Sunflowers are one of the signs that summer has arrived in Japan, and there are a variety of great places to enjoy their beauty. This list covers five of the best sunflower spots across the country - for many of them, the sheer number of flowers on display will take your breath away!

Akeno Sunflower Fields, Yamanashi

Yamanashi's Akeno Sunflower Fields are a delight in the summer months. They're home to around 600,000 sunflowers in bloom, along with a fun sunflower maze and local products available for purchase. In typical years, the sunflower fields are also illuminated each evening until 9 pm, allowing visitors the chance to appreciate the blooms under the night sky.

5664 Akeno-cho, Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture

Akeno Sunflower Field
Akeno Sunflower Field (Photo: さかおり / CC BY-SA 3.0)

Hokuryu Sunflower Fields, Hokkaido

Hokkaido's Hokuryu Sunflower Fields showcase a staggering 2 million sunflowers that cover a space of 23 hectares. Along with the overwhelming number of sunflowers to appreciate, the venue also has two sunflower mazes, various sunflower themed foods to enjoy such as sunflower soft-serve ice cream, bicycles for rent, and more. Summertime bliss!

板谷 Hokuryu, Uryu District, Hokkaido 078-2511

Sunflowers at the Hokuryu Sunflower Field, Hokkaido
Sunflowers at the Hokuryu Sunflower Field, Hokkaido (Photo: 100yen / CC BY-SA 3.0)

Tsunan Sunflower Field, Niigata

The Tsunan Sunflower Field allows visitors to enjoy the beauty of these seasonal blooms set against the backdrop of the mountainous Niigata countryside. There are around 500,000 sunflowers covering a four hectare space, along with a sunflower maze and plenty of food and drink stalls to grab a bite at. For part of the blooming season there is typically an evening illumination event, allowing the majestic flowers to be appreciated after dark.

戊585 Shimofunato, Tsunan-machi, Nakaunonuma-gun, Niigata 949-8201

Sunflowers in Tsunan, Niigata Prefecture
Sunflowers in Tsunan, Niigata Prefecture (Photo: K2-Kaji / Public Domain)

Zama Sunflower Fields, Kanagawa

If you want your sunflowers in close proximity to Tokyo, this is a great option. The Zama area of Kanagawa has become well-known for their sunflower fields, and during summer the area blooms with around half a million of them. They're so iconic in the region that they've even been designated as the city's official flower.

912-2 Kurihara, Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture 252-0015

Sunflowers are such a part of Zama that they're the city's official flower
Sunflowers are such a part of Zama that they're the city's official flower (Photo: Kakidai / CC BY-SA 4.0)

Nanko Sunflower Fields, Hyogo

From mid-July through to mid-August, around one and a half million sunflowers stand tall and proud at the Nanko Sunflower Fields for visitors to marvel at. There are also a host of sunflower-themed eats to try, including sunflower soft-serve ice cream, and a sunflower maze to get lost in.

Hayashisaki, Sayo, Sayo District, Hyogo 679-5212

A sunflower maze at the Nanko Sunflower Fields
A sunflower maze at the Nanko Sunflower Fields (Photo: Mti / CC BY-SA 4.0)