Day Trip Guide to Hitachi Seaside Park: 10 Suggestions for a Memorable Visit
Hitachi Seaside Park (ひたち海浜公園) is a large and breathtaking park located in Ibaraki Prefecture, known in Japan for its vibrant seasonal flowers. The park is particularly famous for its awe-inspiring field of 5.3 million nemophila in spring and its 32,000 red kochias in autumn.
I visited Hitachi Seaside Park in April 2023 on a day trip from Tokyo to see its magnificent field of nemophila, and was delighted to discover all the park had to offer beyond its floral displays. In this article, I offer 10 suggestions based on my own experience that I hope can be useful for people interested in visiting this astonishing park, whatever the season.
If you are particularly interested in the flowering of nemophila from mid-April to early May, you can also read my article "Nemophila Paradise at Hitachi Seaside Park: A Must-See Spring Outing from Tokyo".
1/ How to Get To Hitachi Seaside Park and Around
Hitachi Seaside Park is located in Hitachinaka city (ひたちなか市), in Ibaraki Prefecture. The park is acessible in 2h-2h30 from central Tokyo.
To get there, the fastest option is to take the JR Hitachi and Tokiwa limited express train from Shinagawa, Tokyo or Ueno station to Katsuta station (勝田駅). The journey costs ¥4,200 and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes (note that it is covered by the JR Pass if you have it). You can then take a local bus at Katsuta Station East Exit Bus Stop No. 2 to Hitachi Seaside Park West Gate (around 15 minutes).
To get around the park, there are walking trails as well as 11 km of cycle paths (bicycle rental is available and costs from ¥300 for up to 3 hours to ¥800 for a day). There is also a seaside train going around the park (¥600 one-day ticket).
JR Hitachi and Tokiwa limited express train
Good to Know:
During the nemophila season, you can buy a combined ticket in front of the bus stop at Katsuta station, which includes a one-day bus pass to and from the park and the park entrance ticket (it cost ¥1,330 when I visited in 2023).
If you're on a budget and don't have a JR Pass, you can find more affordable (but probably longer) options for getting from central Tokyo to Hitachi Seaside Park using local trains or express buses.
2/ Enjoy a Morning Drink at Kinen No Mori Rest House
The Kinen No Mori Rest House is a cosy terrace café in the middle of the forest, with a relaxing atmosphere. It’s not far from Hitachi Seaside Park West Entrance, making it an ideal place to recharge your batteries with a cup of coffee or tea after the long journey from Tokyo. There, you can enjoy the park's original coffee and sweets made with local products from Ibaraki prefecture.
3/ Arrive Early to Enjoy the Flower Fields with Fewer People, Especially During the Popular Seasons
If you're planning to visit Hitachi Seaside Park to see its popular seasonal flower fields, particularly its field of nemophila on Miharashi no Oka Hill (みはらしの丘) in spring, I recommend that you try to arrive as soon as the park opens and start your day in the park by admiring the floral attractions to enjoy this magnificent view with fewer people, especially if you're visiting at the weekend.
You can check the official Hitachi Seaside Park website in advance for detailed information on the nemophila blooming and crowd forecasts so that you can plan your visit accordingly.
Nemophila at Miharashi no Oka
You can see more of my pictures of the nemophila in my other article here.
4/ Check Which Seasonal Flowers Are in Bloom
Even if the emblematic flower of Hitachi Seaside Park is the nemophila, Hitachi Seaside Park is a year-round destination, each season transforming the landscape and making each visit unique.
In spring, you can also admire oilseed rapes, daffodils and tulips. In summer, sunflowers, poppies, roses and zinnias come to life in brilliant colours, while kochia bushes grow fluffy and vibrant green on the hillside, before turning vivid red in September-October. Autumn also brings to bloom roses and cosmos while in winter, you can admire winter tulips and Japanese plum trees blooming yellow and pink.
Note that Hitachi Seaside Park website provides daily updates on the blooming status of its flowers so I invite you to check it in advance to know what to expect.
You can also find the location of the different flowers on the map of park.
5/ Don’t Miss Out Exploring The Rest of the Park
Yes, the fields of flowers are fantastic, but in my opinion, this park offers much more than just flowers. If you look at the map, you'll see that Hitachi Seaside Park offers a wide variety of landscapes: a small village with traditional houses, a forest, a large grassland, sand dunes… As a nature lover, I think it's this diversity of scenery that really appealed to me about this park. That's why I recommend devoting a whole day to exploring the park, taking a leisurely stroll along the picturesque paths and taking full advantage of its many attractions.
Old House Village
Interior of one of the traditional houses
Forested Area
Kansatsu ike (Observation Lake)
Glass House
Suna to Umi no Hiroba (Plaza of Sand）
6/ Have Fun at the Amusement Park
Hitachi Seaside Park is also a great option if you are with kids, as there are also outdoor activities and game areas (playgrounds, trampoline…), and a small amusement park with children's rides and a giant ferris wheel, which offers a panoramic view of the park and sea.
7/ Choose your Lunch Option
It's not difficult to find somewhere to have lunch, as there are several cafes and restaurants where you can eat, as well as stalls where you can buy takeaways.
I had a pleasant lunch at Garden Restaurant Hitachi (ガーデンレストラン常陸). It was quite crowded, but I was hungry and feeling for a hearty meal to replenish myself, and had a tasty tarako udon set lunch.
8/ Visit the Souvenir Shop for Unique Goodies
The Sun Sun souvenir shop (ショップ サンサン), located in the amusement park area and next to the central exit, sells original items from the park as well as local specialities. Especially if you visit the park during the nemophila season, you shouldn't miss this shop as there are plenty of lovely souvenirs to celebrate the nemophila blooming.
Even though I'm not a keen shopper, I found it amusing to see the shop full of blue nemophila-themed souvenirs.
9/ Try the Sweets
If you are a sweet tooth and visit during the nemophila season, you may be interested in trying the special blue nemophila-themed cookies and ice-creams that are sold only in spring.
A common treat in Japan is also soft ice cream, which comes in a wide variety of flavours depending on regional specialties. In my case, I tried a Japanese pear called nashi (梨), a specialty of Ibaraki prefecture, and vanilla ice cream and it was delicious!
10/ Relax at the Grassland Area
A great way to end your day at Hitachi Seaside Park is to find a patch of grass to relax on in the park's large meadow area. Don't forget to pack a picnic mat and some outdoor games for this day trip if you can (I didn't and regretted it)!
To Conclude
As a haven for nature lovers and photographers, Hitachi Seaside Park had been on my Japan travel bucket list for a while. Although the floral displays were undoubtedly what drew me to this park, I discovered that it offered much more, with a multitude of other attractions and activities, making it a perfect nature outing option on a sunny day from Tokyo.
I hope you'll find my article useful if you're planning a day trip to Hitachi Seaside Park. In summary, don't forget to bring comfortable walking shoes, your camera to capture the beauty of this natural wonder, and everything you need for a picnic or a moment of relaxation and fun in the great outdoors!
And if you are particularly interested in the nemophila, you can also read my article: Nemophila Paradise at Hitachi Seaside Park: A Must-See Spring Outing from Tokyo.
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