On the travel information website “Jalan News” operated by Recruit Co., Ltd., a survey was conducted on “breathtaking spring scenery.” The survey was themed around “spring sceneries Japan can proudly showcase to the world,” and gathered iconic spring landscapes from all over the country. The results have now been announced.
(Based on data from Jalan News)
Ranked first was Arakurayama Sengen Park in Yamanashi Prefecture. This location was praised for its quintessentially Japanese scenery combining Mt. Fuji, a five-story pagoda, and cherry blossoms. Around 650 Somei Yoshino cherry trees bloom throughout the park, and climbing the stairs from the shrine located halfway up Mt. Arakura to the observatory offers a breathtaking panoramic view. In second place was Amanohashidate in Kyoto Prefecture. Counted among Japan’s Three Scenic Views, this sandbar is known for its stretch of white sand and pine trees. From the Amanohashidate Kasamatsu Park, situated about 130 meters above sea level, visitors can enjoy a surreal view where the sky and sea seem to flip upside down, enhanced by spring cherry blossoms.
Coming in third was Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi Prefecture, which was selected in 2014 as one of the “10 Dream Destinations in the World.” In spring, more than 350 wisteria trees bloom, including a 160-year-old giant wisteria and an 80-meter-long tunnel of white wisteria. The massive wisteria trellises across the grounds create a magical atmosphere, especially when illuminated at night.
(Source: Jalan News)
In fourth place was Goryokaku Park in Hokkaido, a designated Special Historic Site of Japan, featuring a star-shaped fort. Opened to the public as a park in 1914, it becomes adorned with around 1,500 cherry trees each spring. Fifth place went to Hirosaki Park in Aomori Prefecture, where about 2,600 cherry trees bloom. The combination of an elegant old castle and cherry trees with exceptionally full blossoms—where a single bud produces many petals—offers a rich visual experience. The Hirosaki Castle keep is the only remaining original castle keep in the Tohoku region and is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
Ranked sixth was Hanamomo no Sato in Nagano Prefecture. Along the river that flows through Tsukigawa Onsen in the village of Achi, about 5,000 flowering peach trees bloom in red, white, and pink gradations, coloring the spring landscape. These ornamental peach trees, cultivated specifically for their beauty, are often called a “peach blossom paradise.”
(Source: Jalan News)
Seventh was Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture, where approximately 5.3 million nemophila flowers cover the “Miharashi Hill,” blending with the blue sky in a sea of blue. In spring, the park also features blooming canola flowers, tulips, and poppies, offering a vibrant seasonal view. The Naruto Strait in Hyogo Prefecture ranked eighth. During the spring and autumn spring tides, massive whirlpools up to 20 meters in diameter appear. As one of the world’s three greatest tidal currents, visitors can experience the dynamic phenomenon up close from cruise boats.
Ninth place went to the Fuji Shibazakura Festival held at the Fuji Motosuko Resort in Yamanashi Prefecture. Set against the backdrop of Mt. Fuji, approximately 500,000 moss phlox flowers bloom spectacularly, with photo spots set up throughout the park. Tenth was the terraced rice fields of Hamanoura in Saga Prefecture. During the spring rice-planting season when water fills the paddies, the sunset reflects off the terraced fields and the sea, creating a stunning, photogenic scene tinted in orange hues.
For more details: “Jalan’s Ranking of Spring Sceneries Japan Can Proudly Share with the World”