Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi prefecture is known for its colourful collection of wisterias that bloom every spring, attracting visitors from all over the country. If you missed out on seeing them this year, don’t worry – the park has the next best thing, and you don’t have to wait until next April to see it. Visit the park’s annual Flower Fantasy illumination which features five million flower-shaped lights installed across the entire park.
As in previous years, it features baby pink, violet, white and yellow lights designed to look like wisteria dangling from wooden trellises.
The dreamy rose garden has orange, yellow and pink rose-like lights blooming from the ground. You might even catch them temporarily changing to blue to thank healthcare workers for their efforts during the pandemic.
The park’s ponds are filled with lilac-coloured water lily lights – a nod to the flowers that blooms during the summer and autumn.
There will also be large-scale illuminations shaped like adorable animals such as elephants, giraffes and penguins, a gigantic rainbow and sparkling life-size boat, which make beautiful reflections in the water.
Every path you take around the park is fully illuminated with lights dangling from trees and planted on the ground.
Don’t miss the mesmerising tunnels illuminated with white and yellow wisterias, too.
Since Ashikaga Flower Park is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the park’s magical flower castle will be getting its first upgrade since its debut in 2017. The inside looks like a chapel, with walls decked with hundreds of colourful flowers, and you can even go upstairs to get a better view of the park from up high.
The Flower Fantasy illumination is on now and runs until February 14 2022, but the displays will change, so it might be worth a repeat visit. If you visit by mid-November, you’ll be treated to displays combining lights and real flowers, while from mid-November to the end of December, you’ll get to see a special Christmas-themed illumination. Come here next year and the park will be celebrating the new year with winter peony displays.
Entry to the park is ¥800 (¥400 for children) during the day, and ¥1,100 (¥600 for children) in the evening from 3.30pm to 8.30pm (9pm on weekends and holidays).
Visit Ashikaga Flower Park’s website for more information.
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