Flowers are wildly popular in Japan. The plants mimic the season and signify the change in the year.
Flower viewing, also known as hanami in Japanese, has been a past time activity since as early as the
Nara Period. Even though it has become synonymous with cherry blossoms it is not limited to it.
Cherry blossoms are the most popular in Japan, but there are still many more that are worth seeing.
Back then plum blossoms were the choice flower to view when it was season, but later changed. Pink
Moss known as shibazakura in Japanese has been referred to as ground cherry blossoms and there
is a popular festival that happens near the Fuji Five Lakes that features them. Wisterias have made
their impact too and one of the best places to see them is at the Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi
Prefecture.
In Hokkaido there are two types of flowers that bloom around the same and have large fields
dedicated to them. Fields of sunflowers and lavender can be seen in the summer months and is a
good escape from the humidity of the mainland. There are many more flower parks with their
specialty focus like the Hitachi Seaside Park where you can see thousands of baby blue eyes. Aside
from those there are irises, hydrangea, roses, tulips, and many more to see in Japan.
Before the Heian Period the plum (Ume) tree was the center for hanami (flower viewing) until it changed to cherry blossoms. The flower usually starts blooming in February and continues until March.
Kyushu | Fukuoka | Dazaifu
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine
A Shinto Shrine dedicated to Sugawara Michizane who was associated to Tenjin, the god of education
Kanto | Ibaraki | Mito
Kairakuen Garden
Kairakuen garden is one of the three most beautiful landscape gardens in Japan.
Chubu | Shizuoka | Izu Peninsula
Atami Plum Garden Festival
The Atami Plum Garden Festival is annually held from mid- January to early March with thousands of visitors attending the festivities.
Kanto | Tokyo | Central Tokyo
Koishikawa Korakuen Garden
Koishikawa Korakuen is one of the best and oldest Japanese gardens in Tokyo.
Kanto | Saitama | Chichibu
Hitsujiyama Park
Hitsujiyama Park has a field of about 400,000 shibazakura (moss phlox) on their grounds.
Hokkaido | Takinoue
Takinoue Koen Park Shibazakura Festival
Shibazakura is not a rare flower in Hokkaido. There are some places which are only famous for this beautiful flower and one of them is the Takinoue Park.
Chubu | Yamanashi | Mt Fuji
Fuji Shibazakura Matsuri
Fuji Shibazakura Festival is a 1 ½ month long celebration that usually starts mid-April to the end of May.
Hokkaido | Abashiri
Higashimokoto Moss Pink Park
Higashimokoto Moss Pink Park is located south of Abashiri City and is a mountain slope that is covered in moss pink from early May to early June.
Kanto | Ibaraki | Hitachinaka
Baby Blue Eyes Flowers at Hitachi Seaside Park
Hitachi Seaside Park is known for the 4.5 million baby blue eye flowers that bloom in the spring.
Kyushu | Fukuoka | Kitakyushu
Kawachi Fujien (Wisteria Garden)
A private garden located in central Kitakyushu famous for wisteria flowers.
Kanto | Tochigi | Ashikaga
Ashikaga Flower Park
Ashikaga Flower Park is one of the best places to see wisteria, which are called fuji in Japanese.
Kanto | Kanagawa | Hakone
Hydrangea (Ajisai) in Hakone
Hakone has hot springs, beautiful nature, Lake Ashi, and amazing views of Mount Fuji in the distance.
Lavender has been cultivated in Hokkaido for over half a century. It usually blooms from mid-July to mid-August. The best place to see the field of lavender is in Furano at Farm Tomita where it covers 14 hectares.
Hokkaido | Furano
Lavender in Furano
Expansive Lavender fields in Furano are a popular sight for tourists visiting the city.
Hokkaido | Biei
Lavender in Biei
One of the best places to see fields full of Lavender and other flowers.
