Endless blue flower sea — The romantic spring at Hitachi Seaside Park

Text by MOOK Scenic Spots Travel Life Network Editorial Department, compiled and reported
 
In Japan’s spring, besides the pink of cherry blossoms, there’s also a dreamy blue-purple hue. In Ibaraki Prefecture, a destination less frequented by Taiwanese tourists, lies a famous floral attraction that draws many photography enthusiasts — the flower-rich and scenically expansive Hitachi Seaside Park (国营ひたち海浜公园). Every April and May, up to 4.5 million nemophila flowers bloom, creating vast blue-purple carpets that make you feel as if you’re in a fairytale-like, romantic wonderland.

Hitachi Seaside Park boasts a wide range of floral species. In spring alone, you’ll find daffodils, tulips, and nemophila blooming one after another. Especially in late April, the expansive blue-purple nemophila fields spread across the hillsides, creating an unforgettable sight. Nemophila, also known as baby-blue-eyes or Phacelia, is native to North America. At Hitachi Seaside Park, it mainly grows on Misharihino-oka (Viewpoint Hill), where the vast flower sea offers various backdrops depending on your viewing angle — including ocean views, a southern glimpse of Mount Tsukuba, a western view of Mount Nasu, and even golden fields of rapeseed flowers as a foreground. On sunny days, the azure sky blends seamlessly with the flower sea, creating an incredibly dreamy and moving scene.

Entry requires a ticket: adults ¥410, children ¥80, seniors (65+) ¥210. The free admission days in 2016 (Heisei 28) were May 5, May 15, September 19, October 2, and October 23. To get there from Tokyo, take the JR Joban Line limited express from Ueno Station to Katsuta Station (about 70 minutes), or take a highway bus (Ibaraki Kotsu Bus) from Tokyo Station to the park entrance (about two hours).