Information for the cherry blossoms, sakura matsuri, Soul Food Festival and Flower Art at Kodai Hasu no Sato in Gyoda.
Kodai Hasu No Sato ~ Ancient Lotus Flower Park
Kodai Hasu no Sato is a public park in Gyoda city. It was developed to showcase the ancient lotus that were found in the area in recent years. The lotus flowers are famous in the flower world and people come from far and wide to view these miraculous blooms in summer. But on a larger tourism scale the park is actually probably best known for its rice field art. The rice field art is usually most visible at the end of summer and early Autumn.
The park also has several other events, such as night illumination in winter, and flowers throughout the year. Starting with wintersweet in the New Year. The park is quite well known for its wintersweet and plum blossoms. It is also known for its cherry blossoms, but it is a relatively quiet place for cherry blossom viewing…
Cherry Blossoms at Kodai Hasu no Sato
The park has some really beautiful cherry blossoms and a nice festival for two days during their bloom period. Moreover, you can view the cherry blossoms from above, from the observation tower in the park. There are approximately 270 cherry blossoms in the park. By one of the lotus ponds they create a tunnel. They are mainly the Somei Yoshino and Edohigan varieties. They typically bloom late March and early April. However, all cherry blossoms are early this year. As I write this on March 16th 2023 (to be published on March 17th), some of the buds have reportedly opened.
Cherry Blossom Festival
The Cherry blossom festival is on simultaneously with a ‘Soul Food Festival’ on Saturday March 25th and Sunday March 26th from 10 am to 3 pm. On both days there will be a live music performance at 1.30 pm. There will be food stalls and trucks on both days for the “Soul Food Festival”:
Flower Art
Each year in March there is flower art in the park. The observation tower is the best place to view it from:
Information
Event: Kodai Hasu no Sato Cherry Blossom Festival / Soul Food Festival. 古代蓮の里さくら祭り＆ソウルグルメフェスタ
Date: Saturday March 25th and Sunday March 26th.
Time: 10 am to 3 pm.
Cost: The venue is free in, but if you want to view the cherry blossoms or flower art from above you have to pay into the observation tower. The tower costs 400 yen for adults and 200 yen for children over six years old. Children under six years old can enter the tower for free.
Venue: Kodai Hasu no Sato, 2375-1 Kobari, Gyoda, Saitama 361-0024. View on Google Maps.
Access
A bus goes from Gyoda Station on the JR Takasaki line to the park. If you are coming by car there are two parking lots. One on the North end of the park, but the main car park is on the south end by the observation tower. The park is about 30 minutes drive from the Hanyu Interchange of the Tohoku Expressway or the Okegawa Kitamoto Interchange of the Ken-o expressway.
Editor’s note: this post was temporarily removed from the website during the pandemic. It was republished on March 17th 2023.