Rich in nature and even selected as one of Japan's "Top 100 Villages," Ishioka City in Ibaraki Prefecture retains its quiet countryside appeal. Since opening in 1985, Ibaraki Flower Park has become one of Ishioka City's biggest attractions. It has been loved as a theme park that is visited by many tourists from outside the prefecture too.

In April 2021, it was fully renovated with the concept of "feeling flower park". It has been reborn as a flower park that stimulates the five senses, where you can see, smell, hear, eat, and touch while watching the flowers of the four seasons, centering on the roses, which are the prefectural flowers of Ibaraki Prefecture.

Stepping inside the park, your senses are immediately engaged. Ibaraki Flower Park has a selection of 900 varieties of roses to view, depending on the season. The enveloping scenes of vividly colored flowers make it a rosy paradise on Earth!

You can see Ibaraki Flower Park's original rose variety, "Yuit Campagne," all over the facility. "Yuit" fortuitously also contains the Japanese word "yui," implying "connection" between the park and surrounding areas. The pink hues of these roses are so vivid as to be titillating. The best time to see the roses at Ibaraki Flower Park is early summer and fall. The park's spring roses bloom between mid-May and June, while fall roses bloom between October and November.

Perhaps Ibaraki Flower Park's biggest impression on the senses comes from aroma. There are exhibits involving aromatic flowers and other activities.

At the "Aromatic Roses" exhibit, you can smell five of the 100 available rose varieties. Take a whiff close up, and discover their unique scents. See which one you like the most!

Even the Information Center is filled with the perfume of seasonal flowers. It's no mystery why: they circulate the same aromas found in activities within the facility. There are exhibits with information on roses and other flowers. You'll also find tourism info for the entire Ishioka area.

The characteristic of Ibaraki Flower Park is that you can enter the flowerbeds. In a normal flower park, it is forbidden to touch the flowers and enter the maintained flowerbed, but all those in Ibaraki Flower Park are okay to enjoy directly. You can feel the flowers closer to you by bringing your face closer to check the scent and gently touching the flowers.

In the park, "flower picking experience" activities to make bouquets with flowers in full bloom are held irregularly (acceptance is possible on the day, fee is not included in the entrance ticket).

Enter the flower field and prune your favorite flowers with pruning scissors. "Is it really okay to take them?" you might think at first, but as you pick it up, you'll be absorbed in making "the only bouquet in the world."

You can get a florist's advice to create arrangements of flowers and plants to bring home. These arrangements would make incredible decorations, both temporary and as dried flowers.

Visit the "Rose Farm House" restaurant when you get hungry. The restaurant has glass walls, giving it a spacious feel, and features ingredients picked locally around Ishioka and Ibaraki Prefecture.

Their "TABA" lunch set (1,980 yen, tax incl.) is a salad of local vegetables arranged to resemble a bouquet. The heart flutters to see such a well-plated meal.

To enjoy a more relaxed meal, we recommend the terrace seating. As the restaurant is on elevated terrain, you can see the whole park from here. The colorful cuisine and green surroundings will put you at ease, and make conversation all the more fun.

Ibaraki Flower Park is in an area 30 minutes away from Tsukuba Station or Ishioka Station by car, putting it in the midst of vast nature. The sounds of wind, birdsong, and even the grass under your feet create an Ishioka symphony. The sounds of nature, far away from urban squalor, are sure to ease your stress.

When you're out on a walk through the gardens, don't forget that the Information Center has more activities to enjoy. One activity available year-round is their "Botanical Mist Creation" activity (550 yen to participate), which uses various rose waters. Pick two aromas from sweet citrus, geranium, or lavender, and formulate your own original aroma mist. They can be used to freshen up a room.

The other is to make botanical postcards (participation fee: 550 yen). Select flowers from the garden and carefully lay them out with tweezers to create an original postcard. You can post the cards with a postage stamp, so you can send a special message to your loved ones from your trip.

Ibaraki Flower Park has over 100 different activities to experience year-round. One of them is "Horse Trekking" (seasonal). This delightful experience will take you by horseback on a 1km path from Ibaraki Flower Park to the adjacent HANAYASATOYAMA camp and resort.

The path departs the flower park through elegant bamboo groves onto a narrow mountain path. Surrounding yourself with trees and observing sunlight filtered through the foliage is a surefire way to destress, and the sight from shifting horseback makes for incredible memories. The horse ride is about 15 minutes long. A staff member will accompany you, so beginners to horseback riding are more than welcome.

HANAYASATOYAMA is a camp and resort located near Ibaraki Flower Park. The resort is on top of a secluded hill, giving the location a quiet quality. As a resort, the facility provides incredible nature activities, aiming to achieve extraordinary experiences.

Their shuttle (200 yen for adults, 100 yen for children) makes regular trips to and from Ibaraki Flower Park, so you won't need to walk between the locations.

The "circle lodge" of HANAYASATOYAMA makes for an impressive sight. You have a great view of the surrounding mountains from the rooftop decks, including Mount Tsukuba.

The area around HANAYASATOYAMA has hiking paths of minimal paving, enhancing your nature walk experience. You'll be able to make countless "small-thing" discoveries you may not have noticed before: what's that blooming flower? What kind of bird do I hear singing?

One thing you'll want to stop by on your walk is the 20-meter-tall Black Kite Tower. This markedly tall observation tower has a great view of the Yasato countryside. Feeling the breeze, you'll feel like a hawk soaring through the sky.

A wide variety of seasonal activities are available to satisfy those who want to be active in nature. You might try your hand at tree climbing many meters up with an instructor, or learn how ancient people started fires with a bow drill. You're guaranteed to find thrills and accomplishments with these activities. They'd make great bonding exercises for families or friends.

Even more activities are planned to begin, like real forest navigation with a compass. Check the website for the latest information.

Once you've enjoyed your fill of activities, you'll want to kick back in your guest accommodations until dinner. There are two types of guest rooms available: lodges and glamping tents. Lodges have beds, air conditioning, refrigerators, and sinks: the perfect fit for people looking for pure relaxation. Their terraces are equipped with BBQ grills and dining tables. Rooms with double beds are also available.

For a stay that's closer to nature, try glamping. The cotton-canvas bell tents are cute! The bed is an air mattress, so you can sleep with less strain on your body.

For dinner, the attached terrace comes with a BBQ grill. The resort will supply you with naturally raised chicken, pork, and fresh vegetables. Rinse the rice, put it on the grill yourself, and it's ready to cook! Meal preparation and barbecuing is simple, so even beginner campers will have no trouble figuring it out.

Once the sun sets, the terraces become beautiful space. The warm lights create a relaxing mood. The terrace area is separate from the surroundings, unseen from outside the facility, so you can enjoy a meal outdoors without a care in the world. Guests are asked to bring their own drinks. It would be a perfect opportunity to break out a bottle of wine for a special occasion!

Once the sun begins to set, the Circle Lodge will be lit up. The grass courtyard is illuminated, creating a fantastical atmosphere unlike its appearance in the day.

Around 7:00 p.m., there's a campfire event exclusive for overnight guests. Looking over the peaceful campfire glow, you might take a moment to consider the day's events, or make conversation with other guests. Their big-marshmallow roasting activity (300 yen for two) is also popular.

To round out the day, go stargazing. You can rent hammocks (1200 yen each)　to place on terrace rooftops, where you can kick back, sway about, and see a magnificent night sky. You're sure to experience a mysterious sense of oneness with the forest and sky.

If you play all day and go to bed early, we recommend getting up early. If the weather's good, you'll be able to enjoy watching a glorious sunrise over a sea of fluffy clouds! Only overnight guests will be able to watch this incredible scene. Breath the fresh, cool air of morning for a jolt of energy!

Feel seasonal flowers with all your senses, enjoy the fruits of the land, and submerge yourself in the quiet forest... Valuable nature experiences, the kind you can only get outside the city, are yours to enjoy at Ibaraki Flower Park and HANAYASATOYAMA. Their convenient location makes them accessible through one train ride from Akihabara Station and a taxi ride from the nearest train station.