Headed to Ibaraki Prefecture during the spring months? You're in luck! There are a number of great destinations to appreciate the beauty of the season, and this guide covers five spots where you can enjoy picturesque spring blooms like cherry blossoms, baby blue eyes, and azaleas.
Koga Kubo Park
Home to over 1500 peach trees, Koga Kubo Park hosts an annual festival to celebrate these delicate blossoms – it's usually held around the late March to early April timeframe. For folks who can't visit in spring, the park is also renowned for its lotus flowers which bloom during June and July. History buffs can learn more about the park's backstory here.
399-1 Konosu, Koga, Ibaraki 306-0041
Ibaraki Flower Park
Located in Ishioka City, the Ibaraki Flower Park is most famous for its roses, but there are various other blooms to enjoy during the spring season. Kawazu cherry blossoms, azaleas, and wisteria are just some of the highlights, with the full list available on the park website's flower calendar. The park also has eateries, a kids play area, and stores where you can purchase local produce.
200 Shimoaoyagi, Ishioka, Ibaraki 315-0153
Kamine Park
Kamine Park is a fun place for a family-friendly day out year-round -- the venue is home to a zoo, amusement park rides, pools, and more. It's also a brilliant spot for appreciating the beauty of spring, since the grounds are filled with around 1000 cherry trees. It's so well-loved that it appears on the list of Japan's Top 100 cherry blossom viewing spots.
5 Chome-2-22 Miyatacho, Hitachi, Ibaraki 317-0055
Hitachi Seaside Park
Hitachi Seaside Park is one of Ibaraki Prefecture's most recognizable destinations, and during spring it's famous for its hillside of nemophila, or baby blue eyes. There are approximately 4.5 million of the flowers for visitors to enjoy, plus other seasonal favorites like tulips, plum blossoms, and nanohana at this time of year. If you can't make it to the park during spring, be sure to check out the flower calendar on the park's website, which gives an insight into what's in bloom year-round.
605-4 Onuma-aza, Mawatari, Hitachinaka, Ibaraki 312-0012
Shizumine Furusato Park
Shizumine Furusato Park is one of the prefecture's top spots to enjoy the beauty of sakura season. The park grounds are home to around 4000 cherry trees in total, with close to a 50-50 split of Yaezakura and Somei Yoshino varieties. The Yaezakura variety are often known as late blooming cherry blossoms, and the park plays host to a sakura festival when they're at their best. The timeframe for this is usually around mid April to early May, but official dates should be posted on the Naka City website shortly.
1720-1 Shizu, Naka, Ibaraki 319-2106
