Showa Kinen Park Flower Festival 2018

The flower festival at Showa Memorial Park ((昭和記念公園) starts in late March when the cherry trees start blooming and it continues until late May when the water lilies, and other flowers come into season. The flower festival inlcudes cherry blossoms (sakura), rape seeds, tulips, nemophila, poppies, and daffodils among others.

2018 Season: March 24 – May 27, 2018
Free Entrance on:
April 29 – Showa Day
May 5 – Children’s Day
May 15 – City Greenery Promotion Campaign in Spring


04/07/2018: The cherry blossom season in the park was over while the rape seeds and tulips were at their best.

The Tulip Garden with tulips of different varieties and colors.

Continue reading Showa Kinen Park Flower Festival 2018

Sakura 2018: Osaka Castle

Visit Date: 04/01/2018

Osaka Castle is one of Japan’s most famous landmarks with its nine-storied fortress and has large golden sea creature ornaments shining on the rooftop.

Aside from its architecture and history, the castle is also popular during cherry blossom season for its long avenue cherry tree. The castle park covers about two square kilometers possess about 600 cherry trees which indeed provides a place of recreation and relaxation in the center of the city.

Five-tiered donjon standing majestically.

Continue reading Sakura 2018: Osaka Castle

Japan Flower Festival 2018

The spring season in Japan means it is the time for flower viewing. Here are some of the flower festivals held in the country.

Hitachi Seaside Park Flowering 2015Hitachi Seaside Park Flowering 2018
March 24 to May 18, 2018

The 190 hectares park features variety of plants and flowers all year round making it a good destination not only during spring but the rest of the seasons.

Continue reading Japan Flower Festival 2018

Sakura 2018: Showa Kinen Park

Visit Date: 03/27/2018 (Best Time: early to mid April)

Showa Kinen Park is one of the largest park in Tokyo and also one of the best hanami spot with its 1,500 cherry trees and spacious lawns. There are 2 best cherry blossoms areas in the park: one is in the Flower Tree Garden which is located to the east of Waterfowl Lake near the Nishi-Tachikawa Gate and the other is to the west of “Open Field”.

Majority of the trees has just started to blossom and thanks to the warm and sunny weather through out the week, these flowers might be in full bloom by the weekend.

Lovely cherry flowers are progressively blooming along the dry canal.

Continue reading Sakura 2018: Showa Kinen Park

Sakura 2018: Shinjuku Gyoen

Visit Date: 03/26/2018 (Best Time: early to mid April)

Shinjuku Gyoen (新宿御苑) is one of the most popular parks in Tokyo as it is just about 1.5 kilometers or a short 20 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station. It provides a relaxing and tranquil atmosphere in the center of the busy city.

The park has a large variety of cherry trees that typically bloom at different times which lead to the park’s relatively long viewing period. After another warm weekend, most of the Somei Yoshino has reached full bloom and with a warm and mostly sunny forecast ahead this week, the blossoms should be at their best viewing all week and likely into next weekend (pending any inclement weather).

Beautiful landscape of colors viewed from the middle pond.

Continue reading Sakura 2018: Shinjuku Gyoen