is trestled out from the side of the hill overlooking Kyoto. The original temple is said to have been founded more than 1200 years ago, but most of the present structure dates from the 1600s.

What does the name mean?

pure

water

temple

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10722 (10-722 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Morita Toshitaka

Kyoto cherry blossom (Morita)

A quiet corner of the Gion area of Kyoto provides a splendid display of cherry blossoms, and plenty of contrasting textures in the details of the historic buildings.

Born 1946 in Osaka, Morita set out as a freelance scenic photographer in 1975. He has had numerous collections of his work published in book form, as well as calendars and other media, and continues a punishing schedule, spending 200 days a year tramping the Japanese archipelago for material. (Morita is his family name.)

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10729 (10-729 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Tagami Akira

Fuji in spring

Mount Fuji in its spring coat through a mass of cherry blossom makes for a challenging puzzle!

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued October 2020
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10741 (10-741 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Goryōkaku star fort at cherry blossom time

Said to be the earliest example of a western style fortress in Japan, this castle was built in 1855 to a French design by the Tokugawa Shogunate. A park since 1914,this is a favourite location for cherry blossom viewing.

The name (五稜郭 in Japanese) means "five-pointed"; the detached triangular part in the foreground gives the impression of six points, but this is due to the extreme wide-angle perspective of the photograph.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued May 2018
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10772 (10-772 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Amanaimages

Himeji castle

Famous as the best-preserved example of Japanese castle building, the historical origins of Himeji castle are said to date back to the building of a fort in 1333. From a supposed resemblance to the outstretched wings of a bird, it is also known as "White Heron Castle."

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2020
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E10796 (10-796 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

SL Kifujin

This C57-180 steam locomotive, built in August 1946, was restored, and in 1999 started a regular tourist run on the Ban'etsu-nishi line from Niigata on the west coast to Aizu-wakamatsu; by 2002 it had carried a quarter of a million passengers. It has been given a new name - Kifujin - or "Lady", preceded by the universal Japanese abbreviation "SL" for Steam Locomotive

View the Timetable (in Japanese)

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E83182 (1000SN-182 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Road

Kyoto cherry blossom

A beautiful photograph of a beautiful hanging cherry, in the Gion-Shirakawa area of Kyoto. This puzzle will not be particularly easy (there is a lot of pink!) but the teahouses in the background provide a wonderful variety of textures. Hanging in front of the windows are sudare, the traditional reed blinds that in summer help to keep the interior from the searing Kyoto heat.

Permanently unavailable
A Road puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: RS13248 (RS-13-248 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Road

Fuji cherry blossom

The ultimate symbols of Japan - Mt Fuji and the cherry blossom. This view is from the south (Shizuoka side).

Permanently unavailable
A Road puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: RS13273 (RS-13-273 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Morita Toshitaka

Fuji floating (Morita)

Cherry blossom and a (distant) view of Mt Fuji. This is taken from Izu Peninsula to the south, looking across the bay of Numazu. Just the snowcap floats mysteriously above the spring haze.

Permanently unavailable
A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: Y101015 (10-1015 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Yanoman

Cherry avenue

This avenue runs along the bank of the Gongendô river, in the middle of the Kanto Plain, and is a famous location for cherry-blossom viewing.

This puzzle is not for beginners: the mass of pink blooms occupies about 75% of the area of the picture.

Permanently unavailable
A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: Y101016 (10-1016 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Yanoman

Cherry blossom tunnel

Steam trains still run on the Oigawa line, a private railway running from the Pacific coast mainline up into the foothills of the Southern Alps. This one is called Sakura ('Cherry'), appropriately enough, since the line is famous for the cherry trees planted on either side to form a "tunnel".

Permanently unavailable
A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: Y101129 (10-1129 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Yanoman

Kintaikyo cherry blossom

This bridge is a landmark of western Japan, with both red maples and cherry trees planted alongside, for gorgeous pictures in all seasons. We are told that the name Kintaikyô - or "Brocade sash bridge" - is derived from a resemblance to a kimono sash (see the Japan Information Network link below). This is pretty unconvincing, until you realise that the river under the bridge is Nishikigawa: this Nishiki is the Japanese reading for "brocade", written with the same Chinese character as the Kin in Kintai.

The bridge consists of five wooden arches: at the time it was originally built (1673), wheeled transport was almost unknown in Japan, so presumably it was not worthwhile going to the extra effort of providing a level roadway. It seems unlikely that this design would have been used in Europe at that time.

Matsumoto-san's excellent photographs of the bridge
Japan Information Network - some details of the bridge
Hokusai's painting (Interesting to see his perception of the stone pillars: compare my essay on walls. And for more than you ever needed to know about bridges, read J. E. Gordon.)

Also 1000 pieces: Kintaikyô in autumn

Permanently unavailable
A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: Y10937 (10-937 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Takeuchi Toshinobu

Weeping cherry (Takeuchi)

In the grounds of Kôrinji, a Buddhist temple in Nagano Prefecture, this pendulous cherry stands against a perfect backdrop of mature bamboos. Though obviously of considerable age, the tree does not fail in its annual display.

This is a beautiful photograph - the colours, while subdued, are rich, and the detail is breathtaking. Takeuchi comments that (rather than knowing about lenses and things) the key to taking photographs like this is knowing in advance where the best trees are.

The photographer, Takeuchi Toshinobu, born in 1943, is well-known as a nature photographer, and teacher. (Takeuchi is his family name.)

Technical details: Zenza Bronica GS-1 Zenzanon PG 250 mm, 1/4sec f/22, Fujichrome Velvia; polarising filter and tripod

Permanently unavailable
A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: Y10975 (10-975 on package)
Retail price ¥2800

More puzzles like this one

© Yanoman

Philosopher's walk in spring

This famous path in Kyoto is named after the philosopher Kitaro Nishida who would meditate while strolling along it. The cherry trees lining the waterway provide a display surely enough to raise the springtime spirits of any philosopher...

Permanently unavailable
A Yanoman puzzle: 954 pieces; 1020 x 340 mm (40" x 13")
Code: Y0928 (09-28 on package)
Retail price ¥2500

More puzzles like this one

© Yanoman

Cherry pink

Hirosaki Castle, in northern Japan, is famous for its cherry trees, the first of which are said to have been brought from Kyoto in 1715. These trees overhang the moat like pink clouds over a pink sea - making what is surely the puzzle for lovers of cherry blossom.

Economy packaging (glue not included)

Permanently unavailable
A Yanoman puzzle: 954 pieces; 1020 x 340 mm (40" x 13")
Code: Y0930 (09-30 on package)
Retail price ¥2200

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Ninna-ji temple

This temple is famed for its collection of 200 or so cherry trees, here seen in full bloom. Originally founded in 888, most of the buildings in the Ninna-ji precinct date from the seventeenth century.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued November 2017
An Epoch puzzle: 759 pieces; 530 x 380 mm (21" x 15")
Code: E57503 (57-503 on package)
Retail price ¥1600

More puzzles like this one

© JTP photo

Sanneizaka

In a quaint corner of Kyoto, these steps are part of the passage called Sanneizaka. There are various theories for the origin of the name, but the most prominent one (based on the characters used to write the name today) is that it refers to a prayer for safe childbirth.

The cherry blossoms and traditional roof tiles provide an exquisite combination of textures for this puzzle.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 759 pieces; 380 x 530 mm (15" x 21")
Code: E57504 (57-504 on package)
Retail price ¥1600

More puzzles like this one

© Yoshikazu Onishi

Shirakawa cherry blossom

Cherry blossom by a country cottage in the traditional style of the Japan Alps (in the famous preserved village of Shirakawa-go).

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued September 2019
An Apollo puzzle: 600 pieces; 260 x 380 mm (10" x 15")
Code: P47202 (47-202 on package)
Retail price ¥1600

More puzzles like this one

© Apollo

Hirosaki castle moat

The moat of Hirosaki Castle, in northern Japan, overhung with its famous cherry trees, the first of which are said to have been brought from Kyoto in 1715.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued April 2018
An Apollo puzzle: 600 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: P47205 (47-205 on package)
Retail price ¥1600

More puzzles like this one

© Beverly Enterprises

Magome post town in spring

Magome is the forty-third station on the old Nakasendo route (counting from Tokyo), and together with the forty-second (Tsumago) has been restored as a historical monument. It is easy to imagine how daunting this slope would have looked to travellers of centuries past, being the start of many uphill days.

The richly-varied textures will make this an enjoyable, and never tedious puzzle.

Permanently unavailable
Not available
A Beverly puzzle: 500 pieces; 490 x 360 mm (19" x 14")
Code: B75257 (75-257 on package)
Retail price ¥1600

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Sanneizaka

In a quaint corner of Kyoto, these steps are part of the passage called Sanneizaka. There are various theories for the origin of the name, but the most prominent one (based on the characters used to write the name today) is that it refers to a prayer for safe childbirth.

The cherry blossoms and traditional roof tiles provide an exquisite combination of textures for this puzzle.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2020
An Epoch puzzle: 500 pieces; 380 x 530 mm (15" x 21")
Code: E05098 (05-098 on package)
Retail price ¥1600

More puzzles like this one

© Apollo

Fuji cherry blossom

The ultimate symbols of Japan - Mt Fuji and the cherry blossom, in this view from the north, across Kawaguchi lake.

As Mount Olympus was the home of the Greek gods, so Mt. Fuji (3776 metres above sea level) has its place as the symbol of Japan. Although most popular tourist pictures show the view from the south, with the bullet train passing below the mountain, the best views are from the north and east sides.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Apollo puzzle: 450 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: P46203 (46-203 on package)
Retail price ¥1200

More puzzles like this one

© Takashi Sato

Cherry avenue

This avenue runs along the bank of the Gongendô river, in the middle of the Kanto Plain, and is a famous location for cherry-blossom viewing.

This will not be an easy puzzle - more than half of the area of the picture is occupied by the mass of pink blooms.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Apollo puzzle: 450 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: P46204 (46-204 on package)
Retail price ¥1200

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© Apollo-sha

Kintai bridge with cherry blossom

This bridge is a landmark of western Japan, with both red maples and cherry trees planted alongside, for gorgeous pictures in all seasons. The name of the river is Nishikigawa, or "Brocade river", and the name of this bridge suggests it is like the sash of a kimono.

The bridge consists of five wooden arches: at the time it was originally built (1673), wheeled transport was almost unknown in Japan, so presumably it was not worthwhile going to the extra effort of providing a level roadway. It seems unlikely that this design would have been used in Europe at that time.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued June 2017
An Apollo puzzle: 450 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: P46217 (46-217 on package)
Retail price ¥1200

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© Epoch

Mount fuji with bullet train

The iconic shot of modern Japan: the "bullet train" (Shinkansen) passing below Mount Fuji. This is the N700, the version introduced in 2007, cutting the journey time between Tokyo and Osaka to under two-and-a-half hours.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued February 2019
An Epoch puzzle: 420 pieces; 515 x 182 mm (20" x 7")
Code: E52144 (52-144 on package)
Retail price ¥1800

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© Beverly

Cherry blossom in Kyoto

Kimono-clad figures cross the bridge in Gion, the traditional area of Kyoto.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued February 2018
A Beverly puzzle: 300 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: B33111 (33-111 on package)
Retail price ¥1500

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© Beverly Enterprises

Kintaikyo - cherry blossom

This bridge is a landmark of western Japan, with both red maples and cherry trees planted alongside, for gorgeous pictures in all seasons. We are told that the name Kintaikyô - or "Brocade sash bridge" - is derived from a resemblance to a kimono sash. This is pretty unconvincing, until you realise that the river under the bridge is Nishikigawa: this Nishiki is the Japanese reading for "brocade", written with the same Chinese character as the Kin in Kintai.

The bridge consists of five wooden arches: at the time it was originally built (1673), wheeled transport was almost unknown in Japan, so presumably it was not worthwhile going to the extra effort of providing a level roadway. It seems unlikely that this design would have been used in Europe at that time.

Matsumoto-san's excellent photographs of the bridge (in Japanese)
Hokusai's painting (Interesting to see his perception of the stone pillars: compare my essay on walls. And for more than you ever needed to know about bridges, read J. E. Gordon.)

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 300 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: B73153 (73-153 on package)
Retail price ¥1200

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© Beverly Enterprises

Kuonji - weeping cherry

Kuonji is a historically important temple, dating back to 1281, in central Japan—just a valley to the west of Mount Fuji. The weeping cherry must be of a considerable age too, standing almost as high at the main building.

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 300 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: B73154 (73-154 on package)
Retail price ¥1200

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© Beverly Enterprises

Matsumoto Castle with cherry blossom

Matsumoto, high in the Japan Alps, has one of the best-preserved castles in Japan. Here we see it perfectly framed by cherry blossom.

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 300 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: B73159 (73-159 on package)
Retail price ¥1200

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© Beverly Enterprises

Cherry avenue

This avenue runs along the bank of the Gongendô river, in the middle of the Kanto Plain, and is a famous location for cherry-blossom viewing.

This will not be an easy puzzle—around 80% of the area of the picture is occupied by the mass of pink blooms.

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 300 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: B73160 (73-160 on package)
Retail price ¥1200

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© Yuji Higashida

Kiyomizudera cherry blossom

This very famous Kyoto temple is trestled out from the side of the hill overlooking Kyoto. The original temple is said to have been founded more than 1200 years ago, but most of the present structure dates from the 1600s.

What does the name mean?

pure

water

temple

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 300 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: B73178 (73-178 on package)
Retail price ¥1200

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© Apollo-sha

Heian shrine cherry blossom

A classic view of the Kihin-kan ("guest residence") in the gardens of the Heian shrine in Kyoto. This site was built relatively recently, in 1895, on the site of the Emperor's palace in Kyoto, commemorating 1100 years since the capital moved there from Nara.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued March 2018
An Apollo puzzle: 300 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: P48641 (48-641 on package)
Retail price ¥1200

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