This river used to be part of a much bigger one. Toyama prefecture's account is that the Matsukawa is what was left of the Jinzu river's old meandering course after the channel was fixed in its present line in 1921. The water that stayed behind runs through the middle of the city, past the north side of the castle grounds, and about five hundred and thirty cherry trees stand along it.

The flowering comes from the end of March into the first days of April, which in Toyama is early enough that the mountains behind the city still carry snow.

The banks have been laid out as a sculpture park, with twenty-eight works set along the walk, so the trees share the path with bronze, and in April the sculptures spend a fortnight being overlooked.

There is also a boat. It runs the length of the water and passes under seven bridges, and because the bridges sit low, the light goes out over your head at each one and comes back as blossom on the far side. At present the banks are being rebuilt: the Noto peninsula earthquake damaged the revetment and major repair work is under way. A river left behind by one engineering project is now being worked on by another, a century later.