Not just cherry blossoms! 3 key spring flower spots in Hiroshima to admire a million blooms that paint the hills

▲ A sea of violets at Sera Lily Garden. (Photo / fromSera Lily Garden’s official Facebook page)

By reporter Tsai Wen-jun / compiled report

The 2016 Japanese cherry blossom forecast has been released, with the Hiroshima area expected to reach full bloom in early April. But spring flowers aren’t just about cherry blossoms. Hiroshima offers seasonal floral wonders you shouldn’t miss—such as vast violet fields created on a 7-hectare hillside, a 4-meter-tall lily tower, or hills adorned with four-color shibazakura (moss phlox). Here are three must-see spring flower spots in Hiroshima. If you’re planning your cherry blossom trip to Japan this year, consider adding these stunning floral landscapes to your itinerary!

▲ The one-month-only Hiroshima Shibazakura Festival. (Photo / fromsetouchifinder)

Hana Yume no Sato Shibazakura Festival
One of Hiroshima’s key spring highlights, the “Shibazakura Festival” at Hana Yume no Sato, takes place annually in April. Eight hundred thousand shibazakura of four colors spread across a five-hectare hillside, creating a spectacular pink landscape you can only see at this time of year!

In addition, there’s also a 30,000-square-meter rapeseed flower field nearby, and visitors can enjoy pony rides on weekends. The park is expected to open on April 10, 2016, and will remain open only until early May.

Hana Yume no Sato
Address: 3-3 Kamitsuda, Sera-cho, Sera-gun
Opening hours: From April 10 to early May 2016, daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Admission: Adults 800 yen, ages 4 to elementary school students 300 yen

▲ Sera Lily Garden claims to be Japan’s largest lily garden. (Photo / from Sera Lily Garden’s official Facebook page)

Sera Lily Garden Spring Flower Festival
Dubbed Japan’s largest lily garden, Sera Lily Garden spans seven hectares of hillsides where you can admire various lilies. It also features a floral art installation made with 3 million violets, forming the image of 2015’s iconic Japanese figure—rugby player Shigeru Chiba. In addition,
there’s a violet Mount Fuji made of various violet hues, and a 4-meter lily tower composed of 150 types of lilies—all must-see floral spectacles this spring!

Sera Lily Garden Spring Flower Festival
Dates: From April 9 to mid-July 2016
Address: 413-20 Onoyama, Sera-cho, Sera-gun
Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Admission: Adults 800 yen, elementary school students 400 yen

▲ A spectacular sea of 750,000 tulips! (Photo / fromSera Kogen Farm’s official Facebook page)

Sera Kogen Farm
Beautiful throughout all seasons, Sera Kogen Farm offers unique floral displays every season. This spring, it kicks off with a breathtaking tulip sea. The farm uses 750,000 tulips of up to 300 varieties to create a colorful carpet across a 65,000-square-meter hillside. This spectacular view is available for just one month—from April 15 to May 8.

In addition, the sunflowers in summer and the cosmos flower fields in autumn are among the many reasons why Sera Kōen Farm is so popular. If you're visiting Hiroshima to see flowers, Sera Kōen Farm is a must-visit.

Sera Kōen Farm
Address: ^?瑚1124-11 Bessaku, Sera-chō, Sera-gun
Business Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Admission: ¥800 for adults, ¥400 for children aged 4 to elementary school students