Shizuoka's Himenosawa Park spans a vast area of 108 hectares, and has been selected as one of the 100 Best Urban Parks in Japan. From late April to mid-May the azalea garden at the park is in full bloom, and around 60,000 of these beautiful flowers color the hills in shades of red, pink, purple, and white.
A festival is held while the flowers are at their best, which will also include stage performances and food vans with a variety of eats on offer – one of the highlights is sure to be the pink-hued taiyaki to match with the blooms.
Admission to the event is free of charge.
Getting there
Himenosawa Park can be accessed by bus from JR Atami Station. Take the Izuhakone Bus (Platform No. 2) bound for Sekisho Ruins / Hakone-en for around 25 minutes until you reach the dedicated stop for Himenosawa Park. The fare is ¥ 450.
For those who opt to drive, free parking is available on-site.