[Miyagi Prefecture] Summer tradition: 4 spectacular sunflower fields in Miyagi

Sunflower fields are a summer tradition. The landscape of bright yellow sunflowers is a symbol of summer, and its appearance, like the summer sun, brightens the hearts of visitors.

In this article, we will introduce four such sunflower fields in Miyagi Prefecture.

About sunflowers

Sunflower (scientific name: Helianthus annuus) is an annual plant of the Asteraceae family, and its name means "flower facing the sun." It originates from North America and has since spread all over the world. Because of its distinctive large yellow flowers and height, it is considered one of the flowers that symbolize the summer landscape.

Sunflower Hill: Osaki City

Himawari no Oka, located in Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, is a spectacular landscape filled with sunflowers in full bloom in the summer. Cultivation began in earnest in 1986, and ever since, many people have visited to admire the beautiful scenery.

As many as 420,000 sunflowers are in full bloom over a vast 6 hectare area. A carpet of sunflowers spreading all over the place can be said to be a symbol of summer.

In addition, the "Sunflower Festival" in summer and the "Nanohana Festival" are held in spring to enjoy seasonal flowers.

At the Sunflower Festival, sunflower oil, sweets, and sunflower ice cream made from sunflower seeds will be sold.

Why not spend a wonderful time on a hill of sunflowers covered in bright yellow, as if the sun had just descended on the earth?

INFORMATION

• Address: 37-27 Makishi, Sanbongi Saita, Osaki City
• Parking: 200 parking spaces on site
  • Ordinary car: 500 yen
  • Large bus: 2,000 yen
• Best time to see: Late July to mid-August
• URL: Osaki City official website

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Yamamoto Town Sunflower field: Yamamoto Town

The sunflower fields that spread out in Yamamoto Town, Miyagi Prefecture have become an established summer feature, and many people have come to visit them every year.

The sunflower field was originally a place where various types of land other than fields, such as residential areas and roads, were mixed together, and it was severely damaged in the earthquake, and after the earthquake, it was restored as farmland by field preparation. Sunflowers are planted as green manure (fertilizer) to improve soil fertility, and the locations of the sunflowers change each year according to the farming plan that determines the fields to be planted.

Yellow sunflowers are in full bloom all over the vast farmland that has been restored from the earthquake, and visitors are moved by their grandeur.

The "Yamamoto Sunflower Festival" is held every year, and at the "5th Yamamoto Sunflower Festival," 2 million "San Marino" sunflowers were in full bloom in a vast field of 5.5 hectares. . The San Marino variety is suitable for green manure (fertilizer) and is characterized by its early flowering and short plant height (approximately 150 to 160 cm).

At the festival, you can not only stroll through the sunflower fields, but also enjoy picking sunflowers (free of charge). There is also a high viewing platform that overlooks the field, allowing you to see a panorama of sunflowers.

INFORMATION

• Location: Yamamoto Eastern District Farmland Development Project Niihama District Field (Takase Niihama 2 area)
• Inquiries: Yamamoto Town Commerce, Tourism and Exchange Division ☎0223-36-9837
• URL: Yamamoto Town official website

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Yakurai Garden: Kami Town

Yakurai Garden is a vast garden with a total area of ​​150,000 square meters (approximately the size of three Tokyo Domes), where over 400 types of plants bloom in all seasons.

The garden is decorated with seasonal flowers, but the sunflower field in summer is also a highlight. This sunflower field has 150,000 sunflowers planted on an area of ​​approximately 20,000 square meters, and the sight of them in full bloom against Mt. Yakurai and the blue summer sky is truly spectacular.

The best time to see them is from July to August, and the sight of sunflowers changing direction as if chasing the sun gives visitors a sense of summer vitality and energy.

In addition, Yakurai Garden is full of spots that look great on SNS. An event called ``Umbrella Sky'' will be held, in which items such as pink doors are reminiscent of items that appear in national anime, and more than 1,000 colorful umbrellas will decorate the sky within the park.

INFORMATION

• Location: 1-9 Ajigabukuro Yakuraihara, Kami-cho, Kami-gun, Miyagi Prefecture
• Business hours: 10:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30)
• Holiday:
  • Irregular holidays in April, July, August, November, and December.
  • Closed every day in May, June, September, and October.
  • Details can be found on the toll-free number.
• Winter holiday period: Early April to the end of November.
• Admission fee:
  • Individual: 800 yen for adults, 200 yen for children (elementary and junior high school students), free for infants and people with disabilities.
  • Groups (15 people or more): Adults 500 yen, Children (elementary and junior high school students) 100 yen, Infants and people with disabilities free
• Parking lot: 800 spaces
• URL: Yakurai Garden official website

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National Michinoku Lakeside Park: Kawasaki Town

When summer arrives, approximately 4,300 sunflowers are in full bloom at Michinoku-Mori Lakeside Park, a national government-run park with a total area of ​​4,300 square meters in two locations: the Kawarada Tumulus and the terraced fields. The variety grown here is 'Sunfinity'. It is relatively short at about 1 meter and 20 centimeters tall, and each plant blooms in large numbers with large flowers about 15 centimeters in diameter, turning the entire park into a beautiful sunflower field.

Michinoku Lakeside Park is characterized by the fact that you can enjoy a wide variety of seasonal flowers at the same time within its vast grounds. In the summer season, visitors are greeted by a total of approximately 35,000 summer flowers, including not only sunflowers but also salvias, marigolds, periwinkles, ageratum, and kochia.

In addition, in early summer, before the peak of summer, 2 million Petri poppies, approximately 300,000 cornflowers, and a wide variety of hydrangeas brightly color the park in an area of ​​approximately 30,000 square meters, the largest in Tohoku.

INFORMATION

• Location: 53-9 Oaza Ono Nihonmatsu, Kawasaki-cho, Shibata-gun, Miyagi Prefecture
• Closed days:
  • Every Tuesday (if Tuesday is a holiday, the following Wednesday)
  • Year-end and New Year holidays: December 31st and January 1st
  • Closed: April 1st to third Sunday in June, third Monday in July to October 31st
• Admission fee:
  • General: Adults (15 years and older) 450 yen, Children (junior high school students and under) free, Silver (65 years and older) 210 yen
  • Groups: Adults 290 yen, Children free, Silver 210 yen (Groups must include 20 or more elementary school students or older)
  • 2-day pass: Adults 500 yen, children free, silver 250 yen
• Parking Fee:
  • Large vehicle (more than 30 passengers) 1,050 yen per time
  • Regular car 320 yen per ride
  • Motorcycle: 110 yen per time
  • Parking is free if the driver or passenger presents a physical disability certificate, rehabilitation certificate, or mental disability health and welfare certificate.
• URL: Official website of Michinoku-Mori Lakeside National Government Park

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