Yasudo Riverbank Walk along the Tsuki River in Higashichichibu Village is home to approximately one million red spider lilies. In recent years it has become more and more popular. So much so, its become less of a hidden gem and more of a hot spot as an up and coming red spider lily colony. My most recent visit to the colony was on September 24th 2024. There was a time when I may have been the only one there, but in 2024 it was the busiest I’ve ever seen it. And the weekend after I visited it congested and hundreds of posts appeared on social media about the location.
Yasudo Riverbank Walk Red Spider lilies
There are a total of four different areas with red spider lilies on the Yasudo Riverbank Walk. The best area is in the trees, north of the river, pictured above. Thankfully it has a pinpoint on maps, but its just on the wrong side of the river. The red spider lilies pictured in this post are across the river from this pin. The current free parking lot for the Yasudo riverside / riverbank walk/way is right beside the pin. If you are coming by car, you need to walk down to Yasudo bridge to get over the other side. Or you can walk west instead, but its a much longer walk. I enjoyed it though and found a picturesque shrine along the way!
This post originally included information for another red spider lily spot in the village, but as they bloom at very different times, I’ve removed it. I will write a new post about that location in due course. They are not really blooming yet. Three other Higashichichibu red spider lily locations, including one spot near the colony in this post, are mapped on a MyMap by Higashichichibu, below. There are also red spider lilies in Washi no Sato.
Official update page on the Higashi chichibu website.
Find even more spider lily / equinox flower locations in Saitama Prefecture here. Many of the colonies were late to bloom in 2024 because it was so hot. Thus, it is highly likely they will also be late in 2025 as we had the hottest summer on record. This location doesn’t have a festival currently. There are spider lily festivals in other locations though. For example, Kinchakuda and Gongendo park’s red spider lily festivals are on for about two weeks, but the Terasaka Terrace Rice Fields is only on one day.
I found this video on Youtube, showcasing the red spider lilies along the Yasudo Riverwalk / embankment. I have no association / affiliation to this person or channel:
If you are visiting the red spider lilies in Higashichichibu, you can also check out the popular Washi no Sato Roadside Station, which as above, has red spider lilies too. There you can try your hand at Washi Paper making. There is also the excellent Chichibu Highland Ranch in the mountains of the village. Public transport is a bit tricky, where possible I’d advise travelling by car.