The annual Tsunan Sunflower Festival allows visitors to enjoy the beauty of these seasonal blooms set against the backdrop of the mountainous Niigata countryside. The event boasts 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.
The sunflowers will also be illuminated in the evenings from 5 pm until 9 pm during part of the festival.
Entry to the event is free of charge.
Getting there
If you're driving to the venue from Tokyo, take the Shiozawa-Ishiuchi interchange from the Kan-Etsu Expressway. The venue is approximately an hour drive from the expressway exit. On site parking is available for a fee of 300 yen for regular vehicles.
Alternatively, head to Echigo Yuzawa Station (Joetsu Shinkansen, JR Joetsu Local Line, Hokuhoku Line) and catch the bus bound for the Tsunan Public Office (approximately 45 minutes). The fields are around 2km from the bus stop itself.
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. 🍵🌼🌸
