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Seasonal Highlights

Spring

Moss Pink (Hitsujiyama Park)

Moss Pink (Hitsujiyama Park)

  • Hitsujiyama Park offers a panoramic view of Chichibu city and is home to a spectacular new sight, Moss Pink Hill.
    The moss pink plantings are among the largest in the Kanto region and are designed to create a spectacular color show. Nine varieties of moss pink, some 400,000 plants, cover 17,600 square meters. The moss pink is in full bloom from mid April to early May.
    The Chichibu Specialty Fair is held next to Moss Pink Hill during the blooming season and a host of events are held around the city. Come and have a look!

  • Moss Pink (Hitsujiyama Park)

Wintersweet

  • Wintersweet
  • Wintersweet
  • This pale yellow flower with translucent petals lights up the waning grey of early spring. The best place to see them is at Hodosan Robai Park, at the top of the Hodo Ropeway in Nagatoro. Some 2,000 wintersweet plants bloom in profusion across two square kilometers.

    Season Late February to early March
    Locations Hodosan Robai Park, Nagatoro; Yama no Hanamichi, Yokoze; Azumayayama, Ogano
  • Wintersweet

Adonis

  • As the auspicious name of this golden yellow flower suggests, you too will fall in love with it. Adonis grows wild in three places.

    Season Late February to mid March
    Locations Yoshida Isama, Chichibu; Wakamikoyama, Arakawa, Chichibu; Azumayayama, Ogano
  • Adonis

Japanese Apricot

Japanese Apricot

Japanese apricots, favored for their tall trunks and tidy appearance, can be seen in gardens and fields throughout the Chichibu region. Two of the best places to see them are the Hodosan Ume Hyakkaen in Nagatoro, which boasts the largest array of Japanese apricot varieties in Japan, and the well-kept Japanese Apricot Grove at Chichibu Musepark, in Chichibu city.

Season Mid February to late March
Locations Japanese Apricot Grove, Chichibu Musepark; Hodosan Ume Hyakkaen, Nagatoro

Cherry

  • Cherry blossoms such as the Yoshino and weeping cherry have always won the hearts of the Japanese. Hitsujiyama Park in Chichibu city boasts 1,000 trees. Mt. Mino in Minano is covered with a profusion of 8,000 cherry trees in 100 varieties. You will also find a 6-km long tunnel of cherry trees along Sakura-dori in Nagatoro.

    Season Early April to early May
    Locations Yoshida Isama, Chichibu; Wakamikoyama, Arakawa, Chichibu; Azumayayama, Ogano
  • Cherry

Poppy

  • The vivid glowing-red poppies will have you staring in wide-eyed amazement as they blanket the highland from Minano to Higashi Chichibu in vibrant reds. About 15 million poppies bloom across 5.0 hectares (nearly 9 acres).

    Season Mid May to early June
    Locations Chichibu Kogen Bokujo, Minano
  • Poppy

Summer

Hydrangea

  • Hydrangea
  • Hydrangea

The flower of the rainy season, the hydrangea's exceptional beauty in pale blues, purples, and crimsons will delight you. You will find about 3,200 hydrangeas in fields near the top of Minoyama in Minano, while several thousand adorn the approaches to the 31st temple of the Kannon pilgrimage.

Season Early June to late July
Locations Josenji (3rd pilgrimage temple) and Kannonji (31st pilgrimage temple) (Early to late June)
Minoyama Park, Minano; Noson Park, Yokoze (Late June to mid July)

Rhododendron

Rhododendron

  • Experienced hikers can see wild rhododendrons at Jumonji Pass in Oku Chichibu. A seven-hour hike along a mountain trail brings you to a mountain-side of rhododendrons amid virgin forest. Note that the trail is quite steep.

    Season Early June to mid June
    Locations Otaki Jumonji Pass, Chichibu
  • Poppy

Autumn

Dahlia

  • The dahlia is a perennial of the Asteraceae family that has long been grown as an ornamental. Its many varieties display many colors. The Ryokami district, spectacular for its autumn leaves, is home to a 6,000-square meter dahlia garden bursting with 2,400 dahlias.

    Season Early September to late October
    Locations Ryokami Susuki, Ogano
  • Dahlia

Autumn Leaves

  • Autumn Leaves
  • Autumn Leaves
  • Autumn Leaves
  • Autumn Leaves
  • Autumn Leaves

With the turn of autumn come the first golds and reds to Chichibu. The Skyroad in Musepark features a 3-km long walk along an avenue of golden ginkgo trees.

Season Autumn (Late October to late November)
Locations Entire Chichibu region (red leaves) and Musepark (gold leaves)

Buckwheat Flowers

Buckwheat Flowers

  • You can see buckwheat flowers everywhere, but especially in the Arakawa district of Chichibu. The buckwheat noodle restaurant, Soba no Sato features a large buckwheat field full of blossoms.

    Season Autumn (Early September to early October) Note: The Buckwheat Festival (Soba Matsuri) is held in the season.
    Locations Arakawa Kamitano and Arakawa Shiroku, Chichibu
  • Buckwheat Flowers

Winter

Misotsuchi Icicles (Otaki, Chichibu)

  • Oku Chichibu's winter beauty spot featuring natural ice sculptures in frozen pure water flowing over rock. The icicles are lit up at night during the period.

    Season About mid January to mid February
    More Information
  • Misotsuchi Icicles (Otaki, Chichibu)

Onouchi Hyakkei Icicles (Ogano)

  • A winter spectacle in Onouchi Gorge, Ogano. Seeing the icicles from the suspension bridge is popular.

    Season Early January to late February
    More Information
  • Onouchi Hyakkei Icicles (Ogano)

Ashigakubo Icicles (Yokoze)

  • A new icicle spot that emerged in 2014. About 20 min. walk from Ashigakubo Station.

    Season Mid January to mid February
    More Information
  • Ashigakubo Icicles (Yokoze)
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