Kumamoto

Apr 27, 2015 - 1 min read

Nichirin Temple Azalea Park

Hillsides covered in Kyushu azaleas

By Mandy Bartok

Community writer

The Nichirin Temple boasts nearly 1000 kurume azaleas

They bloom from April to early May

When I was here on April 22nd, the azlaeas were just past their peak

From the top of the park, you can enjoy beautiful views of Kumamoto prefecture

The path to the peak winds through the azaleas and takes about 15-20 minutes

There were even a few rarer white azaleas in the mix

Nichirin Temple, just outside Yamaga, is known as one of Kumamoto's top spots for azalea viewing. Though this year's azaleas bloomed uncharacteristically early, I still managed to catch some blooms on the hillside during my visit in late April. The hill is covered in over 1000 azaleas of the Kurume variety, a type quite popular in Kyushu. There is a paved path that runs to the top of the park, where you can gaze out over the mountains of northern Kumamoto Prefecture. There are benches both at the top and en route and plenty of places to spread a picnic blanket. For drivers, the temple is well-marked and is a short drive north (perhaps 5-7 minutes) of Yamaga's main bridge over the river (on Route 3).

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Mandy Bartok

By Mandy Bartok

Community writer

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Masayoshi Hirose

Masayoshi Hirose 10 years ago

A colorful azalea is very beautiful! It's very nice and puts me at ease.

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Mandy Bartok

Mandy Bartok Photographer 10 years ago

Thank you, Masayoshi-san! Unfortunately the azaleas were no longer "mankai" but they were still beautiful.

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