Let’s be frank. When it comes to springtime flowers in Japan, the cherry blossoms steal all of the limelight. Widely considered to be iconic of the country’s very year, millions of tourists flock to Japan to see these pink pretties. However, they are not the only spectacle of spring to enjoy in Japan. What’s more, the cherry blossoms are notoriously short-lived, meaning that you only have a short window to enjoy them if you’re not willing to chase full bloom north into Tohoku. Thankfully, there are other marvels of Mother Nature to enjoy during spring, though — like the azure nemophila.
Now, if you’ve been paying attention, you know that arguably the best place to experience nemophila is Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture. Alas, the cat is largely out of the bag on that locale thanks to Instagram, so nowadays, you really can’t expect to get a photo without tons of other people in the frame. What’s more, you also need to commit to going up to Ibaraki itself, and while I’ll be the first to say that the prefecture is truly rife with all sorts of hidden gems, it can be a bit too far out of the way for some overseas visitors to Japan.
Enter Toneri Park on the outskirts of Tokyo. Officially the third-biggest park in the 23 special wards of Tokyo, this public space was opened in 1981 in commemoration of the Showa Emperor’s 50th year on the Chrysanthemum Throne. As you’ve probably guessed by now thanks to its location within Tokyo, the Toneri Park grounds are home to the most easily accessible field of blue nemophila flowers for most travelers. Thanks to this, you can enjoy this comparatively underappreciated wonder of spring without traveling all the way up to Hitachi Seaside Park.
Before we move forward into the logistics of how to get to Toneri Park and what to expect there, allow me to take a quick second to note that this article is part of an ongoing series of mine called Backyard Tourism. In it, I attempt to show how, with proper marketing and a little bit of storytelling, even a rather benign park located on the outskirts of Tokyo can have great appeal for inbound tourism. So, while I won’t go as far as saying Toneri Park is a “must-visit,” the site certainly has a great deal of potential for those who like exploring the quieter sides of Japan.
How to Get There
The trip out to Toneri Park is pretty simple, all things considered. To begin with, you’ll want to make your way over to Nippori Station, probably by taking JR East’s Yamanote Line. From there, you’ll need to find your way to the entrance to the Nippori-Toneri Liner. This can be a bit tricky, and it’s easy to get confused by the Keisei Main Line (heck, even I made this mistake). From what I can tell, the only way to get on the trains going to Toneri Park is to exit the station via the east exit and then follow the pink signage to the liner’s entrance.
Once you actually find the correct train line, getting to Toneri Park is a breeze. All you need to do is get off at Toneri Koen Station — yes, you Japanese readers read that right. The closest train station is quite literally located smack dab in the middle of Toneri Park, meaning all you need to do is exit Toneri Koen Station and you’re there. The trip over from Nippori Station should only take around 15 minutes or so, and there are regular departures. But, as always, be sure to reference a service like Jorudan for the latest train schedules.
A Sea of “Baby Blue Eyes”
At least compared to the expansive fields of blue nemophila at Hitachi Seaside Park, the patch at Tokyo’s Toneri Park is comparatively small. That said, the locals make up for it with an annual evening event. As shown above, visitors to Toneri Park who come after sundown will be able to enjoy these baby blue eyes illuminated at night — which is an entire vibe unto itself. The event starts in mid-April and runs until the end of the month, though the nemophila stick around much longer.
Prefer to visit during the daytime? Don’t worry! Toneri Park’s nemophila are equally beautiful then, especially on a warm, sunny day when the azure flowers are set against a blue sky, as seen in the image that opened this article. While this field of nemophila does indeed draw a handful of people, the crowds here at Toneri Park are nowhere near what you’d experience up in Ibaraki Prefecture — which is a real blessing for people like me who like their space.
Additionally, Toneri Park itself also has a number of other points of interest that range from sports facilities, tennis courts and even a BBQ area for summer to one seriously epic-looking playground named Boken-no-Oka (which literally means “the Hill of Adventure” in Japanese). If you have children in tow that are of the age that still likes playgrounds, you’ll definitely want to also drop by the Boken-no-Oka after marveling at Toneri Park’s so-called “sea of nemophila!”
Other Nearby Attractions
If you continue forward north from Toneri Koen Station, there isn’t much more to see in this part of Tokyo’s Adachi-ku. So, if you’re not planning to enjoy a leisurely day with friends and some drinks in Toneri Park, I suggest heading back to Nippori Station after viewing the nemophila. From there, you can drop by Yanaka, one of my favorite hidden gems in Tokyo. Being one of only a few parts of the city to survive the ravages of World War II, Yanaka is full of all sorts of retro charms.
Nearby Yanaka, there’s also Nezu Shrine. Here, you can find a modestly long array of vermillion torii gates akin to the ones you’d see at the far more famous Fushimi Inari Shrine. Though Nezu Shrine can’t really compare in scale to Kyoto’s iconic attraction, it’s still a great experience and definitely worth checking out if you’re already in the area. Personally, I like to walk from Nippori to Yanaka, then make my way over to Ueno Park via Nezu Shrine to round out the day.
Note that Nezu Shrine is also famous for its azaleas, which bloom around the same time as the nemophila of Toneri Park. Assuming you have the will and get an early-ish start to the day, you could actually visit both locations in the same day while still having plenty of time to enjoy the flowers at both sites. Especially if you’re in Tokyo just after the cherry blossoms’ full bloom ends, this is a great way to still eke out some of the magic of spring.
Until next time travelers…
