Both the Japanese people and foreign travelers head over to Japan during Spring Season, hoping to catch sight of the enthralling displays of the Cherry Blossoms. While the Sakura Season is widely-celebrated across the country, one should know that these delicate pink flowers are not the only ones that come alive in color and exhibit the beauty of nature during Spring Season.
Below, we round up the most stunning flowers (and festivals) in Tokyo that one should not miss out on:
Sakura Tulip Festa
The Sakura Tulip Festa is the biggest tulip festival around Tokyo that features 70 kinds and over 600,000 colorful tulips. The biggest field of these colorful and adorable flowers can be visited in Kanto area, and can be reached in just an hour from central Tokyo. If you'd like to enjoy the vast view of these blooms, then it's best to visit the Sakura Oldness & Open Space (where the festival is usually held) during the month of April.
Shibazakura Festival
At the base of Mt. Fuji, anyone's bound to witness the most scenic flower festival during Spring time! To describe the approximately 800,000 Shibazakura (Pink Moss/Phlox Moss) flowers covering the vast field as a breathtaking view is an understatement. The 5 different colors of pink moss seemingly create colorful pink carpets and by looking from afar, it perfectly complements the blue skies and the majestic mountain. While the festival starts around mid-April, the most recommended viewing time is during early to second week of May.
Wisteria Festival
The purple blossoms of Wisteria can be viewed in two places in Tokyo: in Kameido Tenjin and at the Ashikaga Flower Park. It only takes a 15-minute walk from Kamedio Station to be able to enjoy the Wisteria flowers that reflect beautifully on the shrine's pond. If you're hoping to visit Kameido Tenjin, it's recommended to go there any time between mid-April and early May.
And for those who'd like to go to Ashikaga Flower Park, the best viewing time is around 3rd week of April until 3rd week of May. It's worth the wait since you'll be treated with an amazing view featuring more than 300 Wisteria flowers, including the 150-year-old Great Wisteria.
Nemophilia Harmony
Held at Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture, almost 5 million light blue colored nemophilia (baby blue eyes) transform the 3.5-hectare Miharashi Hills into a picturesque landscape because you'll literally be seeing fields of blue — both the skies and the field of flowers. Because of the fantastic view that it brings, some even claim that it's a must-see before one dies. It's best to visit the hills during late April to early May.
Bunkyo Azalea Festival
Best viewed from mid-April to early May, the bright and beautiful Azalea flowers form a spectacular view as it blooms on the grounds of Nezu Shrine — which is one of the oldest places of worship in Tokyo. This annual flower event called Bunkyo Azalea Festival features over 100 kinds of Azalea flowers in the shrine's 300-year-old garden. While they're not usually top-of-mind spring flowers to see, the colorful plants are well-maintained and bloom in different colors — therefore bringing you a relaxing view to enjoy while you escape the busy streets of Tokyo.
Cherry Blossom Festival
And last but definitely not the least that will complete this list, the Cherry Blossoms will literally take your breath away upon seeing the magical floral spectacle brought by the light-pink petals. In Tokyo, the flowering usually begins around mid-March and tourists and locals hope to witness the first blossom or the kaika and the peak of the blooms called mankai. When in Tokyo, the best viewing spots for Cherry Blossoms are Chidorigafuchi and Ueno Park.
Don't limit yourself to visiting only the famous attractions you've heard about from friends and relatives or those you've read about online. Apart from the flower festivals, explore the city by asking locals' recommendations, join walking tours, and try activities that you can only experience in Tokyo. By joining a free walking tour, you get to see Tokyo from a local's perspective and find out the city's best-kept stories and secrets!
Tokyo Localized provides visitors and travellers to Tokyo with a unique perspective of this great city, what makes us unique is that our tour guides live and work in Tokyo, have a passion for this city and love meeting and welcoming new faces. Find out more about our Unique Day and Night Tours of Tokyo - we can't wait to meet you!
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