Apologies that this post was sent to subscribers on September 7th, this is the post that was supposed to send!
Information for the plumed cockscomb, also known as Celosia (or Keito in Japanese), at Shinrin Park aka Musashi Kyuryou National Government Park, Namegawa in Saitama Prefecture. One of the highlights of Autumn at Shinrin Park is the field of plumed cockscomb, or Celosia, plants that grow in September and October. In 2023, the Celosia will be at the Undo Hiroba for the first time in three years. You can see what it looks like here.
Celosia Plant display at Shinrin Park
In the inaugural year of a cockscomb display in Shinrin Park, there were about 50,000 plumed cockscomb, pictured below. The display that first year was at the West gate. Between 2018 and 2020 there was ten times that amount, with approximately 500,000. But for those years the display was at the “Undo Hiroba” near the Ponpoko Mountain in the center of the park.
However, since last year, 2021, the display has been moved back to the West Gate hiroba and is slightly smaller at 400,000 than when it was at the Undo Hiroba. In 2021, they added a lovely walkway through the flowers, making the display even more picturesque. Moreover, you can get better photos now thanks to this walkway.
In both 2019 and 2020 the plumed cockscomb were in bloom from the last week of August and came into full bloom early September. Below are a couple of photos them in August 2019, when they were at the “Undo Hiroba”. In 2021 they were planted later and came into bloom around the end of September. However, in 2022, they are expected to be in full bloom by the middle of September.
There are various colors in the celosia display at Shinrin park each year. The red and yellow are particularly dominant, but there are usually some orange, purple and pink in the mix too.
Picking Event
On Friday October 21st, for 100 yen, you can pick up to 15 celosia flowers to bring home.
2022 Information
Season: a bit earlier than 2021, but a bit later than ‘usual’. Expected to be in peak condition from around mid September to approximately mid October. The picking event is on October 21st.
Cost: Park entry is 450 per adult, no charge for children.
Location: Near the West Gate of the Musashi Kyuryo National Park, which is most commonly called Shinrin Park. See map at the bottom of the post.
Access
The coleus / plumbed cockscomb / keito in 2022 are at the “West gate Hiroba” which is beside the large “Musashi Dome” playground and close to the adventure playground too. When the keito are grown at the “Undo Hiroba” (beside the air trampoline) you can also see kochia too. But this year there is no kochia beside the keito.
The nearest train station is Shinrin Koen Station on the Tobu Tojo line. You can get a bus to the West gate of the park from the station:
From Shinrin-koen Station on the Tobu Tojo Line
You can get a direct bus from Shinrin-koen station on the Tobu Tojo Line station on weekends only. There is also a daily bus from Shinrin-koen station, bound for Kumagaya Station and / or Rissho Daigaku. This bus goes to the “Shinrin Koen West exit”, which is the gate nearest the flowers. You can walk from the station too, but it takes about 40 minutes on foot to the South Gate. From the South Gate it would be a further 20 to 30 minute walk to the plumed cockscomb.
You can actually also get a bus from JR Kumagaya Station that is going toward Shinrinkoen station. It stops at both the South and West exits of the park. The West exit is the closest gate to the flowers in the park. Its only a few minutes walk from the west gate to the display.
If you are coming by car, there is plenty of parking. Its a flat rate of 650 yen for the day. At the central and south gates there are additional independent parking lots. They are cheaper than the park’s parking costs. However, they are normally only open on weekends and public holidays. And some of them are quite a distance from the gate.
For more information on Shinrin Park:
the colours and patterns are brilliant!