Shimizu Park
清水公園
Green space designed around the seasons — plum, cherry, hydrangea, maple, snow.
What this place is
Shimizu Park (清水公園) is a privately owned park located in Noda City in north-eastern Chiba prefecture about 65 kilometers north of Tokyo. It is located 200 meters west-north-west of Shimizu-kōen Station on the Tōbu Urban Park Line, which is roughly 30 km east of its terminus in central Saitama city. This park is renowned for its cherry blossoms, boasting over two thousand cherry blossoms in fifty varieties. Many of those bloom in late March or April when an annual Cherry Blossom Festival is held. In 1990 Shimizu Park was selected by the Japan Sakura Association as one of Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots. Plum trees and azalea plants also abound. Each February a plum festival is held and later in spring an azalea festival follows.
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Why it is worth the trip
- A planting plan that guarantees something in bloom or colour in almost every month.
- Paths, ponds and pavilions arranged so that the view reframes itself every few steps.
- A local gathering place: morning walkers, picnic blankets, festival stalls and evening illumination.
What you can do here
- Do a slow loop of the main path and stop at each designed viewpoint.
- Bring a bento or grab something from a nearby konbini and picnic on the lawn.
- Photograph the seasonal star — check the park's bloom calendar before you go.
- Rent a bike where available; larger parks are far quicker to see on two wheels.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons — click any image for the photographer and licence.
Getting there by public transport
Good to know before you go
- Peak bloom weekends are extremely busy; weekday mornings are calm.
- Bloom dates shift by up to two weeks per year — check the latest forecast before committing.
- Alcohol and barbecues are restricted in many parks; look for the posted rules at the gate.
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