All about the Magnificent Nemophila Flowers at Hitachi Seaside Park
After long months of freezing winter, spring has finally come to Japan! Along with spring comes the flourishing of nature, with all sorts of flowers blooming everywhere all across the country.
And when it comes to flowers this spring in Japan, one that you most definitely miss out on is Nemophila. One of the best, if not the best, ways to catch this mesmerizing flower is by participating in the Nemophila Festival held at the Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki.
In this article, GoEMON will guide you through everything you need to know about the magnificent Nemophila Festival at Hitachi Seaside Park. Let’s jump right in, shall we?
1. General Introduction
Located near the Ibaraki coast, Hitachi Kaihin Kouen, or Hitachi Seaside Park in Japan, is famous for its vast number of seasonal flowers and convenient access from Tokyo. One of the most popular flowers here is Nemophila. Native to North America, the flower is well-loved by many for its exotic blue shade - a color rarely ever found in nature. This explains how the flower is also sometimes referred to as “baby blue eyes” in English.
Each plant is relatively small and only grows to roughly 20 centimeters tall. But the thing that makes nemophila here special is that the park has over 5 million plants grown over a total area of roughly 4.2 hectares. This creates a seemingly never-ending sea of flowers that goes extremely well with the blue skies and sea in the background.
2. When to go
Nemophila generally blooms from around mid-April until early May. This also aligns with Golden Week - the longest national holiday in Japan. The weather during this period is also generally very comfortable, making it the perfect occasion to visit the park and check out the flowers.
As the blooming season also depends on the weather conditions of each year, make sure to check out the flower blooming status, which is frequently updated on the park’s official website along with other related notifications, before going to make sure that you get the best experience.
3. Hitachi Seaside Park during the Nemophila season
Once voted by CNN as one of the top 31 most beautiful locations in Japan, there is no doubt that Hitachi Seaside Park is a spot you cannot miss out on. This is all the more true during the Nemophila season, which is also the period that the park registers the largest number of visitors.
Every year from around mid-April, the park is dyed in blue with the blooming of millions of nemophila flowers, creating a mesmerizing baby blue carpet so attractive that it exceeds the expectations of all visitors. Located in Ibaraki and conveniently accessible by public transport, the park is a perfect location for those looking for travel spots near Tokyo.
Upon entering the park, you will be blown away by the delicate, serene, and mesmerizing view of the baby blue flowers. The light blue shade is soothing to both the eye and mind, making the park a great location for those looking for a location where they could destress, relax, and find shelter away from their busy everyday life.
The park also features many different facilities and services, such as restaurants, cafes, shops, sports facilities, huge grassland areas, a seaside train course, a cycling course, along with many more. Sounds like the perfect location for a day trip, right?
Additionally, with a variety of different flowers in bloom throughout the year, the Hitachi Seaside Park is a location worth visiting even aside from the nemophila season. These include roses, tulips, kochia, and narcissus.
4. Other information:
Address: 〒312-0012, Ibaraki Prefecture, Hitachinaka City, Mawatari Aza Onuma 605-4
Access:
- From Katsuta Station, you can take the bus to the park, which will take around 15 minutes)
- Highway buses are also available from Tokyo Station
Entrance fee: The entrance fee during the nemophila blooming period will be slightly higher than usual:
- Seniors (over 65 years old): 560 yen
- Adults: 800 yen
- Children: Free (up to junior high school students)
Website: https://hitachikaihin.jp/en/
As the nemophila flowers are in bloom and the Golden Week is right around the corner, make sure not to miss out on the breathtaking scenery of nemophila flowers at Hitachi Kaishin Park!
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