If Japan's summer heat has you searching for cooler places to explore, Kuju Flower Park in Oita Prefecture has the perfect excuse to stay out after sunset.
For eight nights only, from August 7th to 14th, the popular flower park will host Night Flower Park Summer: Sunflower Field at Night, a special evening event that transforms its colorful gardens into an illuminated wonderland. Set 850 meters above sea level in Aso-Kuju National Park, the park enjoys temperatures around 3°C to 5°C cooler than the lowlands, offering visitors a refreshing escape from the summer heat.
The highlight is Miharashi Hill, where around 50,000 sunflowers bloom across two fields. One area features shorter, early-flowering sunflowers that are perfect for close-up photos, while the other is filled with towering hybrid varieties whose giant blooms create a spectacular sea of yellow stretching across the hillside.
Making its nighttime debut this year is the illumination of 5,000 green kochia plants at Irodori Hill. The fluffy, round plants are transformed with carefully designed lighting, creating a magical landscape that's completely different from the sunflower fields.
Professional lighting throughout the park has been designed to enhance the flowers while preserving the surrounding natural environment, with plenty of photogenic spots for visitors to capture memorable holiday photos.
The evening event runs from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with last entry at 8:30 p.m. Night admission costs 1,000 JPY for adults and 500 JPY for children aged five years and over.
