Havilahs Travel / Travel Hot Hit.Shibazakura(Moss Pink) JAPAN

Shibazakura(Moss Pink) Hill at Hitsujiyama Park, Chichibu ,Saitama

         Is there anyone who missed viewing Cherry Blossoms this spring time in Tokyo or Kanto area ? Don't be disappointed! You can still enjoy many kinds of flowers blooming more and more in this wonderful season ! As one of my recommendation, I would like to introduce you Shibazakura(Moss Pink, Mos phlox) at Hitsujiyama Park, Chichibu in Saitama prefecture which is now blooming.

       Moss pink is commonly called "Shiba-zakura" in Japanese which can be translated as "lawn cherry blossoms" because they are stretching out like lawn on the ground with the beautiful pink and white colored flowers just like Cherry blossoms.

      It 's just the carpet of flowers, Moss phlox of white and pink.The area extends to about 16,500 square meters covered by several kinds of Shibazakura. Beautiful patchwork of flowers ...!

(*) These photos were taken on May 3rd ,2006

It is quite popular, so there are many people coming especially on the weekends and National holidays(Golden Weeks.)
If you go early in the morning, there might be fewer people.

Hitsujiyama Park
Open hour : from 8:00am to 5:00pm
Addmission fee of Hitsujiyama Park : JPY 300

Shibazakura Festival on the Shibazakura Hill at Hitsujiyama Park 
From Apr.4 till May 8 ,2008
Shibazakura blooming around from middle of Apr until beginning of May depending on the weather condition of the year

Access to the Hitsujiyama Park from Tokyo
It takes about 90 mins. from Seibu Ikebukuro station to Yokoze station by Tokkyu express train of Seibu Ikebukuro Line. Cheaper trains take about 2 hours.
(There are also other nearest stations such as Seibu Chichibu station (Seibu Chichibu Line) and Ohanabatake station and Chichibu station (Chichibu Railways Line))
About 30 mins walk from Yokoze Station to the Hitsujiyama Park.
You can go there in a day. It is good for hiking !