In the midst of planning your next Japan holiday? Add a pop of colour to your life by visiting one of the many seasonal flower festivals in Japan. (Yes, it’s more than just cherry blossoms!)
Japan is known for its delicious eats, stunning views, and state-of-the-art technology. But did you know that they’re also known for having some of the most gorgeous flowers? Beyond the ever-popular cherry blossom season, the country hosts a myriad of flower festivals throughout the year, each showcasing the vibrant beauty of different blooms. From dreamy hydrangeas to exotic spider lilies, here are 10 must-visit flower festivals in Japan to add to your itinerary!
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Flower Festivals In Japan To Look Forward To In 2024:
1. Freesia Festival on Hachijojima Island, Tokyo
Best time to visit: Mid-March to Early April
Image credits: Travel Japan
Did you know that a tropical paradise can be found off the coast of Tokyo? Located 10.5 hours away by boat, or just under an hour by plane, Hachijojima Island is volcanic terrain that’s home to rugged mountains and vibrant fauna and flora. While most people who visit stay for surfing and diving adventures, the Island is also famous for the Freesia Festival which heralds the arrival of spring.
Expect to find fields of fragrant freesias in various hues blossoming against the backdrop of the dormant Hachi Fuji volcano. The festival is usually held between mid-March to early April, and often has a variety of activities for you to partake in, such as freesia picking, traditional Hachijo-style taiko performances, and some local craft markets for you to explore!
🎟️ Admission: Free
📍 Address: 4341-1 Ookago, Hachijo-machi, Hachijo-jima, Tokyo
🕜 Opening Hours: 24 hours
Flower Festivals In Japan To Look Forward To In 2024: Find out more here
2. Tonami Tulip Fair
Best time to visit: Mid-March to Early April
Image credits: Travel Japan
A tribute to the magical and restorative season that is Spring, the Tonami Tulip Fair is one for the books. As tulips are the official flower of the Toyoma prefecture, you can expect throngs of locals to come together to witness and admire the flowers in full bloom during this event.
With over two million tulips at this event, you know that you’d be in for a visual treat! Of course, your trip to Tonami City in Central Japan is not complete without immersing yourself in the local culture. Take a stroll along the streets and try some of the freshest seafood while you’re at it.
🎟️ Admission: ¥1,300
📍 Address: 1-32 Hanazonomachi, Tonami, Toyama 939-1382, Japan
🕜 Opening Hours: 24 hours
Flower Festivals In Japan To Look Forward To In 2024: Find out more here
3. Nemophila Flower Festival
Best time to visit: Mid-April to Early May
Image credits: Salam Groovy Japan
This not-so-little number has appeared on several of our listicles before — and with good reason! The Hitachi Seaside Park is known for its rolling hills and iconic flowers that bloom throughout the year. Located in the Ibaraki prefecture and just 1.5 hours away from Tokyo by car, the Park is home to the breathtakingly beautiful Nemophila flowers, otherwise known as Baby Blue Eyes, during springtime.
What we love about this place is that it’s big enough for you to roam around by bike, giving you a chance to hide away from the crowds, posing for countless photo ops, and maybe even having a picnic in one of the designated eating spots!
🎟️ Admission: ¥210
📍 Address: 605-4 Onuma, Mawatari, Hitachinaka-shi, Ibaraki-ken
🕜 Opening Hours:
- 9:30 to 17:00 (March 1 to July 20, September 1 to October 31)
- 9:30 to 18:00 (July 21 to August 31)
- 9:30 to 16:30 (November to February)
- Closed on Tuesdays
Flower Festivals In Japan To Look Forward To In 2024: Find out more here
4. Nezu Shrine Azalea Festival (Tsutsuyi Matsuri)
Best time to visit: April
Image credits: The Japan News
Nezu Shrine Azalea Festival, or Tsutsuji Matsuri offers visitors a unique cultural experience. During this time, the vibrant azaleas paint the shrine grounds in various shades of pink, red, purple, and white, providing a serene and culturally rich experience for visitors seeking a peaceful escape within the heart of the bustling city.
The 300-year-old garden features over 3,000 azalea bushes and makes for the perfect backdrop as you stroll through the hallowed temple grounds and learn more about the history of this gorgeous corner of Japan.
🎟️ Admission: ¥500
📍 Address: 1-chōme-28-9 Nezu, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 113-0031, Japan
🕜 Opening Hours: 06:00 – 17:00 daily
Flower Festivals In Japan To Look Forward To In 2024: Find out more here
5. Wisteria Festival at Ashikaga Flower Park
Best time to visit: Mid-April to Mid-May
Image credits: TimeOut
If you’re an Anime lover, you may find these flowers slightly familiar! These were used by the Demon Slayer Corps to combat demons. In the series, the wisteria flowers had a slight magical glow to them, and under the right conditions, the ones in real life do seem to almost have that quality, too!
Image credits: GIFDB
Wisterias can be found in several places in Japan, but the most iconic festival celebrating these blooms is the Wisteria Festival at Ashikaga Flower Park in Ashikaga City, Tochigi. Home to over 350 wisteria trees (and a 150-year-old wisteria tree), the Park is also a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage site! When in full bloom, the trellises adorned with wisteria vines create their famous tunnels, providing an immersive and almost otherworldly experience for visitors. There are light-up events in the evening as well, creating an extra magical atmosphere that you should definitely stick around for.
🎟️ Admission: From ¥500
📍 Address: 607 Hasamacho, Ashikaga, Tochigi 329-4216, Japan
🕜 Opening Hours: Mon – Fri, 10:00 – 17:00, Weekends, 10:00 – 21:00
Flower Festivals In Japan To Look Forward To In 2024: Find out more here
6. Keisei Rose Garden Spring Festival
Best time to visit: Late April to Early June
Image credits: Wikimedia
Springtime is more than just about new beginnings and growth — it’s also a season of romance, and the arrival of the Keisei Rose Garden Spring Festival is a testament to that!
Held in Chiba in Greater Tokyo, the festival is a must-visit for those who love love. The festival showcases more than 10,000 roses, while the unique blend of colours and scents makes for a multi-sensorial experience like no other. Expect to find other entertainment elements during this festival too, like art installations and quiet corners for you to unwind and admire all that nature has to offer. A quiet escape from the city while surrounded by the epitome of romance? Count us in!
🎟️ Admission: ¥500
📍 Address: 755 Owada Shinden, Yachiyo, Chiba 276-0046
🕜 Opening Hours: 10:00 – 17:00 daily
Flower Festivals In Japan To Look Forward To In 2024: Find out more here
7. Bunkyo Hydrangea Festival (Bunkyo Ajisai Matsuri)
Best time to visit: May to June
Image credits: Gotokyo
As we approach summer, we can expect a brief rainy season. But as the saying goes, after the storm comes the rainbow, right? In this scenario, the rainbow comes in the form of gorgeous hydrangeas, or ajisai making their appearance in parks, temples and shrines nationwide. An interesting fact about hydrangeas is that while you will typically find them in their inky blue hue, the colours of their petals may change according to the acidity level of the soil, making for a vibrant display of pinks, purples, and whites!
The festival takes place in a local Hakusan Shrine in Bunkyo, Tokyo, and extends to the streets surrounding it, making it a community-wide celebration. Expect to find roadside food carts to fuel your appetite after walking around the grounds!
🎟️ Admission: Free
📍 Address: Hakusan Shrine (5-31-26 Hakusan, Bunkyo-ku
🕜 Opening Hours: From 10:00 daily
Flower Festivals In Japan To Look Forward To In 2024: Find out more here
8. Hokuryu Sunflower Festival
Best time to visit: Mid-July to Mid-August
Image credits: Kyuhoshi
When you think of Hokkaido, chances are, you’re thinking powder-white snow, maybe some Sapporo beer, and delicious seafood. But beyond these things, Hokkaido is also known to be the place to go for all things sunflower-related!
The Horkuryu Sunflower Festival is a testament to this unofficial title, where you get to witness stalks of golden sunflowers standing tall in the fields and swaying in the breeze. During this festival, you can expect an estimated 1.5 million sunflowers, turning the quiet city of Horkuryu into quite possibly the sunniest place on Earth.
🎟️ Admission: Free
📍 Address: 125-2 Komahongō Hidaka-shi, Saitama-ken 350-1251 Japan
🕜 Opening Hours: 09:00 – 18:00 daily
Flower Festivals In Japan To Look Forward To In 2024: Find out more here
9. Manjushage Matsuri
Best time to visit: Mid-September to Early October
Image credits: TimeOut
If you love (1) the colour red, (2) the fall season, or (3) both, then this festival is something you should have on your radar! Spider lilies are a gorgeous and unique plant that goes by many names worldwide. You may have heard it being referred to as ‘the death flower’, due to its tendency to bloom in cemeteries in Japan and China, but if you aren’t the superstitious sort, then the spider lily season would be one worth celebrating!
Our favourite (and the Internet’s) place to watch the flowers would be in Kinchakuda Park in Hidaka, Saitama. During the peak season which happens in September, expect the ground to be carpeted in brilliant, fiery reds — a remarkable sight to behold.
🎟️ Admission: ¥500
📍 Address: 125-2 Komahongō Hidaka-shi, Saitama-ken 350-1251 Japan
🕜 Opening Hours: 09:00 – 16:30 daily
Flower Festivals In Japan To Look Forward To In 2024: Find out more here
10. Kasama Chrysanthemum Festival
Best time to visit: Late October to Late November
Image credits: Ibaraki Guide
A symbol of the Japanese monarchy, chrysanthemums, or Kiku, are a revered bloom that artisan growers take pride in cultivating. The labour of love from them then culminates in the showcases at kiku matsuris, like the historical Kasama Festival. Considered one of Japan’s oldest festivals dedicated to the iconic flower, the Kasama Festival is definitely a must-visit for culture vultures and flower lovers alike.
If you plan on attending this festival, do take the time to admire the gorgeous petals in different colours. At the same time, you can even check out some of the indoor exhibitions — like mannequins of important Japanese figures covered in chrysanthemums! While you’re in Ibaraki, you should also take time to check out the many pottery studios and shops in the area.
🎟️ Admission: ¥800
📍 Address: 1 Kasama, Kasama City, Ibaraki, Japan 309-1611
🕜 Opening Hours: 08:30 – 16:30 daily
Flower Festivals In Japan To Look Forward To In 2024: Find out more here
Stop To Smell The Roses (And More)
It’s no secret that Japan has plenty of things to do and places to visit — and the sheer number of gardens and corresponding festivals is a testament to that. We hope that this list has proven useful for those seeking out new adventures in a familiar land.
And while we’ve been out here dishing out tips on how to travel like a local, we’re also pretty good at helping our YouTrip Fam score some of the best deals in town. When booking hotels and other adventures for your upcoming Japan adventure, enjoy greater peace of mind and attractive discounts with our partners like Klook, Booking.com, Agoda, and the like. And as usual, remember to make use of your YouTrip Card to lock in those wholesale exchange rates!
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