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From fields of colourful tulips to a sea of blue nemophila, the sprawling Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki has something to see every season. In summer, the park starts growing kochia, or summer cypress. These fluffy little bushes look like something out of a Dr Seuss book.
明日から紅葉見頃を迎えるコキアたち。1日の中でも、時間帯によって様々な表情を見せてくれます。朝のさわやかなコキア、夕日に照らされるコキアも魅力的です。#ひたち海浜公園 #hitachiseasidepark #みはらしの丘 #kochia #コキア成長日記 #まもなく #紅葉見頃 pic.twitter.com/Mh2DBgcbn8
Currently, there are approximately 33,000 kochia bushes growing at the park’s Miharashi no Oka Hill area, covering roughly 1.9 hectares.
During summer, the bushes are in a fresh, vibrant green colour, but come autumn, they'll turn brilliant red.
These 'fur balls' have just started to change colour. The best time to see them in their full red glory is from now to mid-October. Later into the month, they'll start to take on a dusty golden hue.
You can keep tabs on this year’s kochia colours via Hitachi Seaside Park’s website. The park is roughly two hours from Tokyo Station. See the park’s website for information on how to get there.
This article was published on August 18 and updated on October 11.
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