8 best places to see glorious sunflowers in and near Tokyo

While spring may be the best time to see cherry blossoms, tulips and wisteria, summer is when himawari (sunflowers) get their time to shine. You’ll find a number of sprawling fields in and around Greater Tokyo, where you can stroll through rows and rows of yellow sunflowers, eat sunflower-themed food, and even enjoy a sunflower maze. 

The best time to see the flowers is from July through to the end of August, but some late blooming varieties will still be around in September. Here are our top sunflower spots to check out this summer. 

Showa Kinen Park, Tokyo

This massive park in Tachikawa is where you can enjoy a unique hybrid species of sunflowers known as ​​Asteraceae. The park also has a flourishing section of Sunfinity sunflowers. Currently, the flowers have yet to bloom, but you can keep up with the flowering status here. 

Ishii Farm Kiyose, Tokyo

Featuring 100,000 bright yellow himawari, the Kiyose Sunflower Festival takes place from August 6 to 13 on the outskirts of Tokyo. This expansive sunflower field, roughly 24,000 square meters in size, is used every summer by local farmers to grow sunflowers as a natural fertiliser for agricultural produce. Take in the spectacular scenery of towering sunflowers while supporting local farmers by purchasing fresh local vegetables and cut flowers sold at the venue.

Akebonoyama Agricultural Park, Chiba

This gorgeous agricultural park in Kashiwa city is home to approximately 80,000 sunflowers, which bloom from mid- to late July. The park is hosting a summer festival on July 21, so stop by and enjoy the flowers in full bloom. Admission and parking are both free. Plus, you can also pick up a number of original items on sale, including wind chimes and picture books. For the latest flowering status, check here.

Sakura Furusato Square, Chiba

Enjoy expansive fields of sunflowers along with a picturesque Dutch windmill at Sakura Furusato Square. The grounds will be open from July 6 to 21 with approximately 15,000 sunflowers in bloom. There are multiple types of sunflower here including the popular Vincent’s Choice, named after the late painter Vincent van Gogh, whose sunflower paintings are famous around the world. Entry is free and you can check on the flowering status here. 

Yokosuka Soleil Hill, Kanagawa

The fields of sunflowers at this park in Yokosuka is always a stunner. The seaside park boasts 100,000 sunflowers from mid-July to August, and on clear days, you might even spot Mt Fuji in the distance over Sagami Bay. There’s also sunflower themed food and drinks to enjoy between July 20 and August 25. 

Narita Dream Farm, Chiba

Enjoy two varieties of sunflowers at this gorgeous ranch out in Narita, where approximately 100,000 sunflowers are in bloom from early July to early September. You can enter the sunflower area for ¥300 in addition to the ¥1,600 ranch entry fee. Flowers have yet to bloom, but you can keep up with the latest blooming status here. 

Endo Farm in Saitama is home to brilliant sunflower fields as well as a bee farm that makes fresh honey from the sunflowers. At peak bloom, the field sees approximately 1 million sunflowers across ten different areas. There's even a sunflower maze. The area is free to enter and you can also pick up some honey before you leave. To see the current status of the flowers, visit here.

Akeno Himawari Festival, Ibaraki

The Akeno Himawari Festival in Ibaraki prefecture sits on a sprawling four hectares of land and boasts about 1 million sunflowers, complete with a spectacular view of Mt Tsukuba in the background. The flowers here bloom a bit later in summer – the festival begins on August 24 and runs until September 1.

Entry to the festival is free, but do note there is a charge of ¥500 per car if you are parking on site. For the current status of the flowers, visit here.

This article was originally published on August 12 2021, and updated on July 2 2024.

More from Time Out Tokyo

3 Tanabata festivals to check out in Tokyo this July 5-7 weekend

What you need to know about Japan’s new yen notes

The life-size Gundam from Yokohama is moving to Osaka Expo 2025

Find nursing rooms and diaper stations across Japan with Mama Papa Map

Japan considers raising prices to counter over-tourism and weak yen

Want to be the first to know what’s cool in Tokyo? Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates from Tokyo and Japan.