A field of Shirley Poppies at a memorial museum in Kumagaya.
Kumagaya Poppies
I’m on a quest to find as many poppy fields as I can in Saitama Prefecture! It was a nice surprise to find these poppies in Kumagaya today. Reportedly, this is only the second time ever that these Shirley Poppies have been planted. A sign by the field says that although corona is still in our midst, they wanted to lift people’s hearts with these flowers. Its not a particularly large field, but it is very picturesque with the beautiful old wall behind it. Its at the Nagashima Memorial Museum…
Nagashima Memorial Museum
The Nagashima Memorial Museum in Kumagaya is the former home of the Nagashima family, where Kyosuke Nagashima was born. Kyosuke Nagashima was a significant player in the economic development of Saitama Prefecture. The memorial museum maintains his former home and its grounds, which includes a beautiful garden. Much like Toyama Museum in nearby Kawajima or the period house on the grounds of Nanbata Castle, this museum showcases hina dolls for girls’ day and Gogatsu dolls for boys’ day.
Rural Kumagaya
The museum is located in a very rural part of Kumagaya with little else around it. In fact, it is right on the border of Yoshimi. Only that I had looked at the map I would have assumed its address is Yoshimi! Although, in the middle of nowhere, a short drive away there are a few attractions. For example, the hydrangea temple Hoanji, is only a 5 minute drive away. But its still a bit early for hydrangea at the moment.
In addition, the Arakawa river is less than a kilometer away and a tributary of it, the Wadayoshino River is just at the end of the road. You can spot a red bridge from the parking lot of the museum. It is the Arakawa Suikan bridge, a beautiful water pipe bridge – the longest in Japan. The bridge goes all the way over to the other side of the Arakawa River to Fukiage Cosmos Arena. Fukiage Cosmos Arena also has a poppy and corncockles field, about 30 times the size of the one at Nagashima Memorial Museum! As the crow flies they are only 1.2 kilometers apart. But due to the rather large river, you actually have to go more than double the distance (about 3 kilometers) either on foot or by car!
Information
Nagashima Memorial Museum poppies 長島記念館のポピー畑
Season: May
Museum hours: 10 am to 4 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and from Friday to Sunday.
Cost: 300 yen for adults, 100 for children 6 years or older.
Venue: Nagashima Memorial Museum 長島記念館, 1022 Koyatsubayashi, Kumagaya, Saitama 369-0103. View on Google Maps.
Access
Google Maps has really improved its transit information in recent years. But this is one location that’s beyond its capabilities! I didn’t notice any bus stops in the area. Perhaps the nearest is the bus stop for Fukiage Cosmos Arena, which is about a 30 minute walk from the museum. By car, the museum is well sign posted along the “Midori no Michi” road.
thats a lot of poppies! Dont go smoking them!