When it comes to spring in Japan, most people immediately think of cherry blossoms. The short-lived flowers are an iconic phenomenon, but there’s one place near Tokyo that boasts equally breathtaking spring scenery: Hitachi Seaside Park! This coastal attraction is home to some of the most expansive flower fields near Tokyo.

In 2024, the two-week-long Nemophila season is expected to peak from around April 17-25.

Nemophila is a flower of the forget-me-not family originally native to North America. It is known for its beautiful blue blossoms during spring, where its common name of “baby blue eyes” comes from.

Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture is known for its vast fields of these flowers and draws in visitors from all over Japan and all around the world every spring. A JR express train followed by a bus takes you there in around 1.5 hours.

Especially beautiful is Miharashi Hill, where around 5.3 million individual nemophila create scenery that looks like the sky is melting into the land. The hill is about a 15-minute walk from the park’s west gate, and its flowery gloriousness can be enjoyed from mid-April to early May.

Nemophila aren’t the only flowers that transform Hitachi Seaside Park into a one-of-a-kind spring paradise. Tulips blossom in various vivid colors from mid to late April at the Tamago no Mori (“Egg Forest”) Flower Garden.

You’ll find small windmills and all sorts of egg-shaped objects scattered throughout the garden, making the scenery of 260,000 tulips all the more breathtaking. If you’ve ever wanted to feel like a gnome in a fairytale, you’ve come to the right place.

Another stunning phenomenon is the rape blossoms, blooming right next to the blue nemophila. Traditional, wooden-roofed houses create the flowery landscape into something uniquely Japanese.

About 1 million daffodils of 500 different varieties provide for yet another colorful spell that Hitachi Seaside Park is going to cast on you. Those blossom between late March to mid-April.

After strolling through the park and taking in its breathtaking beauty, you’re ready for a snack! Head over to the Kinen no Mori Rest House (open 10 AM to one hour before the park closes).

There, a variety of original sweets, as well as coffee and tea specialties, rejuvenate every tired traveler! The hand-dripped coffee specialties are particularly popular.

Hitachi Seaside Park spreads over about 2 million square meters and is home to numerous fun, beautiful, and relaxing spots to discover. It features seven areas in total.

The Pleasure Garden and its little amusement park is one of them, offering you a bit of thrill with a 100-meter high Ferris wheel and a roller coaster. Other than that, there’s the Rinkan Athletic Plaza, a BMX course, a Disc Golf Course, and many more.

Spring at Hitachi Seaside Park means blossoming tulips and nemophila, while summer brings roses, Zinnia flowers, and sunflowers.

Hitachi Seaside Park dazzles with its autumnal display of cosmos and 'fluffy' kochia, a scene straight from a fairytale.

The best time to enjoy these vibrant colors is between mid and late October 2024. The park showcases around 2.6 million cosmos and 33,000 kochia plants in autumn, while winter highlights include the rare beauty of ice tulips.

Visitors can enjoy a comprehensive tour on the 'Seaside Train' for 600 yen per day or explore by bicycle, available from 600 yen for three hours to 800 yen for a full day, to fully appreciate the park's offerings.

Hitachi Seaside Park is the perfect spot for a wonderfully relaxed and scenic day trip. Don’t miss the fairytale-like colors and feel the gentle breeze as you cycle along the fields of flowers!

Getting to Hitachi Seaside Park:
・From Ueno Station, take the JR Joban Line (2 hr 14 min; 2,310 yen one-way), or HITACHI or TOKIWA (departs most days at 7:30 AM, 8 AM, and 8:30 AM; 1 hr 25 min; 3,890 one-way) to Katsuta Station. The trip is covered under the JR Pass.

・From Katsuta Station, go out the East Exit (Bus Stop #4) and take the Ibaraki Kotsu Bus to Hitachi Seaside Park South Entrance (about 17-23 minutes; 400 yen).