Hanamiyama Park

Hanamiyama, known as "the mountain to view flowers," is a popular spot that welcomes over 200,000 visitors annually. Its story began when a sericulture farmer started planting flowers as a side business in Taisho 15 (1926). In Showa 10 (1935) the owner stopped sericulture and began full-scale flower cultivation. In Showa 11 (1936), after hearing from an acquaintance, "Plant flowers on that brushwood mountain and make it a flower mountain—it will be beautiful; only a farmer can do it," the owner continued planting for 15 years. Over time the mountain filled with blossoms and gradually became a beautiful "flower mountain." As more people came asking to see it, the owner decided it was a waste to keep such beauty private, and in Showa 34 (1959) opened it to the public as Hanamiyama Park. This is a place made possible by a professional grower’s skill and dedication to keep flowers blooming beautifully year after year. Access: about 20 minutes by car from Fukushima-Nishi IC; about 20 minutes by taxi from JR Fukushima Station (East or West Exit).