J
ust an hour west of Tokyo Metropolis is Showa Kinen Park. We only found out about the place the night before while looking for alternative side trips. I initially wanted to see Mount Fuji or Hitachi Seaside Park but then had second thoughts given the number of tourists traveling around Japan at the time. Plus, we don’t have a JR Pass so I couldn’t justify if going all the way would be worth it. Hence, we decided to go somewhere nearby.
Thankfully, Japan is all about efficiency and unplanned trips like this isn’t impossible. We didn’t need to pre-book anything and we also didn’t have to wake up early to go. The park is only about an hour away from Tokyo and opens at 9:30 AM.
How to get here: The nearest station is Tachikawa Station which is directly accessible from Tokyo via Chūō Line.
Park Entrance Fee: 410 yen (~ S$5 or $3.5)
One of the things that fascinate me while in Japan is how incredibly picturesque and massive their public parks are. The parks aren’t just the typical green gardens, but a natural bounty filled with flowers and trees that the entire area is charming no matter what season you visit them in.
Showa Kinen Park is one. It’s a massive park that offers various opportunities for recreation, relaxation and beautiful scenery. There are playgrounds for kids, cafés, and plenty of open space for picnics. Getting around on foot is possible but you can also rent a bike or ride the train that circles around the park.
The entire park is huge and is divided into different parts that exhibits so many colorful flowers.
Canola Fields
Tulips Garden
Lavender Gardens
Cherry Blossom Trees
Japanese locals love going on picnics each spring. Known as hanami or cherry blossom viewing, this spring picnic under the lovely shade of pink and white blooms is a fun way to celebrate the season with families, friends, and colleagues.
It’s such a joy to see people huddle with their cute bento lunch boxes, sitting under any of the trees to chat, play, or simply spend time together. It’s like a huge event without the extra lavishness.
Japan has honed this simple act of get-together down to an art, don’t you think? :)
We had a great time strolling around the park. I never thought I’d be this happy and childlike running around the flower fields. :)
What do you think? Have you been or would you love to visit Showa Kinen Park too?
