After having visited Hamamatsu Tourist Information Center, I had lunch at a coffee shop and got out of the Station building.
Now, where was I going?
It was raining cats and dogs……oh, by the way, do you really say “cats and dogs” for a downpour? I’ve memorized it for exams but never heard of it used by natives.
Anyway, I headed to the bus depot to find a bus for Hamamatsu Flower Park.

Forty minute boarding on the bus and I was just in front of Flower Park. After the interview with a generous staff for a while, I stepped under the eaves where I could avoid rains and open the guide-map to find the efficient pathway. What for? Because this flower park is surprisingly large!! Here I show a map in the picture. Paths and trails everywhere. It will take at least an hour just to walk all the way around. And what is more surprising is there is some large facility next to Flower Park. I’ll report about it next time.

Entering the main gate, you will see a small flower garden of the season. Walking through it, you are there at the center of the park. This is Not a swimming pool! This is a fountain pond. Every 30 minutes, they stage a Fountain Show along with music. In case you get dizzy from the too vast site area, you can take “Flower Train”, which appearance looks like a train but actually a bus without doubt, to go around the park. The Flower Train fare is just ¥100 for adults and ¥50 for children. Several bus-stops are prepared along the main road, where you can get on or off to take a walk.
The glassed-in house over the fountain is called “Crystal Palace” that is a huge greenhouse with flowers of course, a coffee shop, a cascade, flowerbeds, cactus, and incredible moss glowing in the dark. Wanna get in? Ok, I’ll show you a little.

See these spectacular flowers! No matter how much it rains, Crystal Palace welcomes us with arms open. Walking through the path along the flowerbeds, you will get to the Cascade and viewing deck. Take a coffee break if you’ve got tired. Mind you this is only the beginning.
The moss glowing in the dark room is really marvelous! This moss seems to have been designated as an endangered species and most of them indigenous to native land have been instructed as a protected species. Now, don’t miss it! In the room is sprayed mists to keep the stable moisture, and that brings me back the picture of mystical woods at midnight.

Getting out of the Crystal Palace, I got to Rose Garden in full bloom this season.
Now, time to take a real walk!! With an umbrella in my hand, I opened the guide-map and stepped slowly down the slopes in the direction of the largest pond. Hydrangeas were about to open up, waiting for a rainy season.
I also saw many cherry blossom trees along the pathway, regretting I should have come here in April.

I veered off the main path to the narrow trail and found a…a…suspension bridge, which I almost turned back en route. Of course, I made it! Because I needed to go ahead as far as iris gardens to find out how they were with my own eyes.
At Flower Park, they have been having “Irises & Hydrangeas Festival” from May 28 until June 20. They boast one million irises of 720 species and 3000 bunches of hydrangeas. Irises were also about to bloom. I guess in the beginning of June, you can enjoy them!

Now, guess what? I had walked for more than 2 hours before I found a small gateway leading to some place. Where was it anyway?
Next time, I’ll report about it!

Bye for now＾＾

“Hamamatsu Flower Park” ※ Information as of May, 2010
Access： JR Hamamatsu Station ⇒From Bus Depot #1, take the bus #30 as far as Flower Park (English description on the board)
Admission： ¥800 for adults / ¥350 for children under 15
Opened ： Everyday ※ Temporary closing may be occurred.
――October – April ： 9:00 – 16:30
――May – November ： 9:00 – 17:00
*Opens in the night during seasonal events
*Please enter 30 minutes before closing


“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English website for sightseeing, always with you! ＾＾