Cherry blossoms aren't the only blooms in season. Here are the most beautiful spring flowers to see in Greater Tokyo
The enduring icon of spring in Japan, cherry blossoms are practically synonymous with the country itself, attracting hordes of admirers from across the world every season. While cherry blossoms generally flower in late March, they usually last no longer than a couple of weeks.
So if you missed the cherry trees at peak bloom, fret not – there are lots of other spring flowers you can find that are just as beautiful in their own way. And the best part is, there’s always something putting out its petals in Tokyo during spring, from late March right through to May.
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When to see them: usually end of March through to April
When we think of tulips, we usually associate them with the Netherlands, calling to mind football fields of colourful flowers set against a picturesque backdrop of windmills. Well, good news: you can also find this highly photogenic scene in Greater Tokyo, right down to the windmill.
Every year, the Sakura Furusato Square in Chiba hosts the Kanto region’s largest tulip festival. Here you’ll find more than 550,000 blooms of 80 different tulip types, complete with a Dutch-style windmill in the background for an added touch of authenticity.
March 27 to April 21
Showa Kinen Park in Tachikawa is famous for its year-round beautiful flowers. A visit in spring lets you enjoy its massive tulip garden with about 250,000 tulips of 267 varieties. Set amid lush nature, some of the flower beds feature flowing streams, which add to the appeal of the picture-perfect landscape.
Throughout April
When to see them: usually mid-April to mid-May
Wisteria vines produce gorgeous pastel coloured flowers that resemble dripping beads, so they're often grown on trellises or formed into a tunnel. It creates a fairy tale-like experience as you walk under the hanging violet, blue, pink or white blooms.
Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi prefecture is one of the top destinations in Japan for wisteria. About 350 bushes bloom from mid-April to mid-May, but keep an eye out for the 160-year-old plant, which features hundreds of wisteria blooms dangling from a massive construct of wooden trellises. Come nighttime, the huge, mature tree is lit up and its reflection on the water’s surface is stunning. You'll also find a variety of wisteria tunnels in the park, which are fun to walk through.
April 13 to May 15
For a more relaxed wisteria excursion, head towards Tokyo’s Chofu area, where the huge Jindai Botanical Garden is home to a large selection of flowers. The end of April through to May sees about 50 wisteria plants of 13 different kinds in bloom, including those on an 85m-long and 5.8m-wide trellis that’s home to white and violet blossoms.
End-April to early May
When to see them: usually from mid-April to early May
Nemophila or ‘baby blue eyes’ are small blue flowers which are actually considered a herb. The plant grows close to the ground, and in spring, countless flowers turn entire areas into a sea of gorgeous blue underfoot.
Showa Kinen Park in Tokyo’s Tachikawa neighbourhood is a wonderful spot to view these tiny blue flowers. The ¥450 entry not only gives you access to the nemophila, but other seasonal flowers as well, including tulips and cherry blossoms.
The baby blue eyes are spread across a small hill opposite the tulip fields and they’re surrounded by lush nature. The area may not be as large as some of the other nemophila spots in Japan, but the fact that this park is within Tokyo makes it a convenient option for those with limited time.
Mid-April to early May
One of the most popular spots to catch a sea of baby blue eyes is Hitachi Seaside Park up in Ibaraki prefecture. The park is approximately 85 minutes by express train (plus an additional 15-minute bus ride) from Shinagawa Station and it’s home to a number of different flowers including narcissus, tulips, poppies and sunflowers (they each bloom at different times).
Here you’ll find roughly 5.3 million nemophila flowers during the season and they run up rolling hills, making for beautiful scenery against the clear blue sky and the nearby ocean.
Mid-April to early May
Usually from mid-April to late May
Moss phlox, or shibazakura, is a beautiful, low-growing, creeping evergreen that turns into a giant floral carpet during the flowering season. While pink is common, the fragrant flowers can also be found in bright colours including white, light purple and white with pink stripes, which are neatly groomed and landscaped in spring.
Located about 80 minutes from Ikebukuro Station via the Seibu Railway express train, Chichibu Hitsujiyama Park in Saitama hosts an annual Shibazakura Festival. The park is known for its perfectly manicured shibazakura, groomed into many different shapes, over the roughly 1.8-hectare area. There are around 400,000 shibazakura here in nine different cultivars, with colours ranging from white and pink to blue.
April 5 to May 6
Another stunning spot to catch these flowers is at the Fuji Shibazakura Festival near Lake Motosu in Yamanashi prefecture. On clear days, you’ll be able to get a glimpse of these beautiful flowers with Mt Fuji as a backdrop. The area features 500,000 shibazakura in eight different varieties over the spacious 1.5-hectare area.
The festival is scheduled for April 13 to May 26 this year and it’s an approximately two-hour train ride from Shinjuku Station.
April 13 to May 26
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