3 places to enjoy spring near Tokyo
Ashikaga Flower Park
Suburban flowers
Want some fresh air while exploring the prefectures around Tokyo? Discover Tochigi, Gunma and Saitama to enjoy spring less than two hours from the capital, for half-day trips among the flowers.
Ashikaga Flower Park (Tochigi)
After the cherry blossom season is over, it's the wisteria of Ashikaga Flower Park that offer an equally magnificent sight. White flowers, then pink, then purple and finally yellow, it's like a rainbow that blooms over several weeks and is arranged into a true work of art. The gardeners constantly outdo themselves to make the landscape look magical and every season the park dons a new multicolored coat. A new station is expected to open right next to the park on April 1st, 2018, to facilitate access from major cities.
Useful information :
Address: 607 Hasama, Ashikaga, Tochigi 329-4216
Phone: +81 (0) 284 914 939
Hours: 9:00-18:00 (from March to October); 10:00-17:00 (from November to February)
Price: varies depending on the season, but around $11 at peak flowering season
Access: Tomita station (JR Ryomo line); about 1hr 30m from Tokyo
To read: Ashikaga Flower Park
Ashikaga Flower Park
Treasure Garden (Gunma)
A parterre of 200,000 pink flowers of various hues form a multicolored carpet for a successful spring stroll in the Tobu Treasure Garden. No matter where you look, you can admire beautiful flowers, and cherry blossoms also bloom every year around mid-April. There are 4,000 varieties of flowers growing on more than eight hectares throughout the year.
Useful information :
Address: 1050 Horikou, Tatebaya, Gunma 374-0033
Phone: +81 (0) 276-55-0750
Hours: 9:00-17:00 (April to June); 10:00-16:30 (from July to March)
Price: varies depending on the season, but around $11 at peak flowering season
Access: Morinjimae station (Tobu Isesaki line); about 1hr 30m from Tokyo
See also: The village of Biei
Treasure Garden
Gongendo Park (Saitama)
Flowers, baseball and tobogganing. What a delight for the whole family! Gongendo Park is particularly popular during the cherry blossom season, with more than 1,000 trees lined up over less than a kilometer and illuminated until 10pm. The bright yellow rapeseed flowers in the park also offer a magnificent contrast. It's the ideal place for a relaxing afternoon with family or friends.
Useful information :
Address: 50 Koemon, Kuki, Saitama 349-1105
Phone: +81 (0) 480-44-0873
Hours: 8.30-19:00 (April to September); 8:30-17:00 (from October to March)
Price: free
Access: Satte station (Tobu Nikko line) then take the Asahi bus towards Gokamachi yakuba to Gongendo stop; about 1 hour from Tokyo
Read more: Cherry blossoms by night
Gongendo Park
