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Spring is here, the flowers are blooming, and many of us are excited to spend more time in the great outdoors again. Cherry blossoms may get all the love and attention this season, but there are still a host of other flowers blooming all across Greater Tokyo. And you can see all of them at this two-month-long event in Yokohama.
Happening from March 27 to June 13, the annual Garden Necklace highlights some of Yokohama’s most impressive flower gardens and parks, where you’ll find beautiful spring florals like cherry blossoms, tulips, roses and lilies. All the venues under this event are free to visit, except for the Yokohama English Garden, which has an admission fee of ¥700 to ¥1,200 (¥300-¥600 for children) depending on the week.
In addition to flower viewing, this year’s event has also set up photo spots outside Shin-Yokohama Station as well as around the Sankaku Bridge at Shin-Yokohama Ekimae Park. There will also be evening photo spots at the central fountain in Yamashita Park, which will be lit up after dark from May 8 to 23.
Here’s the breakdown of Garden Necklace Yokohama: what flowers are blooming when and where you can see them.
Cherry blossoms
Where: Sakura-dori, Kisha-michi Bridge, Ooka River, Motomachi Park
When: End of March to early April
Garden Necklace kicks off at Sakura-dori, a street that gets its name from the 100 someiyoshino sakura trees that grow along it. If you visit during peak bloom, you’ll be able to enjoy the pink blossoms from the starting point at Sakuragicho Station all the way to Yokohama Landmark tower and further until Pacifico Yokohama.
Moreover, the cherry trees along the Ooka River (between Kannon Bridge and Idogaya Bridge) will be lit up in the evening from March 26 to April 11. There are also cherry blossoms to be found at Kisha-michi Bridge and Motomachi Park.
Tulips
Where: Yokohama Park, Nihon Odori, Shinko Central Square, Yamashita Park
When: Early to mid-April
Visit Yokohama Park in April to see a whopping 120,000 red, pink, orange and yellow tulips. You should also make your way to Nihon Odori, Shinko Central Square and Yamashita Park to see even more gorgeous scenery of tulips in bloom.
Roses
Where: Yamashita Park, Minato-no-mieru-oka Park, Yamate Italian Garden, Yokohama Yamate Western Pavillion, Yokohama English Garden, Hakkeijima Rose Garden
When: Early to end-May
Enjoy walking through Yamashita Park, which has around 1,900 roses across 160 species at its Future Rose Garden. You should also visit Minato-no-mieru-oka Park for the impressive collection of roses in its three gardens. Don’t miss the Scented Garden, where you can walk through a tunnel of roses and compare the scent of the different species.
Lilies
Where: Nihon-odori, Shinko Central Square
When: Mid-May to end-June
Though they may not grow as widely as the abovementioned flowers, lilies are still a common sight in Yokohama. You can see them blooming along the roads as the weather gets warmer.
Satoyama Garden
When: March 27 to May 9
Satoyama Garden’s annual spring celebration will decorate its 10,000sqm grounds with a colourful variety of blooms. The pastel-coloured flower field will feature pansies, violas and nemophilas in addition to tulips and cherry blossoms.
The Welcome Garden at the entrance, on the other hand, will be designed by famous actor and ambassador of Satoyama Garden, Masashi Mikami. Here you’ll find various edible flowers, veggies and herbs.
Satoyama Garden will be open from 9.30am to 4.30pm daily and is free to visit.
For more information, see Garden Necklace Yokohama's event website.
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