Spring is a beautiful season, it marks the start of a new beginning just like the many kinds of flowers that start blooming. When the season of spring commence, we also start to pick up the slack that the winter and snowy season installed in us. The moderated climate temperature gives us enough strength to explore and discover new things within ourselves and around us.
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Spring falls on the months of March to May in Japan and many kinds of beautiful flowers are in bloom. There are many places and parks in and around Tokyo where various species of flowers can be observed and spring can be enjoyed.
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Showa Kinen Park
国営昭和記念公園 Kokuei Shōwa Kinen Kōen comprises of 163.0 hectares of completed area where people can enjoy a leisure walk through spacious lawns while admiring the tranquility of nature and viewing the beautiful flowers.
An open field area is located at the center of the park where visitors can play sports like frisbee, set-up mats for picnics or just relax. There is also a playground with a giant trampoline, hammocks, slides, and swings where visitors of all ages can play. The park also has cycling paths, although personal bicycles are not allowed inside the park as there are bicycles that can be rented in the park. Visitors who love water can also enjoy boating in the waterfowl lake and during summer, the park opens the Rainbow Pool, which features a running water pool, waterfall pool, monument pool, adventure pool, wave pool and water slides.
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| Contact Info: | Address: 3173 Midori-cho Tachikawa City, Tokyo 〒190-0014 Telephone: 042-528-1751 Website: www.showakinenpark.co.jp |
| Park Hours: | Jan – Oct: 9:30 to 17:00 Nov – Dec: 9:30 to 16:30 |
| Admission: | General Groups Adult: ¥400 Adult: ¥280 Child (6-15): ¥80 Child (6-15): ¥50 over 65: ¥200 over 65: ¥200 |
Hitsujiyama Park (Shibazakura Hill)
The 1.76 hectares Shibazakura Hill is a beautiful sightseeing spot in Hitsujiyama park. It is covered with 9 varieties and more than 400,000 shibazakura plants (moss phlox or phlox subalata) which are at full bloom from early April to early May. The five-petaled shibazakura flowers bloom in rose, blue, white, pink, or pale lavender-lilac colors.
Several food stalls are also available around the hill where hungry and thirsty visitors can satisfy themselves. The grassy and tree covered area is also a perfect spot for picnic where visitor can enjoy the leisurely flow of time amidst the calming nature while admiring the exquisite carpet of pink moss.
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| Contact Info: | Address: 6267 Omiya, Chichibu City, Saitama Telephone: 049-421-2277 Website: www.chichibuji.gr.jp (Japanese only) |
| Viewing Dates: | April 5 – May 6, 2013 08:00 – 17:00 |
| Admission: | ¥300 |
Hitachi Seaside Park
The park is located in the Hitachinaka, Ibaraki prefecture, Japan, next to the Ajigaura Beach and covers around 190 hectares of recreation area. The “Miharashi No Oka” hill, with an area of 3.5 hectares, is one of the popular destination in the park as it is filled with a different variety of flowers for each season. It is specially popular during the month of April because of the Nemophila Harmony where 4.5 million blue nemophilas bloom all over the hill.
Other than the “Miharashi No Oka” hill, other flower gardens includes: Suisen Garden where Daffodils blooms from late March to mid April, “Tamago no Mori” Flower Garden where tulips blooms from mid to late April, Chuo Flower Garden which is filled with poppies in spring and cosmoses in autumn, Daisogen Flower Garden filled with tenderstems in spring and ginnias in summer, Rose garden with the queen of flowers blossoming in early summer and autumn, Sakyu Garden planted with herbs and coastal flowers, and the “Kaori no Tani” planted with different herbs which includes lavander and rosemary.
The park also offers various activities like BMX courses, cycling courses, seaside train, rinkan athletics, disk golf area, and the popular theme park with the Giant Ferris Wheel. Numerous gourmet choices are also available within the park.
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| Contact Info: | Address: 605-4 Onuma-aza, Mawatari, Hitachinaka-city, Ibaraki 〒312-0012 Telephone: (Park) 029-265-9001 (BBQ Area Reservation) 029-265-9002 Website: www.hitachikaihin.go.jp |
| Park Hours: | Mar 1 – Jul 20; Sep 1 – Oct 31 > 9:30 – 17:00 Jul 21 – Aug 31 > 9:30 – 18:00 Nov 1 – Feb 28 > 9:30 – 16:30 *Closed on Mondays |
| Admission: | General Groups Adult: ¥400 Adult: ¥280 Child (7-14): ¥80 Child (7-14): ¥50 over 65: ¥200 over 65: ¥200 |