When to Visit Ashikaga Flower Park

Posted on 04/26/2022 Last updated on 04/26/2022

When we say ”Japan”, the first things that come to mind are sushi, sakura and Mt. Fuji. So whenever a friend or relatives comes to visit me here in Tochigi, I always recommend coming to Ashikaga Flower Park. You can visit year-round, and there’s enough there to make second or third-time trips worth it too!

Sakura Season

Sakura or cherry blossoms usually bloom during the end of March through April. You should always check the Japan’s Sakura forecast for this. This year, the sakura bloomed earlier than expected. At the time of this writing, sakura are already in full bloom, as well as other flowers. Especially towards the end of sakura season, you can see roses in many colors begin to bloom. A visit during this period is 800 yen for adults, and admission for 3 years old or below is free.

Wisteria Season

While sakura season is a popular time to visit Ashikaga Flower Park, in truth wisteria season is by far the most popular. Wisteria are known as fuji in Japan, and Ashikaga is possibly the best place in Japan to see fuji flowers. These flowers reach full bloom usually around Golden Week The the sight of the vibrant fuji is simply overwhelming.

Ashikaga Flower Park is home to more than 350 wisteria trees, with its oldest said to be well over a hundred years old. And not only is it really old, this one tree creates a massive umbrella of purple fuji flowers when it reaches full bloom.

The other most impressive attractions during the wisteria season dubbed the “Great Wisteria Festival” are an 80-meter-long tunnel covered in white fuji flowers, and a second tunnel covered in yellow laburnum flowers.

Because Wisteria is the park’s main attraction, you may be caught off guard by the increased entrance fee. We paid 1,600 yen when we visited that day, twice the amount from the previous season. Thankfully due to the magnificence and beauty of the wisteria, we were not disappointed.

Winter Season

During winter season, all the flowers are replaced with illuminating lights. Before the pandemic happened, we would annually visit this place with my family. It’s still worth the trip; just be sure to exercise caution when there are crowds.

Also, be sure to prepare yourselves with how cold it will get. During winter the entrance fee is back down to 600-800 yen. We’ll make sure to visit again and experience their beautiful illumination lights!

Tips for Visitors to Ashikaga Flower Park

• To reach Ashikaga Flower Park from Tokyo, first take a Shinkansen to Oyama station, making sure you take a train that stops there. Then you need to transfer to the JR Ryomo Line and travel to Ashikaga Flower Park Station, just outside the park. The whole trip can run you just under 5,000 yen one way from Tokyo. It’s a good deal if you have access to the JR Pass. If not, you can cut the price almost in half taking a slower train. This will result in a longer trip though.

• Most of the year, the opening hours of the park are from 9:00 to 18:00. However during winter hours, they are reduced to 10:00 to 17:00. During the Great Wisteria Festival (peak wisteria season) they’re extended to 7:00 to 21:00.

• Just as opening hours vary during the year, so too do the entry fees to the park. In fact, the admission fees can even differ from one week to the next! The range is from 300 to 1,800 yen depending on season

• If you’re not content with just looking at the wisteria, you can even see what it tastes like by buying a purple Fuji Ice Cream flavored with the flower!

• Be sure to keep your past admission tickets, so the next time you visit, you can get a 200 yen discount!

You can also visit their website for more information!

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Image Credits:

Cover Image: k*****************mさん on PhotoAC