If you're a fan of all things floral, you may wish to head to Japan, where millions of blue nemophila plants are now in full bloom in one park alone.
An estimated 4.5 million nemophila plants can be found at Hitachi Seaside Park, which is located on the coast of the city of Hitachi in Ibaraki Prefecture. With a total space of 350 hectares, of which 200 hectares are open to the public, the park is home to a variety of colourful flowers and grasses throughout the four seasons. At various stages, the park will be awash with swathes of tulips, sunflowers, narcissi and poppies, for example. Hitachi Seaside Park also looks incredible in the autumn, when the hills turn red thanks to the kochia bloom.
The warm weather has caused the nemophila flowers to blossom early, which has created a sea of blue to greet the visitors who are flocking to the trails that can be found on the Miharashi no Oka (Lookout Hill) hillside. Nemophila normally reach full bloom around Golden Week in early May, when most Japanese people have time off work or study, but it is estimated that it will occur slightly earlier this year. So if you’re hoping to get there to experience some stunning scenery and check out the walking trails at Hitachi Seaside Park, now is a good time to go before the crowds descend on the park.
It takes little more than an hour to get there from Tokyo Station to Katsuta, which is the nearest rail stop to the park, and then it's only another 20 minutes by bus to the park’s entrance. Other attractions at the park include an amusement park, large grassland, cycling and BMX tracks, a forest athletics field and many cafés and restaurants.
