Tokyo Flower Festivals to Visit this Spring

Sakura may be Japan’s most famous blossom, but that doesn’t mean their other petal-y compatriots should be overlooked! Many places come alive with color during springtime, and different festivals across the country are held to celebrate the beauty of the flowers. Here are a few flower festivals in the greater Tokyo area worth checking out.

Note that some locations are a few hours away from Tokyo, so it’s a good idea to schedule a day trip if you want to make the most of your time.

1. Shibazakura (moss phlox)

Where to see them: Mt Fuji (Yamanashi Prefecture) and Chichibu (Saitama Prefecture)

Mt Fuji Shibazakura Festival

Pink, white, magenta, and light purple flowers cover the ground like a carpet at Fuji Motosuko Resort during the annual the Mt Fuji Shibazakura Festival. It’s held from mid-April to late May concurrently with the Fuji Delicious Food Festival — in case the flowers aren’t enough of a draw.

When: April 16 to May 29, 2022
Where: Fuji Motosuko Resort, Yamanashi Prefecture
Admissions: Entrance is ¥800–¥1,000 for adults (depending on the day), and ¥250 for children older than three.
Opening hours: Daily, hours vary but approximately 8am to 4pm
Access: First get yourself to Kawaguchiko from Shinjuku (by train or by bus). Then take the shuttle bus to the festival.

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Chichibu Shibazakura Festival

If Mt Fuji is too far, try visiting Saitama Prefecture‘s Chichibu for its shibazakura festival, which takes place from mid April to early May. Specifically, the place to check out is Hitsujiyama Park’s Shibazakura Hill, which has about 400,000 shibazakura flowers.

Chichibu Shibazakura Festival

Dates:14th Apr–7th May, 2023

Price:

Adults:
At the door: ¥300

Venue:

Hitsujiyama Park

Nemophila in bloom at Hitachi Seaside Park — Photo by iStock.com/BuiDoanVinh

Where to see them: Hitachi Seaside Park, Ibaraki Prefecture

From late April to mid-May, the Miharashi Hills of Ibaraki Prefecture’s Hitachi Seaside Park transform into fields of blue. It’s part of the parks annual spring celebration, Flowering.

Flowering at Hitachi Seaside Park

Dates:1st Apr–31st May, 2023

Price:

Adults:
At the door: ¥700
Over 65s:
At the door: ¥460

wisteria in bloom at Ashikaga Flower festival — Wisteria in bloom at Ashikaga Flower Park | Photo by iStock.com/Vichai Phububphapan

Where to see them: Kameido Tenjin (Tokyo) and Ashikaga Flower Park (Tochigi Prefecture)

Kameido Tenjin

The best place in Tokyo to see these hanging blossoms is Kameido Tenjin, a 17th-century Shinto shrine in Kameido. The shrine has a pond, which reflects the wisteria beautifully, and an arched bridge known as a “drum bridge,” making it a scenic spot. The wisteria festival here runs from mid-April to early May.

Kameido Tenjin Wisteria Festival

Dates:

Mid

Apr

Early

May

Entry:Free

Venue:

Kameido Tenjin Shrine

Recommended hotel:

HOTEL MYSTAYS Kameido

Ashikaga Flower Park

If you don’t mind going a little farther, Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi Prefecture is an even bigger destination for wisteria. Not only do they have the usual light purple wisteria, but they also have ones in the same shade as cherry blossoms, as well as white, yellow, and green ones.

The park’s Great Wisteria Festival takes place between mid-April and mid-May. There are evening illuminations on most days, when the park’s opening hours are extended.

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When: April 16 to May 26, 2022 (evening illuminations April 16 through May 15)
Where: Ashikaga Flower Park, Tochigi Prefecture
Admissions: Admission varies depending on the blooming status of the wisteria, but range from ¥900 to ¥2,000 for adults and from ¥500 to ¥1,000 for children. Evening tickets are ¥600–¥1,800 for adults and ¥300–¥900 for kids
Opening hours: 8am–8:30pm, plus or minus an hour depending on the day; evening admission is from 5:30pm
Access: Ashikaga Flower Park Station, on the JR Ryomo Line, is the nearest station. Pick up the Ryomo Line in Oyama, a transport hub in Tochigi (don’t confuse it with the one in Saitama).

4. Tulips

Where to see them: Showa Memorial Park (Tokyo) and Sakura (Chiba Prefecture)

Showa Memorial Park

Showa Memorial Park is a huge park located in Tachikawa in suburban Tokyo, about 30 minutes by train from Shinjuku. The annual spring flower festival runs from late March and through late May, from cherry blossoms to red poppies. The highlight, though, is the tulips, which bloom in April.

Spring Flowers at Showa Kinen Park

Dates:18th Mar–28th May, 2023

Price:

Adults:
At the door: ¥440

Venue:

Shōwa Memorial Park

Sakura Tulip Festa

If you really want to see A LOT of tulips and willing to travel outside of Tokyo then the Sakura Tulip Festival — the largest in the Kanto area — is for you. There are also lots of food stalls/trucks and a tulip market among other festivities.

Sakura Tulip Festival

Dates:29th Mar–23rd Apr, 2023

Entry:Free

Venue:

Sakura Furusato Square

Azalea flower festival at Nezu Shrine — Photo by iStock.com/Tatiana Petrova

Where to see them: Nezu Shrine, Tokyo

Azaleas are bright and beautiful, especially when they fill the grounds of a shrine in central Tokyo. Nezu Shrine holds its annual flower festival in its 300-year-old azalea garden, which is home to over 3000 plants of 100 different species. The well-maintained plants are a beautiful site and will whisk you away from the busy streets of Tokyo into 300 years of shrine history.

Nezu Shrine Azalea Festival

Azaleas in bloom at Nezu Shrine in Tokyo

Dates:1st Apr–30th Apr, 2023

Price:

Adults:
At the door: ¥300

Venue:

Nezu Jinja Shrine

roses at Furukawa Garden — Photo by iStock.com/ranmaru_

Where to see them: Kyu-Furukawa Teien, Tokyo

Kyu-Furukawa Teien, near Komagome Station, is famous for its vibrant roses, which bloom in mid-May. Its rose garden is kind of shaped like a maze, which makes for good photos with the Western-style residence in the background.

This Tokyo flower festival article is updated annually. Blooming times are dependent on the weather and so may vary from the forecasts. Other information is also subject to change. Post last updated by Rebecca Milner: March, 2022.

Area(s)

Chichibu

Kameido

Komagome

Sendagi

Tachikawa

Places Mentioned