Every season, there are wonderful flowers blooming in Japan and festivals to go with them. While many people across the world know about the annual blooming of Japanese cherry trees, there is another pink flower that is celebrated every year in this incredible country: Shibazakura, or pink moss.
Shibazakura flowers every spring. Pink, white, and purple flowers form luxurious, vibrant carpets in gardens and parks across Japan. The flower closely resembles that of the cherry tree.
Shibazakura hugs the ground closely, unlike many other seasonal flowers in Japan, so it is not kept in beds or pots for display like others.
Many times, shibazakura is allowed to flower in wide scenic sweeps, throwing a whole new and lively color onto a landscape. Shibazakura flowers grow close together and this makes their color very dense.
Wide fields of shibazakura are a sight to see. They look fantastical, something out of the realm of fantasy. While shibazakura is grown in gardens around the world, there is nowhere else you can see it bloom and celebrate it like you can in Japan.
Here are seven best Shibazakura spots in Japan:
1) Fuji Shibzakura
This scenic festival is held every year from mid-April to late May in the Fuji Five Lakes area, about five kilometers south of Lake Motosuko. Carpets of shibazakura grow against a spectacular backdrop.
On clear days, you can get a clear view of Mount Fuji. There are many stalls at the festival that sell food, drink, souvenirs, and even little pots of shibazakura. This is a great way to get out of the city while enjoying a festive atmosphere and calming scenery.
The Fuji Shibazakura Festival gets very crowded on weekends and holidays, so it is recommended that you avoid coming at those times. Usually, mornings are bit calmer, as well, though the lighting for photographs and viewing is undeniably better in the afternoon.
You can get to the festival by taking the Shibazakura Liner bus from Kawaguchi station. This bus leaves at least once every hour and costs 2000 yen.
You can also reserve a seat on a regular bus since many companies schedule bus routes out to the festival. If you are taking a scenic tour during the festival, your guides will likely schedule a stop.
2) Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park
Hokkaido, the second largest island of Japan features a number of picture-perfect flower fields throughout its spring and summer. Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park is one of the best places to see shibazakura in the Hokkaido region.
This festival is in Higashimokoto, Ozaro Town, in the southern part of Abashiri City. A man named Suekichi Nakabachi planted the first patch of shibazakura in 1977 and expanded it out every year afterward.
This unique park now has an area of 100,000 meters and all of it is covered with shibazakura. When the flowers bloom, pink, white, and purple coat the landscape. The park has some facilities for visitors, including a restaurant and a campground.
You can reach this park by driving or taking a bus ten kilometers from the center of Higashimokoto.
3) Takinoue Shibazakura Park
Takinoue Shibazakura Park is one of Hokkaido’s most impressive flower fields that you can explore in spring along with Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park, and Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park.
Usually, This park is covered in shibazakura from early May to early June. In 1956, this park was started with only an orange box full of pink moss seeds.
Today, the flowers cover a 100,000-meter area. At the height of the season, the locals hold a festival, complete with food and souvenir stands.
The entry fee for the festival is 500 yen for adults and 250 yen for children. There is no admission fee for regular entrance to the park when the festival is not ongoing. There is parking on site as well as a regular bus route.
4) Mishima Shibazakura Garden
This beautiful flower garden sits behind Kutchan Train Station in Niskeo. It is the private garden of Kazuo Mishima-san.
Mount Yotei stands in the background, making this a highly photogenic area in late May when the flowers bloom. Mishima began this garden about ten years after he retired for farming.
It was his way of giving back to the community and helping preserve the land. It has since become a major local tourist attraction in early summer.
There is no entry or parking fee. This is a popular spot when the shibazakura is blooming but arriving early helps to make sure you get the most peaceful views and best pictures.
5) Hitsujiyama Park
Located in Chichibu city, Saitama Prefecture, this park features pink, purple, and white flowers blooming in beautiful patterns from the middle of April to the beginning of May every year.
You can get an amazing view of the surrounding countryside, as well.
Not only can you enjoy the sites, but there are a number of activities you can enjoy here, including strawberry picking. The park has been laid out to make it the most delightful experience possible.
The park is a 20-minute walk from Yokose Station or Seibu Chichibu Station.
6) Tokyo German Village
This theme park is a little bit of rural Germany situated outside Sodegaura City. It was opened in 2001 and features attractions for the whole family, including a Ferris wheel, a mini-golf course, and more.
It is also well-known for its yearly shibazakrua blooms every spring, making it well worth a day trip to enjoy a beautiful and different experience.
You can reach Tokyo German Village by following the Tateyama Expressway from Anesaki-Sodegaura IC, Prefectural Route 24 for Kamogawa; by train via JR Uchibo Line Anegasaki Station or Nagaura Station, then taking a taxi; or by bus about 40 minutes from JR Chiba Station via the Capina Highway Express Bus.
7) Chausuyama Highlands (Chausuyama Kogen)
Located in Aichi Prefecture, Chausuyama Kogen is a perfect ski resort for beginners and it’s quite family-friendly.
If you come to visit Aichi in winter, don’t forget to pay a visit to this ski resort. It’s worth visiting! When the ski season is gone, spring arrives with tons of pink shibazakura to impress you!
From May to June every year, the shibazakura bloom here and the festival begins! The flowers cover an entire hillside and visitors can view them on foot or even from a ski lift.
This unique way of viewing the flowers allows you to take some truly incredible photos.
There are also many food stalls and souvenir stands to enjoy as you look out at a field of flowers that stretches out as far as you can see. Take some time to enjoy the festival’s’ many open-air concerts and performance!
Parking is available during the festival for 700 yen. There is no admission fee to the park or the festival.
