Ultra-wide-angle golden sunflower seascape!

Text by MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Department, compiled and reported

As the blazing summer arrives and the radiant sunflowers bloom passionately, many regions across Japan host sunflower festivals every summer. Hundreds of thousands of blooms stretch across vast fields, creating breathtakingly beautiful scenery. There are also various food stalls and performances, making it well worth planning a rural Japanese getaway.

1. Meino Sunflower Festival
Located in Yamanashi Prefecture, Kitakoma City is a hilly city that hosts the "Kitakoma City Meino Sunflower Festival" every year from late July to late August, themed around sunflowers. The event takes place across three venues, including the Kayadake Broad-Area Farm Road, where approximately 600,000 sunflowers bloom en masse.

Among the sunflower fields in Japan’s Kanto region, Meino boasts the highest density, featuring the largest-scale sunflower fields in the Kanto area. Each field is filled with tens of thousands of blooming sunflowers, creating a spectacularly beautiful scene.

2. Sama City Sunflower Festival
Located in Kanagawa, Sama City regards the sunflower as its city flower and hosts the Sama Sunflower Festival every summer, where over 550,000 sunflowers come into full bloom. The festival is divided into two parts: held in July in Kuwabara City and in August in Sama City. During the event period, a variety of sunflower-themed products are sold, such as sunflower pasta, cookies, and beverages.

3. Sera Plateau Farm Sunflower Festival
In Sera Town, Hiroshima Prefecture, different flowers bloom throughout the year. This summer, over five million sunflowers of more than 50 varieties blanket the Sera Plateau Farm. Additionally, the town’s Tulip Festival in spring is also highly renowned.