Many come to Japan for its cherry blossoms, but do you know plum blossoms are just as beautiful as cherry blossoms? Tatsuno City, located in the southwestern part of Hyōgo Prefecture, is home to two of Kansai region‘s best plum blossom spots. While getting there is more than just a train ride from the region’s main cities, the two spots below are the best places to visit for a glimpse of spring in advance.
The Best Plum Blossom Spots in Hyōgo Prefecture
Ayabeyama Plum Forest (綾部山梅林)
One of the best places in the Kansai region to adorn the flowers is Ayabeyama Plum Forest. When the plum blossoms bloom, one side of Mt. Ayabe is covered by white and pink flowers.
In addition, the plum grove faces the Seto Inland Sea. This means the plum blossoms contrast the Seto Inland Sea, the islands on the Harima Sea, and the magnificent Akashi Kaikyo Bridge at the back. The scenery atop the hill is simply breathtaking on a clear day.
The only shortfall here is some climbing required to get to the top of the hill…(´▽｀*). But because the promenade is well-maintained, it would be a light hike.
The red plum usually starts to bloom in mid-February, closely followed by the white plum, which will fully bloom between late February and early March. With so many plum trees blossoming, you will be surrounded by the elegant fragrance of the flowers (*´ω｀).
Moreover, around 70% of the plum trees at Ayabeyama Plum Forest bare fruits. The fruits are harvested in May and are made into salted plums. Check with the staff to see if your admission ticket to the plum grove still entitles you to a free cup of homemade plum juice or amazake (a fermented rice drink) from the shop in the park!
Besides the flowers, there are also a few monuments scattered across the forest. Those tumulus groups can be traced back as early as the fifth century.
Ayabeyama Plum Forest’s Opening Hours, Admission Fee, and Access Information
- The forest is open from 9 am to 5 pm daily.
- The last admission is at 4:30 pm.
- The entry fee is
- 500 yen for adults
- 400 yen for children
- On weekends during the plum blossom season, temporary bus services depart from JR Aboshi Station (網干駅) and Sanyo Electric Railway’s (山陽電鉄) Sanyo-Aboshi Station (山陽網干駅) to carry you to the forest.
- Here is the 2024 Temporary Bus Schedule. The cost is
- 400 yen from JR Aboshi Station
- 270 yen from Sanyo-Aboshi Station
- Here is the 2024 Temporary Bus Schedule. The cost is
- Parking will cost you 500 yen for average vehicles.
Kurosaki Rape Blossom Field (黒崎の菜の花畑)
Stop by the Kurosaki Rape Blossom Field when you visit Ayabeyama Plum Forest. Utilizing the idle fields in winter, rape blossoms are planted to create a gorgeous scenery to entertain visitors. Between mid-January and March, the flowers make the 4.5-hectare space at the foot of Mt. Ayabe look like a yellow carpet covers it!
Unlike the plum blossoms, bringing the rape blossoms home is possible with a small fee. After putting 100 yen in the donation box, you can fill the plastic bag given with flowers picked from the field.
Apart from the flowers, people also take photos of the expressive scarecrows in the field (refer to the 6th and 7th photos in the IG post).
In late March, the Mitsu Nanohana Festival (みつ菜の花まつり) is held at Hagochi Parking Lot (羽子池駐車場) at the entrance of Ayabeyama Plum Forest. Stage shows and temporary stalls will be held during the event. A raffle with luxurious prizes is usually held on the day.
In 2024, the festival was held between 10 am and 1:30 pm on the 24th of March.
Sekainoume Park (世界の梅公園)
Just next to the Ayabeyama Plum Forest is a park with around 315 different species of plum, totaling around 1,250 trees planted on the park’s wide ground. As the original species of plum is from China, the buildings in the park are Chinese-style, confusing the visitors about where they actually are!
On the weekend in early March, the nighttime illumination will brighten the night at the park. So, if you plan to drive, how about planning your visit for that weekend and heading to Ayabeyama Plum Forest in the afternoon, followed by Sekainoume Park.
- In 2024, the light-up event was held from the 9th to the 10th of March.
- The Mitsu Ume Festival (みつ梅まつり) was held from 10 am to 1:30 pm on the 11th of February, 2024.
From the summit, you can overlook the Seto Inland Sea as well. You can drive up to the top of the mountain to avoid hiking.
Sekainoume Park’s Opening Hours, Admission Fee, and Access Information
- The park is open daily from 9 am to 4:30 pm except Mondays. If Monday is a public holiday, it will close on the next business day instead.
- During the plum blossom season, the park will open until 9 pm daily.
- Except during the plum blossom season from mid-February to late March, the park is free to enter
- In 2024, the season is from the 11th of February to the 17th of March.
- The cost is
- 400 yen for adults
- 200 yen for elementary and junior high school students
- Parking is 500 yen for average vehicles and 1,500 yen for medium to large vehicles.
- During the plum blossom season, you can catch the same temporary shuttle bus from JR Aboshi Station (網干駅) and Sanyo Electric Railway’s (山陽電鉄) San-yo-Aboshi Station (山陽網干駅).
- During other times of the year, from JR Tatsuno Station (竜野駅), take Katsuko City’s Community Bus – Akatonbo-Gō (赤とんぼ号) and get off at the terminal stop – Shinmaiko (新舞子). From there, it is around a 10-minute walk to the park.
- Refer to HERE for the service’s timetable in 2024.
- You can also use one of Japan’s Transport Apps to plan your visit if you don’t read Japanese.
Discover Other Attractions in Tatsuno City
Tatsuno City, also known as Harima Province’s “Little Kyoto” (播磨の小京都), is a lovely city with a historical and tranquil atmosphere. Situated along the coast, there are a few of the attractions in the city come with a panorama view of the Seto Inland Sea. The city is also where you can learn how soy sauce and the thin noodles known as sōmen were made hundreds of years ago!
So, refer to our Tatsuno City article for more attractions you can visit on the day!
