For the first time in three years, Shinrin Park have grown the Cock’s comb (aka Keito / Cockscomb / Celosia) and Kochia at the ‘Undo Hiroba’. The Undo Hiroba is larger than the area where they were grown in both 2022 and 2021. In fact, the display will be twice the size with about 800,000 red, pink and gold cock’s comb grown. They are expected to bloom from mid September to around the middle of October.
Cock’s comb and Autumn Flowers 2023
Cock’s comb (plumed cockscomb, rooster comb, celosia) are tender perennials, but are grown as annuals in Shinrin Park. The park uses the space for other flora throughout the year. One of the things I love about Shinrin Park is the variety and versatility. The display is near the Ponpoko Mountain, a giant inflated air trampoline. There are toilets, a water fountain, a shop and a large gasebo close to the flower fields and Pompoko mountain.
Pompoko Mountain is just over a kilometer from the central gate and about 1.6 kilometers from the West gate. Due to the windy and hilly paths, it takes about 15 minutes on foot from the central gate and about 20 to 25 minutes from the west gate. However, the advantage of using the central gate is that you can take in several other views on the way, or with a slight detour, such as:
- Red Spider lilies
- Coleus
- Dahlia
- Halloween Decorations in October
- Halloween Night Illumination as a separate event
You can see photos from 2017, 2021 and 2022 here (when they were by the West gate).
Kochia
When the cock’s comb are grown by the west gate there is no kochia, but in 2020 and there were Kochia by the cock’s comb.
The kochia in Shinrin park are actually quite big. When they are a smaller size they are reminiscent of troll’s hair! The ones in Shinrin Park are much bigger than in Omiya Hana no Oka. As far as I know, these two locations are the two main places to see Kochia in Saitama. Neither are as large as the famous display in Hitachinaka Seaside Park.
Kochia change from green to pink to a blood red.
Shinrin Park / Musashi Kyuryo Park
Shinrin Park is a massive – 304 hectare – park in Namegawa in the Hiki District of Saitama Prefecture. Its official name is Musashi Kyuryo Park, but it is rarely called that. Within Saitama it is known as Shinrin Park, Japan’s first national government park.
Throughout the year they have seasonal flowers and events. Some of the seasonal flowers are in a fixed location, others change every few years. The park is picturesque all year round. Autumn is one of my favourite times to visit because they have both seasonal flowers and Halloween decorations with night illumination.
Halloween Decoration and Illumination
Information for the 2023 Halloween Illumination at Shinrin Park aka Musashi Kyuryo National Government Park:
Information
Event: Cock’s Comb flowers (keito / Celosia / Cockscomb) 羽毛ゲイトウ
Season: from mid September to mid October
Time: 9.30 am to 5 pm in October
Cost: 450 yen per adult, children can enter for free
Venue: Undo Hiroba, Shinrin Park, 1920 Yamata, Namegawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0802
Cock’s Comb Access
The closest station is Shinrinkoen station on the Tobu Tojo Line. It is quite a distance from the park though, so getting a shuttle bus from the station is advised. There is also a bus that goes from the south exit of Kumagaya Station on the JR Takasaki line.
By car, parking is plentiful with car parks at each of the gates: North, South, West and Central. Parking costs 700 yen per day. In addition, at the Central exit there are a few privately owned car parks within walking distance of the entrance, that offer cheaper parking. They cost between 100 and 500 yen according to their proximity to the park.
The photos in this post were taken in 2019 and 2020. The featured photo at the top of the post is from Shinrin Park.
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Beautiful, just beautiful!
Thank you so much OzBurger. I accidentally published this before the post was actually finished. Yikes! Haven’t done that in years! But I’ve fixed it now and added the necessary text and information. Thank you so much for your comments, I really appreciate it.
Here’s the deal, you keep posting beautiful photos of Saitama and I’ll keep telling you that they are beautiful. You cool with that?
Absolutely 🙂 Thank you so much <3
absolutely gorgeous! Stay safe during the typhoon!
Thanks a million Andy. Its a big’un ! Garden is already water logged and the worse has yet to come!!