Enjoy spring colors in May at these beautiful flower fields in Yamagata Prefecture

Yamagata Prefecture gets some of the heaviest snowfall in Japan. The plants here survive a brutal winter to show off their beautiful colors in spring. Yamagata is rich in nature and has many flower fields. The views are therapeutic. Today, we will show you some flower field spots that are accessible from Yamagata City. Why not enjoy a colorful spring with family and friends this May?

※Pictures were taken in previous years, so the view may differ in 2024.

Enjoy a bit of a European vibe in the center of Yamagata City at Bunshokan

Bunshokan in central Yamagata City is a building that was founded on an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Currently, it is open to the public for free as the Yamagata Folk Museum. The building was built in 1916, and it was used as a prefectural office and prefectural assembly hall up until 1975. It’s an old English-style building made with brick and mortar. The solid appearance is reminiscent of the Taisho period (1912-1926) in Japan. Seasonal flowers are planted and beautifully taken care of, so we like to take walks on sunny days. When you gaze at the garden and building from afar, you get a taste of Europe. In spring, the tulips are vibrant and lovely in photographs.

Museum hours	9:00AM – 4:30PM
Address	3-4-51 Hatago-machi, Yamagata-shi, Yamagata
Access	・5 min. walk from Yamagata Nanokamachi Washington Hotel ・Yamaga Eki Nishiguchi Washington Hotel: 2 min. walk to Yamagata Station. Then, 8 min. bus ride to Yamagata City Hall Station (Yamagata Shiyakusho-mae)
URL	https://www.gakushubunka.jp/bunsyokan/floor/introduction-to-bunshokan/

Gaze upon flower fields from above. The beautiful harmony of purple wisterias and pink, red, and white azaleas at Sagae Park.

Sagae Park in Sagae-shi, Yamagata is the largest azalea park in the Tohoku region. There are about 43,000 azaleas of 11 types planted here, and they bloom colorfully in spring. The park is located 160 m above ground level, so you can see the Gassan (月山), Zao (蔵王), and Asahi (朝日) mountain ranges that surround Yamagata Prefecture. Enjoy the spring colors from up above. The most types of azaleas bloom in May, and they host nighttime light-up events in this month. See the magic of azaleas at night. You can check viewing periods on the city website, so be sure to check it out. The wisterias are also in bloom in May, so enjoy the wisterias and azaleas together.

Light up event period	March 1st (Wednesday) – May 26th (Sunday) Hours: 6:00PM – 9:00PM
Address	Nagaoka, Oaza Sagae, Sagae-shi, Yamagata
Access	30 min. care ride from Yamagata Nanokamachi Washington Hotel and Yamagata Eki Nishiguchi Washington Hotel
URL	https://sagae-park.com/ （さがえつつじイベント）Sagae Azalea Event: https://honyaku.j-server.com/LUCSAGAE/ns/tl.cgi/https://www.city.sagae.yamagata.jp/?SLANG=ja&TLANG=en&XMODE=0&XCHARSET=utf-8&XJSID=0)

A beautiful pink view by the river! Shibazakura at Tachiya River

Tachiya River runs on the border of Tendo City and Yamagata City. The Shibazakura (芝桜, pink moss) that spread along the riverbanks is a popular spot garnering around 70,000 visitors. The beautiful landscape covered in pinks and purples is a breathtaking view. You’ll definitely want to take a picture. It is said that before, there was a lot of garbage by the river and it was not very clean. Then, one local resident started a beautification project and turned it into a major Shibazakura spot. Now, local volunteers carry on that passion and continue the project. There are “weed baskets” in certain spots, so you can take part in the beautification on your visit.

Address	Araya, Tendo-shi, Yamagata
Access	20 min. car ride from Yamagata Nanokamachi Washington Hotel and Yamagata Eki Nishiguchi Washington Hotel 10 min. car ride from Yamagata-kita IC on the Yamagata Expressway 1.5km (~1 mi) from JR Takase Station
URL	https://keikan.pref.yamagata.jp/vp_070/