The plum blossoms of Odawara Flower Garden, which is located in Odawara, Kanagawa, are at the height of their blossom right now. The park’s Keiryu no Baien (“Mountain Stream Plum Garden”) area boasts the largest collection of plum blossoms in Japan’s Kanto region, with 480 trees spanning 200 species.
This year’s Plum Blossom Festival at the park is now running until March 8, 2020, and is the perfect time to witness these beautiful flowers.
Home to 480 trees spanning 200 types of plum blossom treeーfrom early bloomers to late bloomersー, the Keiryu no Baien is a true spectacle to behold and a must-visit for any plant-lovers out there visiting the Kansai region of Japan. Every year, the Plum Blossom Festival takes on a unique theme, with 2020’s titled “Rare Plum Blossoms ~Uncommon Plum Blossoms in the Auspicious Months of Early Spring~”.
As the theme suggests, the Keiryu no Baien is home to many rare types of plum blossoms you won’t see anywhere else, such as the ougonbai (黄金梅), which has distinct thin, pale yellow petals. This year’s festival shines the spotlight on many more of these uncommon speciesーan unmissable chance for horticulturalists.
Plum Blossom Festival Soba Noodles – ¥600 (Tax Included) / With Drink ¥700 (Tax Included)
The Odawara Flower Garden cafe, Cafe Hibiscus, is serving a selection of plum blossom themed meals and drinks for the festival. This includes the above-pictured new soba noodle dish, which is topped with plum pulp grown in Odawara as well as kamaboko fish cake, shrimp fritters, and spring onion. The broth in particular is worth of note which the staff went to great lengths to create. There’s also plum blossom ice cream too made with nanko plums, as well as other delicious bites.
Entry to Odawara Flower Park as well as use of the car park are completely free. The festival runs until early March, but to fully enjoy the early and mid bloomers in their height, now is the best time to go. Don’t miss out.
Information
Odawara Flower Garden
Address: 3798-5 Kuno, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture
Garden Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00 (Last entries to the Tropical Dome – 16:30)
Entry: Free (Fee charged to enter the Tropical Dome – Adults ¥200/Children ¥100)
Closed: Mondays (Or the following day if the Monday falls on a National Holiday) / National Holidays / New Year Holidays (December 29-January 3)
Access:
①Board the Izuhakone Bus towards “Flower Garden” (フラワーガーデン・県立諏訪の原公園) from Platform 2 of Odawara Station’s East Exit and get off at “Flower Garden”.
②20 minutes on foot from Iidaoka Station via the Daiyūzan Line
Plum Blossom Festival
Running: January 25, 2020 – March 8, 2020
Time: 9:00-17:00
Official Website: https://www.seibu-la.co.jp/odawarafg/
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