Nagatoro spring leaves light up 2021 – In Japan they have a word for new leaves on a tree 新緑 “Shinryoku” which literally translates as ‘new green’. It is often translated into ‘fresh green’ in English. It is not a word we use in Ireland and it doesn’t really convey the newness of the leaves. But we call 紅葉 “kouyou” Autumn leaves, so I have taken the liberty for this event post as using the word “spring leaves”. Interestingly, although the word for the new leaves translates as new green, in Japan blue is most commonly used for green leaves. Hence, you will find a lot of references to “blue leaves” for new or spring leaves in Japan. I digress…
Nagatoro Spring Leaves Light up
From Saturday May 22nd to Sunday June 20th, the new leaves at Tsuki no Ishi Momiji Park in Nagatoro will be lit up at night. The lights are turned on around 6.30 pm and remain on until 9 pm. Fifty LED lights are used to light up the fresh green. There are about 200 trees – maple, oak and fir – in the 2000 square meter park.
Tsuki no Ishi Momiji Park is famous for its Autumn leaves. They light up the leaves in Autumn too. The Autumn leaf light up is a long running, popular annual event in Nagatoro. However, the spring leaves light up is relatively new. They introduced it in 2019. However, in 2020 it didn’t go ahead due to the Coronavirus. So this is only the second time ever they have lit the leaves up in spring / early summer.
During the period of the Autumn leaves light up there is a 200 yen charge into Tsuki no Ishi Momiji Park. However, currently for the spring leaves light up there is no charge. However, the nearest parking lot does have a charge.
The above image was taken from the Nagatoro Tourism website.
Access
The park is close to the Chichibu Railway Nagatoro Station. You can ride a steam locomotive train, the closest one to Tokyo, to / from Nagatoro Station on the weekends. Timetable and all the details here.
By car, it is 3.2 kilometers from the Minano Nagatoro Interchange of the relatively new Minano Yorii bypass.
Stay?
If you want to stay near this event, Waterpark Nagatoro is only a 15 minute walk away. It has cabins and trailers as well as camping options. The excellent Nagatoro Autocamp (which has cabins and glamping options too) is also nearby – about a 30 minute walk using a scenic footbridge over the Arakawa.
For more events in Saitama, please see the main event pages. And for sightseeing ideas for Saitama, please do take a look around the website.