Lotus Heaven in Fukui

Minami Echizen's summer lotus festival is a real treat

Larry Knipfing Sep 08, 2013 - 1 min read

The sun coming up over the field just after 6 a.m.

Sign in the pond identifying the type of lotus

Some of the lotus are open, and some still closed

A lovely morning mist blanketed the lotus ponds

This part of the pond/field didn't have many flowers, but was beautful nontheless

Fukui's Minami-Echizen is home to one of the most beautiful collections of lotus that you will ever see. The hotel Somayama, which borders the Hanahasu Lotus Park, is a great place to stay if you want to take photos in the light of dusk, and then again in the early morning. I did both and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Although a busload of photographer-tourists showed up at around 7 a.m., this place is so large that I hardly noticed them. Mid-July to early August is the best time to go, when most of the lotus are in full bloom. The nearest station is Nanjo Station, on the JR Hokuriku Line.

More info

Find out more about Hanahasu Lotus Park.

Larry Knipfing @larry.knipfing

Born on Long Island, New York in 1958, I have spent the last 30 years of my life living in Japan, and enjoying every minute of it! I especially love photography, and Japan is definitely one of the most beautiful places in the world to photograph! My other love is fiction writing and I have pub...