ōita

As someone who loves to travel and loves the outdoors, it’s no surprise that I’ve chosen to write about one of Japan’s most beautiful parks.

It may be a little far away for some people, but if you’re prepared to make the trek, you’ll be presented with stunning views of the Kuju Mountains, fantastic food (lots of ice cream!), and a bigger collection of flowers than you’ve likely ever seen before.

What is Kuju Flower Park?

Sat in the foothills of Mount Kuju is a large and beautiful park full of flowers. Between the Autumn and Spring, there are around 500 varieties on display, totaling about 3 Million individual plants.

Something that makes this park different from the others in Japan is the spectacular views you’ll be greeted with as you walk around the 49 acres it has to offer.

That mountain range includes the Kuju Mountains and the park is also just a short drive from the famed Mount Aso. Mount Aso, of course, is Japan’s largest active volcano.

So there are some pretty incredible views, to say the least.

To be honest, this is the kind of place where words can’t really do justice, so I think it’s better you take a look at this video instead.

How to get to Kuju Flower Park

Getting to Kuju Flower Park is a little more difficult than some of the other parks in Japan because of its location.

Perhaps the closest station is Bungo-Taketa to the southeast. From there, it’s about a 20-minute car (or taxi) drive to reach the park. Annoyingly that means it’s going to cost a lot of yen.

There’s also a bus that travels relatively close to the park, but you’ll still have to take a taxi afterward.

Really, the only way to get to Kuju Flower Park is by car which means for a lot of people it won’t be something that stays on their itinerary.

How much does it cost to enter?

The cost to enter Kuju Flower Park is:

Adults: ¥1,300 – about $10

Children (Under 5): ¥500 – about $4

If you love beautiful outdoor spaces, it’s a no-brainer. I think that’s well priced to see such stunning views and an incredible selection of flowers.

Things to do in Kuju Flower Park

Of course, the main attraction in Kuju Flower Park is the flowers, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other things to do there.

Admittedly, most of these are cafes and restaurants, but hey at least you won’t be stuck for places to eat!

I would suggest this maybe isn’t the place for you, however, if you don’t love your flowers.

1. Mugikurabeans 福ノ豆家

A cute little shop that sells snacks, drinks, and other souvenirs to remind you of your stay at Kuju Flower Park.

2. ローズ・ド・メイ

Another, bigger souvenir shop that sells a lot of different items, particularly good if you’re looking to purchase something for someone as a gift.

3. Cafe Sweets Farm シャーロット

“Cafe Sweets Farm” (I Love that name) sells bigger meals making it perfect for a lunch stop. That food mainly includes pasta, but there’s also ice cream and desserts on offer too.

Whoever doesn’t think ice cream is a full meal needs to reconsider their eating habits! 😉

Oh, and they’ve got a lot of smoothies, and other cold drinks, so great for a summer’s day!

4. 風香房

風香房, or “fukabo”, is a little bit of an odd one. They only have one photo online, and it’s not exactly the kind of shop you’d expect to see in a flower park.

Anyway, what I expect the shop sells is bath bubbles, scented products, and sprays.

I would imagine these items change depending on the season and they try to correlate with the plants on display at the time.

5. ジンギスカン北海道

One of the most traditional offerings out of all the restaurants at Kuju Flower Park. “Genghis Khan, Hokkaido” as it translates to serves a wide amount of yakiniku options to suit all its customers. The prices seem extremely reasonable here, too.

6. Roses Cafe

At Roses Cafe, you’ll be able to sample different flavor ice creams, presumably specialty flower flavors unavailable anywhere else in the country.

It also appears as though they sell flowers and seeds. Not something you’ll be able to take home if you’re visiting, but extremely interesting to look around and makes notes on for when you end up buying your house over here 😉 I know you’ve been thinking about it!

7. Cafe Boi Boi

Last, but by no means least, we have Cafe Boi Boi. It’s a little further out than most of the others on this list, but still easily walkable from the main car park.

I’ve heard this place makes a wicked curry and has some incredible views of Mount Aso. So well worth the walk!

Other things to do near Kuju Flower Park

As Kuju Flower Park is somewhat of a “trek” from any of the big towns, it might be worth booking into an Airbnb or hotel nearby and exploring other places near Kuju Flower Park to make the most of your time here.

If I had to give one suggestion on what the best thing to do near Kuju would be, I would have to go with Mount Taisen.

Now, unfortunately, I can’t find any pictures of how spectacular this place is, but I did manage to find this video.

The trailhead of Mt Taisen is about 30 minutes away from Kuju Flower Park, so you should be able to visit both places from a single hotel / Airbnb.

The entire hike should take about 4-5 hours, so you’ll need to set a whole day aside and be in a relatively fit condition before you undertake the challenge.

The most spectacular moment of the hike, in my opinion, is Oike Pond. Probably the most beautiful in Autumn due to the colors of the leaves, Oike Pond is a large body of water right inside the crater of the volcano.

However, as you’re reading this article I would imagine you enjoy seeing flowers!

As such, if you are unable to get to Kuju in the autumn, I would suggest going in June when the ridge of Mount Taisen is covered in Pink Azaleas. An absolutely stunning sight, though likely very hot in June!

Should I visit Kuju Flower Park?

Whilst Kuju Flower Park is no doubt a beautiful place, especially if you like flowers, it is certainly not the easiest place in the world to get to.

The mere fact it’s located in Kyushu cuts it off from a lot of tourists who probably won’t ever venture that far south.

If you’re closer to Tokyo, you’re better checking out Ashikaga Flower Park, which is only a 2-hour train ride away from the capital, and just as beautiful.

However, if it’s not your first time in Japan and you find yourself in Kyushu, It’s absolutely worth taking a day to visit. Potentially for the views alone!

じゃまたね！＾＿＾