Kitakyushu's Takatoyama Park is revered for having some spectacular blooms to enjoy throughout the year, and one of the top attractions is their beautiful hydrangeas that peak in early summer. The Wakamatsu Hydrangea Festival has been running at the park during this time for over 20 years now, and it showcases the splendor of these flowers on a grand scale – there are around 70,000 of them in total.
Along with the stunning natural surroundings, there are numerous hydrangea-based activities at the festival, including things like hydrangea cutting classes, guided flower walks, and even hydrangea sketching competitions.
Please note per the official site, this year's festival will be broken into two parts.
- Sub-event (when the mountain hydrangeas are in full bloom) Sunday, May 26 and Sunday, June 2, 10:00 to 15:00
- Main Event (when the Western hydrangeas are in full bloom) Sunday, June 9 and Sunday, June 16 10:00 to 16:00
Admission to the event is free of charge.
Getting there
Takatoyama Park is located around 5 minutes driving time from the Wakato IC of the Kitakyushu Urban Expressway. Parking is available on-site.
For those visiting the area via public transport, the venue is around 5 minutes by taxi or 10 to 15 minutes on foot from Wakamatsu Station.
Kim Bergström @kim.b
Almost 12 years living in Asia. Passionate about Japan's off-the-beaten-path spots, family-friendly travel, flower events (all of them!) and the amazing tea culture here. 🍵🌼🌸
