“Awaji Hanasajiki”(Awaji Flower Garden) is one of the best flower
viewing sites in Hyogo. This garden is four times as large as the Hanshin
Koshien Stadium or approximately 14.6 hectares with seasonally blooming flowers.
Visitors can enjoy the panoramic view of more than 2.5 millions of charming
flowers in bloom against the background of the Akashi
Kaikyo Bridge
and the Osaka Bay
“Hanana” or the raped flower is one of the most beautiful in spring.
It starts to bloom in early March and is in full-blown in April. When it comes
to the rape flower field, many Japanese are very familiar with the image of a landscape
or a field covered with yellow raped flowers. Awaji Hanasajiki grows purple
raped flowers as well as yellow ones. More than one million of both colors of
raped flowers are planted in total. The carpet of both flowers together shows a
lovely contrast of yellow and purple and it is really beautiful to view.
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| Carpet of raped flowers |
Besides a beautiful sea of rape flowers, “the HAAT-FURU (heartful
and full of heart marks) Project” is held in Awaji Hanasajiki. This project
plants colorful flowers in a heart shape and so the whole garden is filled with
heart shaped marks. Strolling around the garden filled with heart-shaped
flowers is enjoyable and also makes your feelings so happy and warm.
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| See heart marks! |
Heart-shaped planted stock flowers (using approximately 20,000 stock
flowers) are especially stunning and deserve a special mention. This heart has
a wall of woods and can’t be seen from an observation deck in the garden. A few
minutes walk is necessary to see the flower field of stocks, but it deserves your
exploration. Visitors also enjoy seeing a unique earthwork which uses pasture
grass which is grown in the motif of the year. The motif of 2012 is a four-leaf
clover connected to four hearts shaped by the grass. The idea of this project
is based on an old tradition that the four-leaf clover is a symbol of luck, and
it represents a wish of luck and happiness for visitors.
While some visitors take a big panoramic view from an observation
deck, others can enjoy walking and make a closer observation of each flower
field or flowerbed walking along footpath. But, please DON’T step into any
flower field or flowerbed!! Pretty and delicate flowers are easily squashed by
foot. DON’T pick flower in the garden!! Keep to the rules and have the courtesy
to just view and observe the flowers.
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| A sea of stock flowers |
A souvenir section in the log house-style rest house sells fresh
seafood, vegetables and flowers. Famous souvenirs in spring are sand eels
cooked in a special sauce or raw whitebait. Enjoy a delicious specialty treat after
an eye-filling scenery of flowers.
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| Stamp collection books |
This
stamp rally is a really good way to discover the real charm of Awaji Island
Useful links:
Hyogo Tourism Guide, information for nature
of Awaji Island
Famous flower viewing spots on Awaji Island
Our next issue will pick up cherry blossoms
in Oji Koen.
Please look forward to it!
Yoko（Hyogo Tourism Association)