Hanamiyama

Hanamiyama

Hanamiyama Park is a privately-owned field for flowering and ornamental trees, in southeast Fukushima City.

The park is located within a satoyama-type landscape i.e. managed woodland hill country close to human habitat. What originally began more than 60 years ago with local farmers planting flowers and trees, has grown into a beautiful scene. The landowner generously turned the area into a park in 1959 to allow visitors to enjoy the beautiful flowers there.

Hanamiyama Park, and the wider Hanamiyama area, is now visited by thousands of admirers every year!

Springtime visits see cherry, plum, and forsythia trees paint everything in vivid colors. A gentle pink and purple landscape waving in the breeze with the picturesque snow-capped Azuma Mountains in the distance makes for an amazing sight.

The riot of spring colors is spectacular enough to merit calling this park Fukushima's very own paradise.

The flowering landscape moves all who see it and has been preserved through the cooperation of the local residents. Enjoy a leisurely one-hour stroll that will take you from the foot of the hill to the summit. Travel through groves of flowering trees and other vibrant flowers in full bloom.

Hanamiyama is the perfect getaway for a day for nature lovers, hikers, or people trying to escape for a short time.

The best part is that spring isn’t the only beautiful time to visit. Marvel in wonder during the lush green summer foliage or the dappled colors of autumn. When you visit this fairytale-like wonderland, it is recommended that visitors wear comfortable walking shoes as the terrain includes graveled paths, steep slopes, and slippery areas. Mid- through late April is the peak season, so ready your camera and your heart for the beauty that awaits.

Venue Details

Venue Details
Websitehttps://www.hanamiyama.jp/en/
Contact

Fukushima City Tourism & Convention Association

(+81) 24-522-3265

Best Season
  • Spring
ParkingAvailable. Disabled Parking Available. Temporary parking lots are opened during spring.
Entrance FeeFree
Accommodation details

Pets: Not allowed

Related infoBest time to see cherry blossoms: Early April

English signage available.

Accessible toilets available.
Access Details
Access1-1 Sakae-machi, Fukushima City, Fukushima Pref. 960-8031
View directions
Getting there

Buses leave every 20 minutes from the east exit of Fukushima Station during blossom season (usually early-to-mid April). Round trip tickets are 500 yen. Hanamiyama is a 15min walk from the alighting bus stop.

By Car: 20 min drive from Fukushima-Nishi I.C. exit off the Tohoku Expressway

By Train: 15 min bus ride from Fukushima Station on the JR Tohoku Main Line

Mapcode for Car GPS: 475 269 351*20

Useful Links

Hanamiyama in Full Bloom

Fukushima's Top Cherry Blossom Spots

Hanami Day Trip from Tokyo

Hanami: Picnic Under the Sakura

Related trips

  1. Nature

    A Day of Cherry Blossoms

    Enjoy this day-long magical romp through springtime while you travel by train. Leave from the charming Fukushima Station and experience what the prefecture has to offer to lovers of nature and history. Bring your camera and your walking shoes and get ready for a day amongst the flowers of Fukushima. After leaving Fukushima Station, you’ll visit Hanamiyama. This springtime park paradise of flowers will leave you breathless from its beauty. You will fall in love with the hillsides colored in shades of pink, purple, and yellow. See the cherry trees in blossom, along with plum trees and forsythia trees with snow-capped mountains in the background. After Hanamiyama, travel to Nihonmatsu Castle for a time-traveling trip to the past. See the castle grounds and learn about the history of the area all while you enjoy the splendor of spring with the almost two thousand cherry trees in bloom. When you’ve had your fill of nature and history, use the train and head back to Nihonmatsu Station.  

    A Day of Cherry Blossoms
    1. Nature

      One-Day Sakura Hunting in Central Fukushima on the Tohoku JR Pass

      This one-day cherry blossom hunting route will take you to two beautiful cherry blossom spots in the central area of Fukushima.  We recommend following this route around mid-April to see the blossoms at their fullest. You will start your trip from Fukushima Station, from where you’ll visit Hanamiyama park first thing in the morning. The great variety of flowers at the park (plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, magnolias, azaleas, etc.) means that the park can be enjoyed throughout the year, although it sees most of its visitors between end of March to early April, when the landscape of the delicate blossoms against the snow capped Mt. Azuma signals the beginning of the spring. This is a wide park and will possibly entail an hour-long hike, if not longer. Bearing this in mind, be sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothes. You’ll then go south to Shirakawa City, where you’ll be able to enjoy seeing delicate flowers against the elegant black-and-white Komine Castle. This itinerary is designed for holders of the Tohoku JR Pass, who will travel between destinations on ‘shinkansen’ bullet trains and local buses (the bullet train fare is covered by the Tohoku JR Pass; the fare for the local buses amounts to an additional fee of approx. 500 yen per person).

      One-Day Sakura Hunting in Central Fukushima on the Tohoku JR Pass

Nearby

The World Glassware Hall
Nature & Scenery

Shiki no Sato (Village of Four Seasons)

Shiki no Sato (Village of Four Seasons) is a lawn-covered agricultural park of about 8 ha in size. There are western-inspired brick buildings in the center, which house a traditional crafts gallery. The gallery includes a glass workshop and kokeshi (traditional wooden doll) exhibit. You can learn to make blown glass, see kokeshi being made by local artisans, and try your hand at decorating a doll of your own. Shiki no Sato also has an ice cream shop offering seasonal ice creams made with the local fruits of Fukushima. In addition to ice cream, you can try a variety of locally-produced beers at the Shiki no Sato's beer hall. The seasonal flowers are a highlight of a visit to Shiki no Sato, which is loved by families and young couples alike. The summertime firework displays and the winter light-ups in the park are some of the most popular times to visit.

The World Glassware Hall
Museums & Galleries

Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art

Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art, located at the foot of Mt. Shinobu on the north side of Fukushima City, houses over 2,000 pieces of art, including paintings, block prints, carvings, craft works, and more. Some highlights of the museum's collection include paintings by Shoji Sekine and woodblock prints by Kiyoshi Saito, both of whom were born in Fukushima Prefecture, as well as a collection of impressionist art, and 20th century paintings by artists such as Ben Shahn and Andrew Whyeth.
The World Glassware Hall
History & Culture

Takashiba Dekoyashiki (Takashiba Craft Village)

A traditional craftsmen's village bestowing an air of the olde-worlde. The papier-mâché crafts of the town, made lovingly by hand for generations, will bring a smile to your face. Takashiba Dekoyashiki is an historical craftsmen's village, and was at one time under the protection of the Miharu feudal domain. Dating back 300 years to the Edo Period, this community is said to have been born when a traveller from Kyoto taught the people how to craft papier-mâché dolls using a special paint called 'nikawa'. Take a walk through the nikawa-scented streets of Takashiba Dekoyashiki and step into the Japan of old. Visitors can try their hand at painting various traditional crafts, including the Miharu-koma horse wooden doll.

Discover Central Area

You might also like

Mt. Shinobu (Shinobuyama)
Nature & Scenery

Mt. Shinobu (Shinobuyama)

Mt. Shinobu, with a total altitude of 275 meters, is one of the most recognisable landmarks of Fukushima City. It is estimated that it formed about 500,000 years ago when the Fukushima basin caved in and Mt. Shinobu became an isolated hill, which later became the object of multiple local poems, stories, and legends.Visitors can hike up Mt. Shinobu for unobstructed views of the cityscape. Hikers of all levels can try climbing Mt. Shinobu, as its peak can be reached in a few hours and many parts of it can be reached by car.Each year in April, there is a spring festival with cherry blossom night illuminations that attract hordes of visitors. Summer and autumn are also great times to follow the hiking routes on Mt. Shinobu.A spiritual power spot for locals, Haguro Shrine can be found at the top of the central peak, where there is also a giant straw sandal that weighs about 2 tons and is 12 meters in length and is believed to be among the biggest in Japan. The sandal is paraded along Fukushima City each year in August during the Waraji Festival. Also in Mt. Shinobu, you can find the Shinobuyama Neko Inari Jinja (‘cat shrine’), and the Gokoku Shrine, along with several parks.For stunning views of the city, including the Shinkansen bullet train tracks, head to the Karasugasaki Observation Deck on the western side. Located nearby are the Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art and the Fukushima Prefectural Library.
Ja no Hana Gardens
Nature & Scenery

Ja no Hana Gardens

The Ja no Hana Gardens (蛇の鼻) are located in Motomiya, in the central area of Fukushima. From spring to autumn, this vast park features a display of natural wonders like cherry blossoms, wisteria, roses, hydrangeas, water lilies, and autumn leaves. It is particularly famous for its 500-year-old wisteria tree that typically blooms in May.There is also a historical residence, Ja no Hana-goten (Ja no Hana mansion), which is a registered tangible cultural property of Japan. Built in 1904, the impressive residence has intricate wooden carvings in the front entrance, and houses artworks and calligraphy works, often housing exhibitions. Visitors can enter the house and look at the artwork up close.Best season: Cherry blossoms: Early to late April Tulips: April to early May Peonies: Early to mid May Japanese wisteria: Early to late May Azaleas: Early to mid May Roses: Most varieties reach their peak around late May; from then until November, other varying kinds might be in bloom Water lilies: June to July Autumn leaves: Late October to November
Jorakuen
Nature & Scenery

Jorakuen

Jorakuen (浄楽園) is a traditional Japanese garden located in Fukushima City. It was completed by an expert gardener who worked on the famous Kinkaku-ji Temple in Kyoto, and it has a total area of about 25,000 square meters (over 269,000 square feet).The garden can be enjoyed in spring, summer and autumn. Spring brings about delicate cherry blossoms, irises, and rhododendrons; water lilies and lotus flowers adorn the ponds during the summer; and brightly colored trees decorate the park in autumn.  No matter the season, the backdrop of the Azuma mountains makes for a spectacular sight at Jorakuen.There is a souvenir shop and traditional teahouse at the garden where visitors can enjoy matcha and Japanese sweets (‘wagashi’). The park remains closed during the winter season, from December 1st to March 31st.
Jododaira Visitor Center
Nature & Scenery

Jododaira Visitor Center

Jododaira Visitor Center, located at an altitude of 1500 m, stands partway along the Bandai-Azuma Skyline sightseeing road. Jododaira acts as a base to spend the day hiking nearby mountain routes, including Mt. Higashi-Azuma (1,975 m) and Mt. Issaikyo (1,949 m). For those who don’t fancy a long hike, the 1-hour round trip walk up and around the crater at Mt. Azuma Kofuji (1,705 m) is perfect, as it is a very short walk from Jododaira Visitor Center. The Azuma mountains are all totally unique, and are great places to enjoy local flora and fauna. If hiking in this area, please be mindful that the altitude reaches close to 2000 m, so make sure to take equipment necessary in the event of a sudden weather change. The Jododaira area is also prone to high volcanic gas levels, so it is a good idea to check whether the area is open to visitors before making the drive up the mountain roads.
View All
Top