in Namegawa, Saitama
Musashi Kyuryo National Government Park, otherwise known as Shinrin Park, is a national forest park located on Hiki hills in Saitama. The park covers over 304 hectares and is a popular viewing spot for various seasonal flowers throughout the year. It is also one of the best places to see lupine flowers close to Tokyo. The lupinus at Shinrin Park cover over 2,000 square meters and bloom in mid-April to early-May. Over 40,000 flowers bloom and they come in a variety of beautiful shades of pinks and purples. The park is also a great place to view poppies and nemophila in the spring.
My Experience
We visited the lupine garden in Shinrin Park the first weekend in May during golden week. I think the flowers were a little past their peak, but they were still very beautiful! The garden looks like a scene from a fairytale with the tall trees and sunlight peaking through the leaves shining down on the garden. The garden is on the smaller side and only takes about 15 minutes to walk around. The area wasn't crowded at all and they have benches placed around the garden so you can sit and admire the view. The lupines can grow as large as 30 centimeters! Some of the lupines started to go sideways; probably because they peaked a few days prior. There were also a small field of blue and purple delphiniums that were in full bloom nearby as well!
Shinrin park itself is quite huge and features various hiking and cycling paths, gardens, althetic grounds, and places for children to play at. There are also many places to sit down and picnic within the park. I think it would take at least a couple days to fully explore the entire area. The park is a little far from the nearest station, so I recommend taking the bus or taxi if you don't have a car!
Official Site
Address
Haneo, Namegawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0811
Access
Shinrin Koen Station - 25 min by bus
Times
9:30 - 16/17:00 (depending on the season)
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