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Posted: April 22
Tulip Season Walk in Hanago OKADA
Tulip season is at its peak at the Hanago OKADA (official Japanese webpage) flower park, and we are pleased to bring you this photo tour. Based in Yuhigaura in Kyotango, Hanago OKADA (Visit Kyotango page) is only open for a few months every year, from April to mid June.
Tulip Season
April brings tulip season to Hanago OKADA and it is an impressive showing.
White tulips Red tulips
The entrance to the park features a long path with pots of tulips on either side. On one side there is also a long strip of tulips, a range of colors fill this border giving it a playful quality. On the other side there are beds with tulips and various small bushes. There are also some chairs and tables with umbrellas where you can have a picnic.
A pot of tulips and colorful tulip border Fiery orange tulips There are sitting areas amid the tulip beds
Near the top of the path there is a space filled with shiba-zakura. These pink and white flowers fill the lawn and are surrounded by cherry trees. The cherry trees are a variety that comes into blossom a little later than others, and each flower is bursting with petals.
Shiba-zakura lawn The multicolored shiba-zakura Cherry blossom in bloom
There is a swing at the top of the shiba-zakura lawn. I wonder whether the blue flower carpet is supposed to reminiscent of the sea, making it a possible recreation of the “Yurari” beach swing at Hamazume beach.
The swing stood by the “sea” Looking down on the shiba-zakura
From the top of the path you can go to the right or left. Either choice involves going up hill a bit, but the flowers, and the views back down are worth it.
Azalea Hill
Tulip season happens to coincide quite well with azalea season. The path on the right leads to what could be thought of as azalea hill. Called tsutsuji in Japanese, there are various types of azalea here, including the deep red kurume-tsutsuji and the bright pink mistuba-tsutsuji.
Looking up the hill at some kurume-tsutsuji Close-up of kurume-tsutsuji Rows of kurume-tsutsuji Close-up of mitsuba-tsutsuji
From the top of the hill you get a birds eye view down on the shiba-zakura and the tulips from the walk in.
Looking down on the shiba-zakura Looking back to the entrance path Close-up of mitsuba-tsutsuji with the “sea” below
Following the path and coming down the other side of the hill there are some cherry trees. While the main cherry blossom time is past some of these are varieties that bloom a little later.
A field of small flowers Some cherry blossoms about to blossom
One of the later blooming varieties are the weeping blossoms. Here they are growing around a yellow field of rapeseed flowers.
A cherry blossom tree by rapeseed flowers Weeping cherry blossom
Rose Garden Hill
The other hill leads up to a rose garden, where there are private seats and tables for couples to enjoy a quiet moment together. Of course roses won’t blossom until June so there are also some tulips to keep it interesting.
A private table and chairs in the rose garden Pink tulips and private seating The path through the rose garden
The path coming out of the rose garden reinforces tulip season. As there are many beds and rows of tulips. There are also lots of shiba-zakura, muscari, rhododendron and many small bushes.
Light pink tulips with shiba-zakura Rows of shiba-zakura small bushes and muscari Pale red tulips with shiba-zakura and small bushes Rows of red tulips Looking down on rows of flowers and the wisteria trellis
The tulips and other flowers give off an incredible scent. There is also a wisteria trellis which should be blossoming in the first half of May.
Hanago OKADA has a lot to offer to flower lovers, and the tulip season displays were really moving. It’ll be good to see how it changes over the season as different flowers come into bloom.
