Kurihama Flower World: Yokosuka's Secret Garden
Updated: May 16, 2020
Kurihama Flower World (Kurihama Hana-no-kuni) is a huge flower park with a little something to offer almost every type of person: kids, movie lovers, train lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, and obviously flower lovers.
The entrance to the park seems kind of obscure, but there is quite a bit going on inside its gates. I believe the gates are open 24 hours. There is a small parking lot for cars and bikes that costs around ¥620.
However, I wouldn't rely on it having space, so you might want to walk the ten minutes from Kurihama station or take a cab from there (3 minutes).
You'll see a huge field of flowers (if they’re in bloom) when you first enter the park. There is also a small snack stand with ice cream and other food, and a little gift shop. You can choose to walk through the pathways in the field for pictures.
Next you can just walk, or take a train up the hillside to take pictures from the side and above. The train costs something like ¥100 for children and ¥210 for adults.
If you go to the park in May and June, the field will be bright red with beautiful poppies! At the end of their bloom season, from mid to the end of June, you are actually allowed to cut or pick the flowers for free!
You can bring gloves and shears, or you can purchase a small kit in the gift shop! Either way, this is the perfect time to visit the park and get some stunning photos while you soak in the scenery.
If you can’t visit in May or June, don’t fret! In the fall, the big field is covered in cosmos!
After strolling through the flowers In the big field, be sure to trek up the hill. All the way up there are nice views and various flowering plants. At the top of the hill you’ll be rewarded with a huge statue of Godzilla! His tail is also a slide! So for movie lovers or kids, what could be more exciting than sliding down the tail of this Japanese icon?
Behind Godzilla is a really big playground. It’s a kind of adventure land that you never really see in the US. It features a super long Japanese roller slide, which you can purchase a sled-like seat for (¥200) at the booth nearby. The roller slide is fun for kids and adults!
The playground is full of ropes to climb and towers to explore. I’ve really never seen anything quite like it! If you have smaller children or toddlers, there is another playground for them really close by.
Throughout other areas of the park, there are herb gardens, a free foot bath, trees that flower at certain times of the year, and more beautiful but smaller flower collections.
You will not be disappointed if you venture out here! It’s a great place (and a very cheap one) to bring your children for some great pictures, a good walk, an adventure outdoors, and maybe some learning about the plants. And if you come in April, the street leading up to the park will be lined with Sakura <3
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