Hitachi Seaside Park, Japan

You may have previously seen a picture of a sea of blue flowers and rolling hills against an unobstructed blue sky. While you would assume that a sight this beautiful could only have been created using advanced CGI, this location actually exists just outside of Tokyo! Visit the Hitachi Seaside Park to admire the breathtaking scenery of Ibaraki Prefecture.

Hitachi Seaside Park provides a getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life and is situated just outside Hitachinaka City in Ibaraki Prefecture, about 120 kilometers northeast of Tokyo. Before the site was given up to the Japanese government in 1973, the park was used as an American military facility. It was decided to turn the area into a public park after significant thought was given to what to do with it. Since it initially welcomed guests in 1991, Hitachi Seaside Park has grown to be a popular destination for families, couples, and tourists looking for a stress-free getaway in the great outdoors. Six distinct regions that each provide something somewhat different make up the park.

The park's 215 hectares are accessible to the public, and each season sees colorful flowers blossom there. The view is particularly good from Miharashi Hill. Miharashi Hill becomes a pastel blue in the spring thanks to 5.3 million nemophila blooms. With the neighboring blue sky and water, nemophila flowers make an amazing tableau of contrasting blues. The 32,000 green Kochia shrubs in the park turn red in the fall.

Location: Mawatari Onuma, Hitachinaka