Japan is home to an array of fantastic urban parks, and a pleasant one to visit in Kanagawa Prefecture is Sagamihara Kita Park. Covering a space of 10.5 hectares, the park contains a wide variety of plant and tree species along with children's play equipment, a duck-filled pond, picnic areas, grassy open spaces, and leafy walking paths.
One of the main highlights at the park are the ajisai, or hydrangeas, which are at their best during the month of June. There are approximately 10,000 of the flowers in an impressive 200 species, adding some lovely pops of color to the rainy season. You can see a bit more of what to expect from hydrangea season at the park in the YouTube video below.
If you can't visit when the hydrangeas are at their best, never fear – there's plenty of other floral beauty to enjoy throughout the year, including plum blossoms in late winter through early spring, plus roses and spider lilies in early autumn. The number of plum trees sits at around 100, and the month of February is recommended as the ideal time to view them.
While some parks in Japan come with an entrance fee, admission to Sagamihara Kita Park is free of charge – it's a great option if you're looking for a budget-friendly (and family-friendly!) day out.
