Spring will soon be here, bringing with it Tokyo’s cherry blossom season. However, sakura are not the only spring flowers that turn people on the streets into Instagram-photographers. Another floral highlight at this time of year are tulips, with the Kanto region’s largest fields found in Tokyo’s neighbouring Chiba prefecture.
The annual Sakura Tulip Festa at Sakura City’s Sakura Furusato Square takes place from March 29 to April 23. You can look forward to 550,000 flowers of 80 different tulip varieties, complete with a Dutch-style windmill for that perfect photo. There will also be street organ performances every Saturday and Sunday at 10am, 11am, 2pm and 3pm.
If you’d like to grow your own tulips at home, make a beeline for the designated field to pick your favourite flowers. You’ll have to dig out the entire plant with its bulb, so make sure to wear some sturdy shoes that can handle getting muddy. Ten tulip plants cost just ¥500.
It’s easy to spend an entire day here as the festival features food trucks and stalls run by local restaurants. Plus, you can go on a sightseeing cruise across the adjacent Lake Inbanuma, from where you can enjoy panoramic views of the festival grounds. The boat ride takes about 40 minutes and runs eight times a day on Saturdays and Sundays. The boat departs at 9.30am, 10am, 10.50am, 11.20am, 12.40pm, 1.10pm, 2pm and 2.30pm. A ticket will set you back ¥1,000 (children ¥500).
Sakura is just under an hour from Keisei-Ueno Station on the Keisei Main line. From Keisei-Sakura Station's north exit, you can take the Chiba Green bus to Sakura Furusato Square for ¥220 one way. The bus timetable is on the festival website.
Entry to the Sakura Tulip Festa is free. For more information, check the event website.
This article was published on March 24 2022 and updated on March 7 2023.
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