Spring is the season when all the plants and flowers that have been sleeping begin to move at once. Why don’t you go out to see colorful plants and flowers that give you a warm spring feeling?
Here are some spots where you can enjoy flowers and plants in Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe.
[Poppy] Expo '70 Commemorative Park, Osaka
Poppy is a member of the poppy family that has long been cultivated for ornamental and medicinal purposes. The seeds are also used in cooking.
The Expo ’70 Park’s Shizen Bunka-en (Nature Park) and Hana-no-oka (Flower Hill) are decorated with approximately 380,000 poppies. The contrast of colors between the yellow and orange poppies and the fresh blue nemophila can also be enjoyed.
Best time to visit: early April to early May
LOCATION INFORMATION
Address
1-1, Senribanpakukoen, Suita, Osaka
Access
From Hankyu Kyoto Line Minami-ibaraki Station or Hankyu Takarazuka Line Hotarugaike Station, transfer over to the Osaka Monorail and go to Bampaku-kinen-koen Station. It's a 7-minute walk from there.
[Fuji] Nakayamadera, Takarazuka
The Japanese Fuji is a species endemic to Japan and is mentioned in the Manyoshu (Anthology of Myriad Leaves). The long, hairpin-like flowers hang down in a drooping manner. Purple flowers are common, but white and pink flowers also exist.
At Nakayama-dera Temple’s Star Plaza, there is a magnificent wisteria trellis that stretches about 80 meters. The rows of white wisteria flowers look like “clouds floating in a blue sky. The sweet fragrance of the flowers can also be enjoyed.
Best time to visit: Mid-April to late April
LOCATION INFORMATION
Address
2-11-1, Nakayamadera, Takarazuka, Hyogo
Access
Right by Hankyu Takarazuka Line Nakayama-kannon Station
[Yamabuki] Matsuo-taisha Shrine, Kyoto
Yamabuki is a deciduous shrub in the rose family with beautiful, almost orange-yellow flowers. The flower has been familiar to the Japanese people since ancient times.
Matsuo-taisha Shrine, known as a place of famous water, has about 3,000 yamabuki trees, which turn the shrine grounds yellow. The Yamabuki Festival is held every year when the flowers are at their best.
Best time to visit: mid-April to early May
LOCATION INFORMATION
Address
3, Arashiyama Miyamachi, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto
Access
Right by Hankyu Arashiyama Line Matsuo-taisha Station
[Azalea] Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine, Kyoto
It is very familiar in Japan and is often planted as a roadside tree or garden tree. It is loved by many people for its very vivid flowers.
Vivid Kirishima azaleas are in full bloom at Hachijogaike Pond at Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine. The crimson-tinged path surrounded by azalea plantings more than 2 meters high is magnificent.
Best time to visit: Late April – early May
LOCATION INFORMATION
Address
2-15-13, Tenjin, Nagaokakyo, Kyoto
Access
5-minute walk from Hankyu Kyoto Line Nagaoka-tenjin Station
[Peony] Otokunidera, Kyoto
The peony is a plant that symbolizes beauty and has long been used as a design for crafts and paintings. It produces beautiful and large flowers like roses.
There are 2,000 peony plants of about 30 varieties at Otokunidera Temple. Protected by white Japanese umbrellas for sun protection, the bright pink and red buttons bloom in large profusion.
Best time to visit: mid-April to early May
LOCATION INFORMATION
Address
3-14-7, Imazato, Nagaokakyo, Kyoto
Access
Take the Hankyu bus from Hankyu Kyoto Line Nagaoka-tenjin Station and alight at Yakushidou. It's a 5-minute walk from there.
[Aomomiji] Minoh Park, Osaka
Aomomiji refers to the leaves of maple trees that turn from young leaves in spring to increasingly darker green. You can enjoy the fresh and crisp leaves of ao-momiji until they turn red in the fall.
Minoh Park is famous for its autumn leaves, but it is also very beautiful in the fresh green season. Enjoy forest bathing surrounded by the sparkling green maples in the sunlight while listening to the murmuring of a mountain stream and the chirping of wild birds.
Best time to visit: Late April to late May
LOCATION INFORMATION
Address
1-18, Minookoen, Minoo, Osaka
Access
5-minute walk from Hankyu Minoh Line Minoh Station
[Rose] Aramaki Rose Park, Itami
Roses have long been cultivated for perfumery and medicinal purposes.” It is said to be “the flower that symbolizes love,” and is often used in arrangements and bouquets because of its gorgeous appearance and wide variety of types and colors.
At Aramaki Rose Park in Itami, approximately 10,000 roses bloom in a stylish southern European-style garden. The view of the park, with its sloping terrain and colorful colors, is a must-see.
Best time to visit: Mid-May to mid-June
LOCATION INFORMATION
Address
6-5-50, Aramaki, Itami, Hyogo
Access
Take the city bus from Hankyu Itami Line Itami Station and alight at Aramaki Bara Koen. It's a short walk away.
[Japanese Primrose]Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden, Kobe
Japanese Primrose is the largest member of the primrose family, with flower stalks that can reach 80 cm in length. It grows in clusters in wetlands at the foot of mountains.
At the Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden, numerous alpine plants bloom from May to June. The 5,000 or so Japanese Primrose that fill the wetlands are especially breathtaking.
Best time to visit: Mid-May to late May
LOCATION INFORMATION
Address
4512-150, Kita Rokko, Rokkosan-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo
Access
Take the Kobe City Bus from Hanshin Main Line Mikage Station and get off at the Rokko Cable Shita stop. Ride the Rokko Cable Car to the top. Take the Rokko Sanjo Bus and get off at the Museum-mae stop. It's a 1-minute walk from there.
[Water Lily] Ryoanji Temple, Kyoto
Water lilies are striking aquatic plants with flowers that seem to float above the water. It is widely distributed in ponds and swamps.
Kyoyoike Pond at Ryoanji Temple, a World Heritage site, is famous for its water lilies. Not only white but also red and pink flowers cover most of the pond. The flowers often open in the morning and close at noon, so the best time to see them is in the morning.
Best time to visit: Mid-May to late August
LOCATION INFORMATION
Address
13 Ryoanji Goryonoshita-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto
Access
From Hankyu Kyoto Line Saiin Station, transfer over to the Randen and go to Kitano Line Myoshinji Station. It's a 7-minute walk from there.
The colorful flowers that bloom in spring are a source of comfort and relaxation for those who see them. Why don’t you take advantage of the warm, sunny weather and visit some of the best places and spots for flowers in Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe?
