🗺️ Tōmatsuyama Peony Garden

The "city flower" of Higashimatsuyama City in Saitama Prefecture is the peony. Every year from early to late April, the Higashimatsuyama Peony Garden features a continuous bloom of 150 varieties and 6,500 peony plants, filling the entire park with their fragrant scent. During the peak blooming period, a "Peony Festival" is held, attracting countless visitors who come to admire the flowers. The best spot for taking photos during this time is the observation deck located in the center of the garden. From the observation deck, the view of the distant sea of flowers is truly refreshing. Although it is called a peony garden, the park also features other flowers throughout the year: peonies in spring, peonies in summer, hydrangeas in summer, October cherry blossoms and maple leaves in autumn, and wintersweet in winter, making it a popular destination for flower lovers and photographers year-round. Within the expansive grounds, there are playground facilities for children, a grassy plaza, and wooden decks shaded by trees for resting, allowing visitors to enjoy a full day of fun. While ice cream is available for purchase in the garden, there are no stores selling bento, so it is recommended to bring a bento box to enjoy a picnic while admiring the flowers.

The garden has a total of 150 varieties and 6,500 peony flowers, making it the largest scale in Japan. Every year, a Peony Festival is held, usually from late April to late May. In addition to peonies, there are also flowers such as shako (芍藥), hydrangeas (繡球), October cherry (十月櫻), maple leaves (楓葉), and wintersweet (臘梅) that can be enjoyed throughout the year. It is also highly recommended to bring a bento to enjoy a picnic in the garden.