Shibazakura Festival Day Trip

Shibazakura is a flower that grows thickly, covering the ground like a lawn. The shape of its magnificent flower petals looks strikingly similar to that of the sakura (cherry blossoms), but this is indeed a different flower. This unique bloom comes in a variety of colors, including different shades of pink, white, and light purple, with some petals even having striped patterns. There are more than 800,000 shibazakura blooming here, covering about six acres of land. Footbaths are also provided at the venue during the festival period. The “Mt. Fuji Delicious Food Festival” is also held at the same venue, where you can taste local cuisines and sweets from the area.
Oshino Hakkai is a series of eight springs located in Oshino, Yamanashi. At one time, what we now know as Oshino-mura used to be a lake, until Mt. Fuji violently erupted several times, gradually filling the space between Fujisusono and Mt. Misaka. This abraded and drained the area so that over long period of time the lake finally dried up. The spring water at Oshino Hakkai comes from under Mt. Fuji itself. The process begins with the snow on the top of Mt. Fuji. This process takes 80 years before allowing the water to finally arrive at the springs of Oshino Hakkai. This natural filtration process causes the water to become extremely pure and contain a large amount of minerals. A unique sight indeed, this area makes up the second part of our journey.
How can it be that such a charming place as the Hanano Miyako Flower Park goes under the radar of most travelers? Although a quiet area in the winter months, the spring brings these fantastic colors into full bloom. The nearby Shibazakura Festival’s timing works very well with this park, which is one of the main reason for its inclusion on the tour. This flower park is 1,000 meters above sea level, which puts you right front and center with a wonderful view of nearby Mt. Fuji.