Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture
A Visit to Shibazakura Hill at Hitsujiyama Park Flowers beneath Mount Buko, and strawberries from Chichibu
Shibazakura Hill in Chichibu is a springtime favorite at the foot of Mount Buko. The flowers bloom from mid-April to early May. I visited in late April and even enjoyed some strawberries I'd brought along as I looked out over the flower patterns.
I visited in late April to enjoy the moss phlox and strawberries. Come along as I wander among the flowers beneath Mount Buko.
SpringLate April, during the day
I came for the flowers, but the strawberries kept stealing my attention
When Shibazakura Hill came into view, I was surprised by how low to the ground the flowers were. I'd arrived still picturing blossoms on tree branches, but here the whole slope was carpeted with flowers. I stopped at the edge of the path: flower patterns stretched into the distance, with Mount Buko rising beyond them. I'd come to see the flowers, but seeing them with Mount Buko behind them took my breath away.
A breeze slipped through the sleeves of my white shirt. I had it open over a pink top, and I was oddly pleased to realize I'd picked a shade that went with the flowers. Funny how I hadn't thought about that at all before setting off. I strolled along the path, watching the bands of flowers curve and overlap.
Moss phlox is called shibazakura in Japanese: its flowers resemble cherry blossoms, and it spreads close to the ground like grass. From a distance, the blooms form a broad pattern; up close, they're a mass of tiny flowers. After taking in those little blooms, I looked back up at the hill and was amazed by its scale all over again. Such tiny flowers, yet they create a view this vast.
I took one of the Chichibu strawberries I'd brought along out of its paper container and held it by the stem. That morning, I'd decided to eat them while looking at the flowers, but as soon as I had one in my hand, I couldn't stop admiring it too. I was so happy just to have a strawberry in my hand that I found myself smiling before I'd even taken a bite. I'd planned to take my time with the scenery, but somehow my snack break came early.
The juice burst in my mouth with the first bite, and I couldn't help smiling. As I savored the sweetness and looked at the flowers again, I felt calmer, and my eyes wandered over the patterns right to their edges. It felt like such a treat to have Mount Buko towering above me and a little strawberry in my hand on the same spring day. I didn't want to rush into the next bite.
Even after I finished eating, I couldn't bring myself to start walking again. I meant to take one last look over the flowers on the hill, but then I saw the mountain too, and my gaze drifted back to the flowers. I wanted to tell everyone how good the strawberries were when I got home, but would a photo do justice to the view of the flowers and Mount Buko? I took one more unhurried look from the path.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Local food to try
Chichibu strawberries
You can go strawberry picking at Kotohira Farm in Yokoze Town, in the Chichibu area, from January to June. The strawberries I ate on the hill were ones I'd brought along. With spring flowers around me and their sweetness lingering in my mouth, I couldn't bring myself to hurry on to the next bite.
Highlights
Moss phlox carpeting the foot of Mount Buko
Shibazakura Hill lies at the foot of Mount Buko, Chichibu's symbol. Low-growing flowers carpet the slope, with the mountain rising beyond them. I came for the flowers, but the view stopped me in my tracks.
Named for cherry blossoms, spreading like grass
Moss phlox is a perennial native to North America. Its Japanese name, shibazakura, comes from its cherry-blossom-like flowers and the way it spreads over the ground like turf. Knowing that clusters of tiny flowers cover the whole hill makes me want to take a closer look.
Road information
Road to Shibazakura Hill at Hitsujiyama Park
Head to Hitsujiyama Park in Omiya, Chichibu City. Once I'm there, I want to stroll along the path among the flowers and take in Mount Buko and the moss phlox together.
It's a spring outing with a leisurely walk after the drive. I got so caught up taking in the flower patterns that I nearly forgot it was time to head back.
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