Ichinoseki "Mecca of Flowers"

As per Ichinoseki's official tourism website, Ichinoseki is one of Tohoku's best known"Mecca of flowers".

Throughout the seasons, beautifully maintained gardens and wildflowers in the mountains burst into colour, creating an ever-changing landscape. Here are some of the floral hotspots you can experience in Ichinoseki.

1) Michinoku Hydrangea Garden around late June to late August.

The Japan Hydrangea Association has certified Michinoku Hydrangea Garden as Japan’s No. 1 hydrangea garden. The magical cedar forest, the size of four Tokyo Domes, boasts 40,000 hydrangea plants of 400 types, varying in shapes and colours.

Taking a stroll through the paths that weave through the hydrangea-decorated cedar forest is delightful; however, there are two main spots that people aim to see.

First up is the breathtaking Annabell Field, where you'll be mesmerized by a vast expanse of hydrangeas stretching endlessly before you. Next, don't miss the enchanting Hydrangea Pond, a pond filled with hydrangeas that float on the surface.

2) Ark Tategamori Farm (ext link) Depends on the flowers you aim to see, but the peak floral period is from around mid April to Mid May.

Nestled in the hills of Fujisawa, Ichinoseki, is a meticulously kept farm with its gardens home to diverse and abundant flowers.

First, you will stroll through the Fragrant Wind Garden.

This English-style garden features a lavender garden, a rose garden, and a herb garden, located at the farm's entrance. Take a leisurely walk and enjoy the aromas of seasonal herbs and flowers.

In the Niji no Oka Garden, tulips bloom in spring, while selected flowers in summer and autumn create a colorful rainbow. The baby blue eyes and lavender fields are also highlights.

The Yumemioka Garden is a dreamy, 1-hectare garden. Delight in seasonal flowers such as tulips. There's a lot to more to cover here, so I suggeset you check the flower calendar and daily updates found here on the Ark Farm website

The farm employs organic farming techniques that avoid the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, and is home to Tohoku's first accredited organic restaurant, Tills.

3) Mt. Murone Late May to early June

Mt. Murone is home to a diverse range of plants, including cherry blossoms, trillium, and dog-tooth violets, but it is most famous for its 200,000 crimson azaleas that cover the mountain at the beginning of summer.

Enjoy a leisurely walk along the floral path from the 8th station to the summit.

4) Mt. Kurikoma (ext. link) Most varieties in June, July

Sukawa/Ubunuma Trailhead (Photos by Toru Sugawara) Much loved by locals and long known as Mt. Sukawa in Iwate Prefecture, the 1,626-m Mt. Kurikoma sprawls across the borders of Iwate, Miyagi and Akita prefectures. Although it's famed for its autumn splendor, being dubbed the 'Carpets of the Gods', Mt. Kurikoma is on the list of 100 famous peaks for flowers.

5) Flower and Springs Park (Hana to Izumi no Koen) (ext. link) Early-mid May

(Photos by Rembert Dean) The park boasts 320 peony species, amounting to 4,000 plants, along with approximately 40 species of rhododendron, totaling 3,000 plants, which begin to bloom in early May. The ideal spot to admire the peony garden is from the gazebo situated in the elevated area. Within the garden, you'll also find Reina de Flores, a facility featuring a begonia greenhouse, a café, and a restaurant.

In close proximity is a large indoor play area called 'Kids Land Mori' for young children.

6) If it's cherry blossoms you are looking for, I have written a separate article on where you can best view them in Ichinoseki.

Something I will add here is that wild-sakura blooms, which adorn the mountains, are some of my favourites. The pale green of the young leaves that emerge in the late spring and delicate blossoms provide add a delicate charm to the scenery. As you drive around and venture into the more quieter areas, you can catch glimpses of these wild-sakura trees dotting the landscape in the distance.

Oh, and lastly, Ichinoseki's symbolic flower is the vibrant 'nanohana,' commonly known as rapeseed. Rapeseed (not the most marketable name) is often used interchangeably with canola. Come springtime, you'll be delighted by the sight of vast fields bursting with bright yellow nanohana flowers or nanohana beautifully lining the riverbanks.