The “Mint Bureau Sakura Passageway” is a major event that marks the end of Osaka’s cherry blossom season. This year, it will be held for seven days from Friday, April 7th to Thursday, April 13th. It has been selected as one of the “Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots in Japan,” and about 340 cherry trees of approximately 140 varieties, centered on late-blooming double-flowered cherry trees, bloom over approximately 560 meters within the Mint Bureau grounds. The area around the Mint Bureau has long been famous as a scenic spot, and the riverside of the nearby Ogawa River (formerly the Yodo River) has been likened to the Seine in Paris. It is bustling with activity throughout the four seasons, such as cherry blossoms in spring, boat rides to cool off in summer, and the moon in autumn. Especially in spring, the cherry blossoms are famous, and it is said that the entire area was filled with blooming cherry trees, suitable for being called “Sakuranomiya” on the opposite bank. The cherry trees at the Mint Bureau were transplanted from the storehouse of the Todo clan at the beginning of the Meiji era, and not only were there many varieties, but also rare local cherry trees that could not be seen elsewhere were collected. In 1883, the then director of the Mint Bureau, Kinjiro Endo, proposed, “It’s a waste to have only the employees enjoy the cherry blossoms. Let’s enjoy them together with the citizens of Osaka.” And thus, for a few days during full bloom, the riverside within the grounds was opened for one-way passage.

「造幣局の通り抜け」は大阪のさくらシーズンを締め括る一大イベントです。今年は４月７日（金曜日）から４月13日（木曜日）までの7日間開催されます。「日本さくら名所100選」にも選定され、造幣局構内には約560mにわたり、遅咲きの八重桜を中心に約140種・約340本の桜が咲き誇ります。造幣局の辺りは、昔から景勝の地として名高く、前を流れる大川(旧淀川)河畔はパリのセーヌ河畔になぞらえられます。春は桜、夏は涼み舟、秋は月など四季折々のにぎわいを見せ、特に春の桜は有名で、対岸を桜ノ宮と呼ぶにふさわしく、この地一帯に桜が咲き乱れていたと言われています。造幣局の桜は、明治の初めに藤堂藩の蔵屋敷から移植され、品種が多いばかりでなく、他では見られない珍しい里桜が集められていました。明治16年（1883年）、当時の造幣局長　遠藤謹助が「局員だけの観桜ではもったいない。大阪市民の皆さん方と共に楽しもうではないか。」と発案し、満開時の数日間構内川岸を開放して一方通行による通り抜けが始まりました。