Throughout the month of July each year, the Tokamachi Ajisai Park is home to a hydrangea festival which celebrates the beauty of around 14,000 of these flowers in bloom. A number of the flowers at the park have been propagated from hydrangeas at Meigetsuin Temple in Kamakura and Zenkoji Temple in Nagano, adding a little dose of history and culture to the grounds.
Lanterns decorate the park during the festival dates and they're illuminated in the evenings, creating a wonderfully ethereal atmosphere. Be sure to stop by after dark if you can't make it during the day - both options are beautiful!
Admission to the event is free of charge.
Getting there
The Tokamachi Ajisai Park is best accessed via private transportation, as it's a little off the beaten path and not within easy walking distance from any nearby train stations. Plenty of free parking is available on site.
If you're headed there via public transport, the park is approximately a fifteen minute taxi ride from Tokamachi Station, served by the Iiyama Line and the Hokuhoku Line.
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