Most people heading to Japan often talk about trips to Tokyo Disneyland or Universal Studios Japan, but here’s a hot tip: the country’s flowers are just as magical, and it’s not all about cherry blossoms. There are also seasonal flowers in Japan that come in shades of pink, purple, white, red, and yellow. We’ve curated some must-see spots and the best times to catch them in full bloom.
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Cosmo flowers in Kinchakuda Manjushage Park.
Image credit: りんりん via Google Maps
Japan has flowers blooming all year round, even in winter. Everyone knows about cherry blossoms in spring and autumn leaves, but there are also underrated blooms, like camellias and red spider lilies, that deserve the spotlight too.
Add in Japan’s sprawling landscapes and iconic cultural landmarks, and these spots make perfect backdrops for your holiday pictures. While you’re there, try to be mindful while snapping photos, so the flowers stay just as pretty for the next person.
Here’s an overview of the different flowers and when they’ll be in bloom:
| Season | Flower | When |
| Spring | Azalea | Mid-April to May |
| Tulips | Early April to mid-May | |
| Wisteria | Mid-April to mid-May | |
| Summer | Hydrangeas | Mid-June to late July |
| Lotus flowers | Mid-June to mid-August | |
| Sunflowers | July to September | |
| Autumn | Chinese bellflowers | August to October |
| Cosmos | Early to mid-October | |
| Red spider lilies | Mid-September to early October | |
| Winter | Daffodils | Mid-December to January |
| Plum blossoms | Mid-February to early March | |
| Camellia | Late February to late March |
Azaleas, called tsutsuji in Japanese, come in various shades of red, pink, and white. These flowers mainly grow in large shrubs, which create bursts of colour across the landscape.
Image credit: @momo_3hana via Instagram
One popular spot to catch azaleas is Komuroyama Park in Ito, a coastal city just a 2-hour drive from Tokyo. The Azalea Garden in the park blooms with about 100,000 azalea flowers every year.
If you plan to stay in the area, Izu Resort Villa is a famous capybara resort nearby that’s only a 40-minute drive away.
Image credit: 戸塚南子 via Facebook
Shiofune Kannon Temple in Ome city is known for their Azalea Festival, which happens in celebration of Buddha’s birthday. Along with rows of blooming azaleas, you’ll also get to catch performances like fire-walking and a flower costume parade for kids.
While entrance to the temple is usually free, you’ll have to get tickets during the festival – ¥300 (~S$2.43) for adults, and ¥100 (~S$0.81) for children and primary school-aged kids.
Additional spots: Grinpa Amusement Park, Shimabara Hibaruyama Flower Park, Daikozen-ji Temple
Tulips are another springtime favourite that is worth going out of your way for when visiting Japan. Across the country, you’ll get to see fields of them in bright pops of purple, pink, and yellow.
Image credit: Japan National Tourism Organisation
Tonami city in Sapporo, Hokkaido, is the country’s biggest producer of tulips, and every year, it hosts the Tonami Tulip Festival, where over 3 million bulbs are on display at once. Even if you miss the festival, you can still check out the indoor Tulip Gallery, which is open all year round.
Dutch-style windmill surrounded by tulips.
Image credit: 阿見町・筧田 聡 via Google Maps
Kasumigaura Comprehensive Park is a 460,000sqm lakeside park in Tsuchiura City, located in the Ibaraki Prefecture. A staple here is the Dutch-style windmill, built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Tsuchiura City. Come April, about 30,000 tulips bloom in the fields surrounding it, turning the whole area into a dreamy sight.
Additional spots: Hibiya Park, Harvest Hill, Negarami Mae Paddy Field
Fans of Demon Slayer will probably recognise wisterias for their fictional demon-warding properties, but these flowers actually exist IRL. For those unfamiliar, wisteria trees resemble weeping willows, and their flowers evolve from pink to purple, then to white, and finally yellow.
Image credit: @k_maru02 via Instagram
Kawachi Fujien Garden is famous for its dreamy 100m-long wisteria tunnels. Wisteria petals would also fall and create a beautiful carpet of purple petals. The garden displays 20 different kinds of wisteria and is only open 2 times a year – in spring and autumn.
Image credit: @minnie._.maru via Instagram
Alternatively, there’s The Great Wisteria Festival at Ashikaga Flower Park. You’ll get to see the 160-year-old Great Wisteria trees spread across a 1,000sqm trellis. If you drop by at night, these displays are lit up, making the colours look even better. Entrance fees to the festival start from ¥1,200 (~S$9.72) for adults and ¥600 (~S$4.86) for children.
Additional spots: Kaimeido-Tenjin Shrine, Tennogawa Park, Kasuga Taisha Shrine
Another multi-coloured stunner is the hydrangea. Between the months of June and July, you’ll get to see hydrangeas, AKA ajisai in Japanese, in the wild. These flowers are often found at temples, but they’re also grown in various locations around the country.
Image credit: Klook
One of the more unique places to spot hydrangeas is the Hakone Tozan Railway, which has a Hydrangea Train that goes up the Hakone mountains. From mid-June to late July, you’ll get to catch wild hydrangeas growing along this scenic mountainside route.
Image credit: @cielbleu007 via Instagram
History buffs, this one’s for you. Kyodo No Mori Historical Museum is an open-air folk museum in Fuchu, Tokyo – you’ll not only spot some gorgeous hydrangeas in the shrubbery, but you’ll also get to see a range of ancient Japanese buildings from different periods of history.
There are also some permanent exhibitions and a planetarium inside the main building for those who are curious to learn more.
Additional spots: Shimoda Park, Hakusan-jinja Shrine, Hattori Hydrangea House
Lotus flowers are not only beautiful, but also hold deep spiritual significance in Japan thanks to their connection to Buddhism, one of the country’s most-practised religions alongside Shinto.
Image credit: かがやともき via Google Maps
If you’re heading to Akita and are looking for some greenery, head down to Senshu Park. You’ll spot a pond full of lotus flowers, a stark contrast against the cityscape. While you’re there, you’ll also get to explore Kobuta Castle, an Edo-period castle that was once home to the Satake clan.
Image credit: @yas.00310 via Instagram
Buddhist temples in Japan are also great spots to catch some wild lotus flowers. Hokongo-in Temple in Kyoto has been dubbed “Lotus Temple” among the locals because of its scenic garden brimming with lotus flowers. It’s best to visit the temple in July, as that is when the flowers are in full bloom.
Additional spots: Suigo Sawara Ayame Park, Usuki Stone Buddha Complex, Byodo-in Temple
It wouldn’t be summer in Japan without sunflowers. The recognisable yellow blooms are a seasonal must-see, and luckily, Japan has no shortage of beautiful sunflower fields to wander through.
Image credit: @lyka_msb via Instagram
Hokkaido is home to the largest sunflower fields in Japan at Hokuryu Sunflower Village, AKA Himawari no Sato. Between July and August, these fields will be covered in over a million sunflowers.
Image credit: @masaki_s18 via Instagram
This other spot takes trips to the Mount Fuji area to the next level. Yamanakako Hana no Miyako Park is known for its sprawling field of sunflowers that overlooks the landmark. Head down sometime between mid and late-August, and you’ll get to catch this stunning combo of blooms and views all in one go.
Additional spots: Akeno Sunflower Field, Sera Kogen Farm, Yanagawa Sunflower Garden
Believe it or not, Japan has flowers that bloom in autumn months too, and Chinese bellflowers are a seasonal fave. These perennial flowers, called kikyo in Japanese, symbolise purity in Japanese culture and are believed to bring good luck.
Image credit: @gangoji.official via Instagram
With all that symbolism, it’s no surprise that Chinese bellflowers can be found at temples around the country. One standout spot is the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Gangoji Temple in Nara. It’s home to around 500 Chinese bellflowers, and famous among Buddhists for the Chiko Mandala and its 5-storey pagoda.
Image credit: @kkyamasita via Instagram
In the heart of Tokyo, there’s also the Mukojima-Hyakkaen Gardens, tucked right along the Sumida River, and it offers a beautiful green escape from the city. The park is on the northeastern side of Tokyo and is just an 8-minute walk from Higashi-mukojima Station.
Additional spots: Hakone Wetland Flower Garden, Shunko-in Temple, Seimei Shrine
Cosmos are known as akizakura, which means “autumn cherry blossoms”, bloom in a mix of colours, from reds and pinks to whites and yellows.
Image credit: @sakura_sanpo.0423 via Instagram
A popular spot to catch cosmos in autumn is the Hannya-ji Temple in Nara. The starburst of flowers complements the multi-coloured decor of the temple beautifully. While you’re there, check out the temple’s Rōmon, a tower gate which has been regarded as a National Treasure – an honour gifted to landmarks by Japan’s Agency of Cultural Affairs.
Image credit: @japangrayline_inbound via Instagram
To catch some yellow kibana cosmos, head down to the Hama-rikyu Gardens. You’ll get to see massive fields of yellow cosmos with huge skyscrapers in the background. It’s also near the Sumida River and is only an 8-minute drive from Tokyo Tower.
Additional spots: Shirakimine Park, Awaji Hanasajiki Park, Akebonoyama Agriculture Park
Red spider lilies are fiery red flowers with unique spider-like spindles, making them a great backdrop for pics. They’re also seen as heralds of the incoming autumn season among the locals.
Image credit: @roxannfuji via Instagram
You wouldn’t know the true beauty of these red spider lilies until you’ve visited Kinchakuda Manjushage Park in Hidaka along the Koma River. It has one of the largest collections of these red blooms, with about 5 million of them scattered across the space. If you’re getting there from Tokyo, you’ll have to take a 7-hour train ride.
Image credit: @_chiiiiibow via Instagram
During mid to late-September, the Yoshibi Rice Terrace in Yame City, Kyushu, blooms with lively red spider lilies set against 5ha of green paddy fields. They’re not just aesthetically pleasing – the roots of the flowers help firm up the soil too.
Additional spots: Yakachigawa River, Tsuzura Rice Paddies, Gongendo Koen
Daffodils need no introduction, but what you might not know is that they can grow during the winter. It’s commonly seen in coastal areas of Japan, like Shimoda and Edogawa.
Image credit: @japan_embassy_canada via Instagram
Just an hour drive away from Kobe is Awaji Island, which has a healthy growth of daffodils. You’ll be treated to views of these beautiful flowers whilst enjoying the ocean breeze. And even though it’s a bit off the beaten path, there are also other activities on the island, like soaking in hot springs, checking out Onaruto Bridge, and visiting Sumoto Castle.
Image credit: @grand_jete_412 via Instagram
Another popular spot to see daffodils is Echizen Cape Narcissus Land. It’s on the outskirts of Fukui, an hour’s drive away from the city centre. Other than the fields of flowers, you’ll get to enjoy some ocean views and explore the Cape Echizen Lighthouse and observatory.
Additional spots: Cape Tsumekizaki Natural Park, Sakuma Dam Lake Water Park, Kasai Rinkai Park
Cherry blossom fans, meet ume matsuri, more commonly known as plum blossoms. These blooms are more reddish in colour than their more famous counterparts and have a few key differences – rounded petals and a strong, sweet scent that fills the air.
Image credit: @yasuony via Instagram
Families with young children tagging along can consider catching plum blossoms at Hanegi Park. Snap some family pictures with the flowers in the background, then take your kids to the nearby playground to shed off some energy.
Image credit: Joy Amaka Obi via Facebook
Suzuka Forest Garden in Suzuka City is a seasonal spot that features 200 massive plum trees. These displays are also Kureha Shidara plum trees, which are the biggest kind in Japan.
Additional spots: The Soga Plum Festival, Kitano Tenmangu, Koishikawa Korakuen
In case you didn’t know, camellias are actually native to Japan and are famous for their vibrant colours that add much-needed vibrancy to the harsh winter season.
Image credit: @urbangardenhalle via Instagram
A must-visit event is the Izu Oshima Camellia Festival at the Tokyo Municipal Oshima Park, featuring over 3,000 wild camellias. The island is just off the coast of Tokyo, so you’ll either have to book a 2-hour ferry ride or a 30-minute flight from Tokyo’s Chofu Airport.
Image credit: @berry_lpplmlk via Instagram
Located at the base of a mountain, Mount Kasayama Camellia Grove is a unique spot where you can check out over 25,000 yabutsubaki camellias. The grove is 10ha wide and plays host to the annual Hagi Camellia Festival.
Additional spots: Jindai Botanical Garden
With Singapore’s tropical climate, we rarely get to see gorgeous flower blooms in the wild. From flower festivals to sprawling landscapes, these seasonal flowers in Japan prove that the country is a great place to enjoy some nature, experience different seasons, and get some aesthetic shots all in one place.
For more Japan travel ideas:
Cover image adapted from: @lyka_msb, @k_maru02 & @sakura_sanpo.0423 via Instagram
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