Admire the Shibazakura near Tokyo 芝桜
Lawn-cherry trees: a symphony of colors
Did you miss the cherry blossoms? Take comfort: from mid-April to mid-May, the shibazakura, lawn cherry trees, decorate the land with shades of red streaked with white, and, like cherry blossoms... a beautiful sight to see!
Just a few hours from Tokyo, you can admire the flowerbeds of Shibazakura, the "cherry-lawn ", called Phlox subulata by their scientific name or Phlox moss, while taking a breath of fresh air.
Fuji Shibazakura Matsuri
Near Lake Motosu, at the foot of Mount Fuji, the land is tinged with pink, red, purple, and white bands which are celebrated during the " Fuji Shibazakura Matsuri " festival. This multicolored carpet made up of 800,000 shibazakura, located in the foreground of Mount Fuji dressed in white, forms an extraordinary landscape less than 3 hr by train from the capital.
- Opening hours: from mid-April to the end of May from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. In 2019: from April 13 to May 26.
- Access: Take the JR Chuo or Fujikyuko line in Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko station (about 2 hrs) then the "Shibazakura Liner" bus (30 min).
Fuji_Shibazakura_Festival
Reginald Pentinio
Shibazakura Matsuri from Hitsujiyama Park
In Hitsujiyama Park in the city of Chichibu, "Shibazakura-No-Oka", "the hill of shibazakura ", from which one has a magnificent view of the city and the surrounding area, is covered with about 400,000 cherry trees -the lawn of 9 different varieties which extend over an area of 1.8 hectares.
- Opening hours: from mid-April to the end of May from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
- Access: Approximately 80 min from Ikebukuro Station to Seibu-Chichibu Station on the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line. The park is about a 20 min walk from the station.
Discover: the Chichibu area
Ichikai-machi Shibazakura Park
Located in Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo, Ichikai-machi (also spelled Ichigai-machi) Park features no less than 250,000 shibazakura which bloom from mid-April to May on 2.4 hectares. An observatory allows you to admire this immense carpet streaked with red, pink, mauve, and white bands with Lake Hana no suisho and the Yamizo mountain range in the background.
- Opening hours: from mid-April to the end of May from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
- Access: 50 min from Tokyo station to Utsunomiya station by Tohoku Shinkansen. From Utsunomiya station, take the train to Kobana station (45 min) and from there take a taxi (30 min).
Misato shibazakura matsuri
In Yabutsuka Park in the city of Takasaki (Gunma Prefecture), bands of three different colors, red, pink, and white, have been planted to evoke swirls and waves.
- Opening hours : from April 10 to May 6, 2019 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
- Access: 1 hr from Tokyo station by the Shinkansen Joetsu line.
Fuji Shibazakura Festival
gomagoti
Ota shibazakura matsuri
Also in Gunma prefecture, from late April to early May, Miharashi no Oka hill is covered with a multicolored flower bed through which you can walk.
- Opening hours: from mid-April to May 6, 2019, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
- Access: about 1h30 from Kita-Senju station to Yabutsuka station by the Ryomo line of the Tobu company. From there, take a taxi (about 15 min.
