Nemophila Paradise at Hitachi Seaside Park: A Must-See Spring Outing from Tokyo
Hitachi Seaside Park (ひたち海浜公園) is a spacious park located in Ibaraki Prefecture, known in Japan for its seasonal flowers. Indeed, it is home to one of nature's most enchanting floral spectacles. In spring, you can walk through an ocean of blue flowers: a field of over 5 million nemophila. Easily accessible from Tokyo in about 2 hours, it also features a small amusement park and several cycling and walking trails, making it a perfect nature outing option on a sunny day from Tokyo.
The magnificent nemophila field, which blooms in spring from mid-April to early May, is a flower lovers’ paradise. I visited on April 29 2023, just after peak bloom, but it was still breathtaking and one of the most photogenic spring sights I’ve seen. As a flower lover, I highly recommend this spellbinding seasonal event if you are in Japan during this time of the year.
According to this year’s forecast, in 2024, the flowers will be in their full glory between April 18 to 27. If you'd like to find out more about this seasonal floral event, read on.
Did you know? Nemophila comes from the Greek ‘nemos’ meaning ‘small forest’ and ‘phileo’ meaning ‘to love’. They are sometimes referred as ‘baby blue eyes’ in English.
A Beautiful Hill of Nemophila at Hitachi Seaside Park
At Hitachi Seaside Park, around 5.3 million nemophila cover about 4.2 hectares on Miharashi no Oka (みはらしの丘), or Miharashi Hill. I was totally amazed when I walked through this area, mesmerized by how a tiny flower like the nemophila could create such a grand landscape when planted in such large numbers. On a clear day, the field of flowers seems to merge with the horizon, melting into the sky. From the top of the hill, you can also enjoy panoramic views of the entire park and the Pacific ocean. It's a breathtaking sight.
I also found the contrast between the hill of nemophila and the surrounding field of yellow oilseed rape very charming, as well as the red poppies that sometimes appear among the nemophila.
Here are some of my favourite photos of the nemophila at Hitachi Seaside Park, so that you can get a glimpse of this wonderful spectacle.
Hitachi Seaside Park Information
Flowering period of nemophila: Mid-April to early May
Opening hours: 09:30 to 17:00 from March 1 to July 2 (hours vary according to the period during the rest of the year)
Price: ¥800 in April-May and October, ¥450 otherwise
Access: Accessible in 2h-2h30 from central Tokyo. The fastest option is to take the JR Hitachi and Tokiwa limited express train from Shinagawa, Tokyo or Ueno station until Katsuta station (勝田駅) and take a bus to the park.
Official website (in English): https://hitachikaihin.jp/en/
Two useful tips:
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. The website is informative as it also provides daily updates on the blooming status of other flowers in the park.
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).
For more information on how to make the most of your visit to Hitachi Seaside Park, read my other article: Day Trip Guide to Hitachi Seaside Park: 10 Suggestions for a Memorable Visit.
A Few More Words…
Japan is a wonderful country, notably for flower and nature lovers like me. When I lived in Japan, I really felt like I had become a flower 'hunter', always looking for places to enjoy the beauty of seasonal flowers throughout the year. In April, after the sakura have finished blooming, the nemophila, tulips and wisteria take over, with some fantastic places to admire these magnificent flowers.
And what about you? Are you a flower 'hunter' too? If so, you might be interested in my other blog posts on flower-watching locations and events around Tokyo and Japan.
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