Three of the Best Flower Parks in Japan

The Chubu area of Japan, which is the central region of the main island of Honshu is home to three of the best flower parks in Japan. The parks are truly spectacular in each of the four seasons in Japan, but really come alive with the colours of spring during April and May. You can see Cherry Blossoms in late March to early April, Tulips in April, and Roses in late May.

Nabana no Sato

Nabana no Sato (なばなの里) located in Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture is a theme park dedicated to flowers. The flower park is home to numerous sections of flowers that change throughout the year depending on the season. The flowers are constantly changing so you can visit this park many times and get a different experience each and every visit. The sakura (cherry blossom) and tulip displays are two of the biggest and best and are must see in spring.

Address: 270 Komae, Nagashima-cho, Kuwana-shi, Mie-ken, 511-1144

When: Spring for the Cherry Blossoms and Tulips

Admission: ¥2000 (includes ¥1000 worth of coupons to be used within the park)

Kiso Sansen Park

Kiso Sansen Park (木曽三川公園) located in Kaizu City, Gifu Prefecture is the largest urban city park in Japan. In fact, it is Japan’s largest National Government Park and straddles Aichi, Gifu and Mie Prefectures. The center of the park is in Kaizu City and can be enjoyed all year round with the beautiful seasonal flowers that adorn the park. The best time to visit in my opinion is spring for the famous Tulip festival which features around 260,000 tulips and muscari bulbs. The tulips are arranged and designed in the theme of a “flowering river” with the whole park alive with ablaze of amazing colours.

Address: 255-3 Aburajima, Kaizu-cho, Kaizu-shi, Gifu-ken 503-0625

When: Early to late April for the Tulip Festival

Admission: FREE to the park (¥600 for the observation tower)

138 Tower Park

138 Tower Park (138タワーパーク) located in Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture features a spectacular 138 meter high observation tower with dual arches that is the tallest arch style tower in Asia. The park is one of the best public parks in Japan and offers a lot of interesting things to do and see for the whole family. It is also famous for its flowers, especially its beautiful roses. The park has a magnificent rose garden called the Rose Stream with features 9 different varieties of around 4,000 perpetual roses. The garden has been designed to represent the flowering swirl of a river to the sea. The garden is at its best twice a year, from the middle of May to early June, as well as again from the end of October to early November.

Address: 21-3 Oaza Urazaki, Komyoji, Ichinomiya-shi, Aichi-ken 491-0135

When: Mid May to early June for the Roses

Admission: FREE to the park (¥500 for the observation tower)

John Asano

John is a blogger, web developer and freelance writer living in Gifu, Japan. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, he writes for Japan Australia, a blog dedicated to Japan travel, culture and modern life, as well as Japan Travel Advice, a website dedicated to travel in Japan. You can read more of his work at http://japan-australia.blogspot.jp/