2019 Japan Flower Season: Wisteria, Rapeseed Flowers, and Must-Visit Flower Spots in Japan × Four-Season Blooms

2019? Japan Flower Season Introduction

In recent years, the number of tourists visiting Japan has been steadily increasing. Japan is not only a paradise for food and shopping, but the most famous highlight of the Japanese flower season is the cherry blossoms that welcome spring, with romantic cherry blossom spots all over the country from Hokkaido to Okinawa. The vibrant orange and yellow maple leaves covering the mountains in autumn are also a major scenic beauty of the Japanese flower season. But you don’t have to join the crowds—Japan offers different beautiful flowers to enjoy in every season. Next time you plan your trip during the Japan flower season, consider some unique and off-the-beaten-path flower destinations.

Recommended Spots for the 2019 Japan Flower Season

Recommended Spots for the 2019 Japan Flower Season #1｜Eniwa Flower Garden

When it comes to flowers in Hokkaido, many people think of the lavender fields in Furano. But actually, not far from New Chitose Airport and Sapporo City, there is a well-known flower town in Japan—Eniwa—which boasts the highest number of cultivated flowers in Hokkaido.

Since the Summer Eniwa Garden Contest began in 1991, Eniwa has earned a reputation as a garden city. Later, in 2005, the Eniwa Flowers and Life Exhibition was launched, where locals guide visitors through outdoor gardens. In Eniwa, besides the stunning array of flowers, picking your own flowers and even flower-themed dining are fun and unique experiences. Come to Eniwa for an in-depth travel experience with the locals of Hokkaido.

* Eniwa Flowers and Life Exhibition: June–September
* Official website:Eniwa City Tourism

2019 Japan Flower Season Recommended Spot #2｜Rapeseed Flowers

Both rapeseed flowers and cherry blossoms are iconic spring blooms. When visiting the Japan flower season in Shizuoka Prefecture’s Itō Kawazu Town, not only is this one of the earliest cherry blossom viewing spots in eastern Japan, but the blooming period of rapeseed flowers coincides with that of cherry blossoms, and they are commonly planted along riverbanks. As a result, along the Kawazu River, 800 cherry trees bloom alongside rapeseed flowers, creating a stunning contrast of pink and bright yellow that enhances the beauty of the Japanese flower season.

For rapeseed flower spots, you can’t miss the Chiba’s Koizumi Railway and Isumi Railway, where you can capture the scenic view of trains passing through vast fields of rapeseed flowers. During the Japan flower season, don’t overlook the charm of rapeseed flowers alongside cherry blossoms.

* Best viewing time: Mid-March to early April

2019 Japan Flower Season Recommended Spot #3｜Cherry Blossoms

Cherry blossoms during the Japan flower season are among the most famous sights in Japan. Travelers from around the world rush to book flights to Japan following the predicted cherry blossom front and the top 50 viewing spots. Not only tourists—Japanese people also gather for various events and festivals during cherry blossom season, or simply enjoy a relaxing picnic under the cherry trees. The popularity of cherry blossoms spans the globe.

When visiting Mount Fuji during Japan’s cherry blossom season, you can take a stroll at the Asama Shrine in Shin-Kurumayama. After climbing the 398 stone steps, you’ll be greeted by Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji. The magnificent view of cherry blossoms, the snow-capped peak of Mount Fuji, and the five-story pagoda is truly unforgettable.

* Best viewing time: March to May, blooming progresses from south to north

2019 Japan Flower Season Recommended Spot #4｜Mount Fuji Shibazakura

After the end of the cherry blossom season comes the start of another Japanese floral spectacle – the shibazakura season. "Shiba" in Japanese refers to turf, so after enjoying the romantic sight of falling cherry blossoms, take a different perspective and admire the ground-covering shibazakura blooms instead.

The most famous shibazakura event near Tokyo is the Mt. Fuji Shibazakura Festival, featuring a variety of colors from peach pink, light pink, lavender to white. The vast sea of flowers is especially adorable and colorful. From the observation deck, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Mt. Fuji along with a pink ocean of shibazakura. Whether you’re up close with the flowers or admiring them from afar, each view offers a unique experience.

*Best viewing period: Mid-April to late May

2019 Japan Flower Season Recommended Spot #5 |Wisteria

Ashikaga Flower Park has been ranked by CNN as one of the world’s top 10 dream destinations. The park features a massive 1,000㎡ wisteria trellis, with a 150-year-old wisteria tree and cascading purple blooms that are both graceful and magnificent. The flower tunnels of light red, white, and yellow wisteria are also enchanting. A grand Wisteria Festival is held annually, inviting visitors to join in the celebration.

Ashikaga Flower Park is also certified as a Japan Night View Heritage site. During the Japanese flower season, you can enjoy the wisteria’s beauty both in daylight and at night. The illuminated night scene offers a uniquely colorful charm, and even sitting by the pond to admire the wisteria and its reflection is incredibly dreamy.

*Best viewing period: Late April to early May

2019 Japan Flower Season Recommended Spot #6 |Lavender

When talking about the Japanese flower season, you absolutely can’t miss lavender, which is synonymous with Hokkaido. Lavender instantly brings to mind Furano and Biei. In 1976, a photo of a lavender field on the JR calendar made Furano famous. Among its attractions, the vast Tomita Farm is the most well-known, featuring flower fields with up to 13 different types of blooms. The most eye-catching is the colorful slope covered with vibrant, multicolored flowers.

And Biei’s Shikisai-no-Oka (Seasonal Flower Hill) is no less impressive. In addition to its expansive and colorful flower seas, the backdrop of the Tokachi mountain range adds to its uniqueness. You can also ride the Shikisai NOROCCO train to explore through the flower fields.

*Best viewing period: Early July to early August

2019 Japan Flower Season Recommended Spot #7 |Autumn Leaves (Momiji)

Although we’re introducing the Japanese flower season, viewing autumn leaves is also a vitally important travel activity throughout the year. Both cherry blossom viewing in spring and autumn leaf viewing in fall hold extreme significance in Japanese culture. In Tokyo, Showa Memorial Park features maple and ginkgo avenues. In Fukuoka, Suga Shrine is a hidden gem for locals to enjoy the fall foliage. Kyoto’s Shimogamo Shrine combines a grand torii gate with red and yellow maple trees. Nara’s Nara Park offers wild deer amid a backdrop of red leaves. Visiting Japan during the height of autumn is especially vacation-like and relaxing.

*Best viewing period: Early October to early December

2019 Japan Flower Season Recommended Spot #8 |Daffodils

In snowy December, at Ogi Beach Park located at the northernmost tip of Ehime Prefecture, and along the Echizen Coast in Fukui Prefecture — known as the hometown of daffodils — you’ll find vast fields of daffodils. The beauty of the landscape paired with the white and yellow daffodils swaying in the Sea of Japan breeze is simple yet stunning, and their fragrance is rich and long-lasting. Every mid-December, the Echizen Coast also hosts a Daffodil Festival where, aside from the beautiful scenery, you can also enjoy fresh matsutake crabs.

* Best time to view flowers: December to March

(This article is an exclusive collaboration between Tripresso Travel Cafe and Tripbaa Fun Bar. The original was published on:2019 Japan Flower Season: Wisteria & Rapeseed Flowers！Japan Flower Season Attractions × Four-Season Blooms. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.)