Best Living Japan – Tokyo Travel Guide Tokyo with Kids Guide for Globally Minded Families 
Hitachi Seaside Park is a beautiful park about a 2 hour drive from central Tokyo. They have beautiful seasonal flowers, and a sports and amusement park. It can be enjoyed by all ages year round.
The park is divided into 7 areas and each area has flowers that bloom throughout the year. From the end of September about 32,000 Kokia begin to turn red and by mid-October dyes the “Miharashi no Oka” (Miharashi Hill) red. Visit the park from September 21, 2019 to October 20, 2019 to enjoy the brilliant red Kochia. 2019 Flower schedule below.
HISTORY OF MIHARASHI HILL
Miharashi Hill is the famous slope on the seaside and the most photographed area of Hitachi Seaside Park. Visitors go for the baby blue nemophila blooms in the spring, returning again in the fall Cosmos & Kochia. Miharashi Hill used to be a military airport called Mitohigashi Airport. After the war it became a firing and bombing range for the US Air Force. There were several serious problems caused by accidental firing and bombing, and some people were killed by the accidents. Therefore, local people wanted to get back the airport in peace and organized the return movement. Finally, the land was returned to Japan in March 1973 and later it became Hitachi Seaside Park as a symbol of peace. The hill where many bombs and bullets had been fired was turned to a hill covered with pretty flowers.
PLEASURE GARDEN AMUSEMENT PARK:
The Pleasure Garden Amusement Park is divided into the following areas:
– Giant Ferris Wheel
– Cycling center (11km long bike path) with rental bikes
– Mini putting course
– BMX bike course
– Grassland
– BBQ Area
– Card Labyrinth (Maze)
– Water Plaza (open in summer only)
– Amusement park games
– Kids rides & coasters
*The Omoshiroi Tube has been taken down
*Kids must be 110cm and in elementary school in order to ride coaster.
Note: Kids Cart, Safari pets, battery cars, and amusement park games are a separate charge (coin/cash only)
TIP: Rides are 300-600 yen. We recommend purchasing a 1 day ride pass. Note discount passes can be purchased online here (Japanese language only)
My kids loved the card labyrinth. The object of the card labyrinth is to use a character tool to obtain points. The more points you have the stronger your character becomes. Use the points to battle another character at the end of the labyrinth. If you win, you get a prize. Instructions: Enter and receive a colorful character to collect points. Walk around the maze and locate a yellow stand with a glowing light. If the light matches the color of your character place the character on the console to collect points. Do this throughout the maze. At the end you`ll play a roulette game which will decide the character you`ll use to battle at the goal. Walk towards the `Goal` sign to battle. Place the character on the game console to receive a card. Hit the button as many times as you can to win. If you win you`ll receive a prize, if not kids can take the playing cards home with them. Kids loved the maze. They said they want to go back just for the maze alone.
Autumn Flower Calendar
| Flower | Dates | Location |
| Pampas Grass | Late August to early October | Pyonpyon Circle (North side of prairie) |
| Kibana Cosmos (Approx 165,000) | Mid September to early October | Prairie Flower Garden and other locations |
| Cosmos (Approx 2.5 million) | Early to mid October | Miharashi Hill, Prairie Garden |
| Kochia | early July to late October | Miharashi Hill |
| Anemone | early to late October | Sane Dune Area, Memorial Forest Rest House Area |
| Sea Anemone | Early to mid-November | Sane Dune Area, Memorial Forest Rest House Area |
| Ryugi Hagi | Early to mid-October | Along the Memorial Forest Rest House Area |
| Tsuwabuki | Early November | Barbecue Circle |
| Rose | Mid-May to early June, late October to early November | Hitachi Rose Garden |
Winter Flower Calendar
| Flower | Dates | Location |
| Ice Tulip | Late December to early January | Glass House |
| Wintersweet | Late December to late January | Miharashi no Sato Entrance |
| Metasequoia | Early December | Metasequoia tree-lined road |
| Fukujusou | Ume | West Exit Area |
ADMISSION FEE:
| Age | Individual (groups) | 2-day ticket individual (groups) |
|---|---|---|
| Adults (High School Students and over) | 450 yen (290yen) | 500 yen (350yen) |
| Silver (age 65 and over) | 210 yen (210yen) | 250 yen (250yen) |
** 2019 Free Admission on May 12, October 6 and October 27
Parking Fees for one-day
| car types | Fees per day | Parking fees on showing annual passports |
|---|---|---|
| regular car | 510 yen | 410 yen |
| two-wheeled vehicles | 260 yen | 210 yen |
| large vehicles | 1,550 yen | – |
Rental cycle fee
| Division | Basic charge (3 hours) | Excess charge (every 30 minutes) | 1 day pass (excluding busy season) |
|---|---|---|---|
| grown up | 400 yen | 50 yen | 500 yen |
| child | 250 yen | 20 yen | 300 yen |
| With assist | 600 yen | 100 yen |
Seaside train prices (40 min ride around park)
| 1 day tour ticket | |
|---|---|
| Charge | 600 yen |
| Remarks | Pay over 3 years old |
Hitachi Seaside Flower Calendar & Amusement Park, Ibaraki Details:
Address: 605-4 Onuma-aza, Mawatari, Hitachinaka, Ibaraki (about a 2 hour drive or 3 hours by train)
Phone: 029-265-9001
Business Days & Hours:
| Period | Park Hours |
|---|---|
| March 1 to July 20 | 9:30〜17:00 |
| July 21 to August 31 | 9:30〜18:00 |
| September 1 to October 31 | 9:30〜17:00 |
| November 1 to the end of February | 9:30〜16:30 |
HOLIDAYS:
- Mondays (if a holiday falls on Monday, the following Tuesday will be closing.)
- December 31 and January 1
- From the first Tuesday to Friday in February
Access: Via Train From Shinagawa station: Approx. 85 minutes by limited express train on JR Joban Line from Shinagawa to Katsuta Station. From Katsuta Station: Buses on a regular route Approx. 15 min from Katsuta Sta. East Exit Bus Stop No. 2 to West Entrance and approx. 20 min to South Entrance. (limited event period bus service) Non-stop buses run between Katsuta Sta. and West Entrance. (Spring and Autumn)
Via Bus: From Tokyo Station. Roughly two hours from Tokyo South Exit Yaesu South Exit to West Entrance on the Katsuta Tokai line.
Via car from Tokyo: Joban Expressway – Kita-Kanto Expressway – Hitachinaka Toll Road. Hitachi Seaside Park IC very close
English Website: https://hitachikaihin.jp/en.html
Hitachi Seaside Flower Calendar & Amusement Park, Ibaraki
*********
Did you enjoy this article? If yes, please sign-up for the Best Living Japan newsletter so you don’t miss any great info. It is easy to sign-up just click here, and enter your email.
