Hitsujiyama Park

Located on the east side of Chichibu City, Hitsujiyama Park is part of the Prefectural Mukou Nature Park. This park is surrounded by nature and is a popular place for citizens to relax. While visitors can enjoy the scenery of each of the four seasons, the springtime lawn cherry blossoms in particular attract people.

Hitsuyama Park is also known as the park designed by Dr. Seiroku Honda. Dr. Seiroku Honda was involved in the design of parks throughout Japan for about 35 years and is known as the “Father of Parks in Japan.

Within the park, there is a place called “Shiba-Zakura-no-Oka” (Hill of Grass Cherry Blossoms). Shiba-Zakura-no-Oka is located on the south side of Hitsujiyama Park, on a hilly area overlooking Mount Mukou, the symbol of Chichibu. In spring, the entire area is decorated with white, pink, and pale blue lawn cherry blossoms. More than 400,000 plants of more than 10 varieties of lawn cherry trees are planted in an area of approximately 17,600 square meters.

The park also has a hill for viewing, a wanpaku (children’s playground), and a petting farm. From the hill, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the Chichibu city area. At Wanpaku Hiroba, there is a wooden playground for children to enjoy. At Fureai Farm, Japanese Corridale sheep are raised.

In addition to the grass cherry blossoms, Yozan Park offers beautiful seasonal flowers such as cherry blossoms and irises. When visiting the park, please refer to the special page and the information on Chichibu Kanko Navi to check the best time to see the flowers and their blooming status.

The playground equipment in the park is regularly inspected for safety, but children must be accompanied and supervised by a parent or guardian when playing.

Hitsujiyama Park is surrounded by beautiful nature and is especially famous for its lawn and cherry blossoms. The park is located on a hill, offering a panoramic view of the city and surrounding mountains. The park has long been a favorite place of relaxation and recreation for local residents. There are also various exhibition halls in the park. For example, “Miharashino Hill” offers a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding mountains, and there is also a “Wanpaku Hiroba” (children’s playground). In addition, exhibitions are held at the “Mukoyama Museum” and the “Yamatoatomuseum.

The planted area of lawn cherry trees is a beautiful carpet of white, light purple, and pink. Over 400,000 pink, white, purple, and other shiba-zakura plants of eight varieties (in the Phlox genus of the Hanachinaceae family) are planted in the 16,500-square-meter area. The flowering period of the moss phlox is usually from early April to early May.

Hitsujiyama Park is a symbol of spring in Chichibu, and the fluffy carpet of flowers covering the expansive grounds is a perfect example of the beauty of the lawn cherry. Visitors can walk slowly through the space of flowers in spring colors. The sweet fragrance of the flowers wafts through the air as you are enveloped by the spring breeze.

Hitsujiyama Park is also located at the foot of Mt. Takekou, the symbol of Chichibu, and its “Shibazakura Hill” is known as one of Chichibu’s best springtime spots. The park boasts one of the largest plantings of shiba-zakura in the Kanto region, covering an area of approximately 17,600 square meters, with more than 400,000 shiba-zakura plants in 10 different varieties. The blooming time of the shiba-zakura is usually from mid-April to early May (although this may vary from year to year).

Shiba-zakura is a perennial herb native to North America, and is called shiba-zakura because its flowers resemble cherry blossoms. It is characterized by its grass-like appearance, and prefers a sunny, well-drained site. It is also characterized by its strong cold tolerance. At Shiba-Zakura Hill, visitors can see 10 different types of shiba-zakura, including MacDaniel Cushion and Tama no Nagare. When viewed up close, each small petal looks like a heart shape.

The Shiba-Zakura Hill is especially famous and attracts many tourists during the blooming period from early April to early May each year.

The park is located on the Hitsujisan Hill that extends north from Mt. Mukou, offering a panoramic view of the city of Chichibu from the west and a close-up view of the grandeur of Mt. The park is divided into two parts by a small valley in the center, with “Miharashino Hill” on the north side and “Shibazakura Hill” on the south side.

From early April to early May, the hill is beautifully decorated with pink and white shibazakura. Shiba-zakura were first planted in 2000 and have since become well-known and attract many tourists. The design of the slope is inspired by the lintel pattern of the musicians on the floats of the Chichibu Night Festival, which is registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage site.

During the flowering season, Chichibu Railway and Seibu Railway operate special trains to the park. There is a parking lot in the park, but there are not enough parking spaces during the blooming season, so temporary parking lots will be set up nearby. Traffic regulations will be enforced around the park, but there will be heavy congestion on the surrounding roads.

The name “Sheep Mountain” comes from the fact that the county’s cotton sheep slaughterhouse was once located there. In honor of the name, “Fureai Farm” was established on the west side of the Shibazakura Hill, where many sheep are kept.

During the cherry blossom season, many cherry trees, including Someiyoshino and Yaezakura, are in full bloom. At the foot of the mountain is “Makisui Waterfall,” where a monument to the poet Wakayama Makisui stands. In addition, there is an athletic field, tennis court, iris field, museum “Yamatoatomuseum” which exhibits mainly works of Shiko Munakata, and “Mt. Mukou Museum” which collects materials related to Mt.

Early April to mid-April Cherry blossoms
Mid-April to early May: moss phlox