Pink, orange, red and white. As the summer heat fades, cosmos bloom in parks and along roadsides, delighting people’s eyes with its pretty appearance fluttering in the autumn breeze. They are called “cosmos,” which means “cherry blossoms in autumn,” and are now one of the most popular flowers of autumn in Japan, but they did not come to Japan until the Meiji era (1868~). Native to Mexico, the cosmos are hardy and easy to grow, and with the help of its beauty, it quickly spread throughout Japan. In Fukuoka, there are several cosmos viewing spots where the entire area is covered with cosmos. The Fukuoka Now Cosmos Guide has researched nine of these places. Viewing the cosmos under the beautiful autumn sky is the best way to go in autumn.
Cosmos viewing spots in Fukuoka
• Fukuoka City (3)
• Itoshima City (1)
• Kurume City (1)
• Dazaifu City (1)
• Asakura City (1)
• Onga (1)
• Tagawa (1)
Fukuoka City Area
Nokonoshima Island Park
Nokonoshima Island Park is known as a famous flower spot where seasonal flowers bloom throughout the year in its vast grounds. With the Genkai Sea in the background, light pink and dark pink cosmos bloom, creating a beautiful contrast with the sky. The best time to see them is in mid-October, but in the area where you can see Genkai Island, there are late blooming varieties that bloom until early November.
• Season: mid- Oct. 2022 ~ early Nov. 2022
• Approx: early blooming 500,000, late blooming 300,000
• Open: 9:00~17:30 (Sun., hol., open until 18:30)
• Closed: Never
• Entry fee: Adult ¥1,200, ES & JHS ¥600, over 3 y.o. ¥400
• Access: Ride the ferry from Meinohama Ferry Terminal to Nokonoshima (approx. 10 min.), then catch the bus from Nokonoshima Ferry Terminal heading to “Island Park” (approx. 13 min). Get off at the last stop.
• Nokonoshima, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka
• 092-881-2494
• http://www.nokonoshima.com
• https://twitter.com/W2Yh7w9NLzeE2qs
• https://www.instagram.com/nokoipark/
Uminonakamichi Seaside Park
Umi-no-nakamichi is a national park surrounded by two oceans, Hakata Bay and Genkai Sea. In this vast park with a total area of 300 hectares, seasonal flowers bloom throughout the year, and there is a corner where you can interact with animals such as squirrel monkeys and capybaras. In the fall, 1.2 million cosmos bloom, and from the middle to the end of October, red kochia is in full bloom. Admission is free on Oct. 30 (Sun.), 2022 in observance of Urban Greenery Month.
• Season: mid-Oct. 2022 ~ late Oct. 2022
• Approx: 1,200,000
• Open: Mar. ~ Oct 9:30~17:30, Nov. ~ Feb. 9:30~17:00
• Closed: 12/31, 1/1, the first Mon. of Feb. and the following day
• Entry fee: Adult ¥450, over 65 y.o. ¥210, free of under JHS
• Access: JR Saitozaki Sta.
• 18-25 Saitozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka
• 092-603-1111
• https://uminaka-park.jp/en/
• https://twitter.com/uminakapark
• https://www.instagram.com/uminonakamichiseasidepark/
Susenji Civic Fureai Hiroba
About a 30-minute subway ride from Hakata Station, there is a cosmos field with excellent access on the south side of Susenji Station on the JR Chikuhi Line. There are about 200,000 cosmos trees grown by local farmers along the Nishi Kyushu Road. It is a place of recreation and relaxation that people in the neighborhood look forward to every year. On Oct. 23, 2022 a cosmos festival will be held with direct sales of vegetables and a fair, and from the following day, Oct. 24, 2022 visitors can freely pick cosmos to take home.
• Season: mid-Oct. 2022 ~ early Nov. 2022
• Approx: 200,000
• Open: 24h
• Free entry
• Access: Take the JR Chikuhi line to “Chikuzen-maebaru” from Hakata Sta., get off at “Susenji”
• South side of JR Susenji Sta., Susenji, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka
• 092-806-1181 (JA Fukuoka City Susenji Branch)
Itoshima City
Hirabaru Historical Park
Centered around the Hirabaru Ruins, a nationally designated historic site where Japan’s largest bronze mirror, the “Naikyo Kamonkyo” was unearthed, the park is a historical park where you can also get close to nature. In autumn, many cosmos plants planted by local volunteers delight the eyes of visitors. In fine weather it’s a great place for a picnic.
（一社）糸島市観光協会
• Season: mid-Oct. 2022 ~ late Oct. 2022
• Approx: 300,000
• Open: 24h
• Free entry
• Free parking available: approx 20 spaces at the park
• Arita, Itoshima City, Fukuoka
• Access: 15 min. by car from Maebaru IC
• https://kanko-itoshima.jp/spot/hirabarurekishikouen/
（一社）糸島市観光協会
Kurume City
Cosmos Road
Among the famous cosmos spots in Fukuoka Prefecture, the Cosmos Road in Kitano-machi is a popular spot that attracts many visitors during the season. In October, when the best time to view the cosmos is in full bloom, the cosmos covers about 3.5 km of the bank of the Jinya River, a tributary of the Chikugo River. This scenery has been recognized as one of the 100 best flower landscapes in Japan to leave behind in the future.
• Season: early Oct. 2022 ~ early Nov. 2022
• Approx: 500,000
• Open: 24h
• Free entry
• Free parking available: 102 spaces at Cosmos Park Kitano, 40 spaces at Chikugo Riverside
• Access: Get off at Nishitetsu Amagi line “Kitano Sta,” 5 min. on foot from there
• Jinyagawa-river, Imayama, Kitano-machi, Kurume City, Fukuoka
• 0942-78-3569 (Industrial Promotion Division, Kitano General Branch Office, Kurume City)
• https://bit.ly/3emegn8
• https://twitter.com/welcome_kurume
Dazaifu City
Kanzeonji Temple
Founded in 746, Kanzeonji Temple has a history of over 1200 years. The temple is said to be the oldest in Japan and houses a national treasure, the Buddhist bell, and many other important cultural assets. The temple is located on the same plot of land as the ruins of the Dazaifu Government Office Ruins, popularly known as “Tofuro Ato,” and it takes about 30 minutes to walk to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine.
写真提供：太宰府市
• Season: late Oct. 2022 ~ mid-Nov. 2022
• Open: 24h
• Free entry
* If you want to enter Kanzeonji Temple, there is a fee. Adults ¥500, college & HS ¥300, JHS & ES ¥150, 9:00-17:00.
• Free parking available: 45 spaces (Kanzeonji Temple)
• Access: Get off at Nishitetsu Dazaifu line “Gojo Sta,” 10 min. on foot from there
• 5-6-1 Kanzeonji, Dazaifu City, Fukuoka
• https://www.city.dazaifu.lg.jp/site/kanko/11420.html
Asakura City
Kirin Beer Park
The Kirin Beer Park, which spreads out in front of the beer brewery, covers an area of about 70,000 m2 (2 times the size of the PayPay Dome) and is filled with flowers of all four seasons. In autumn, as many as 10 million cosmos will be in full bloom, creating a spectacular view. From October 15 (Saturday) to November 11 (Friday), “Kirin Cosmos Festa 2022” will be held, with stores selling local specialties and other products.
• Season: mid-Oct. 2022 ~ late Oct. 2022
• Approx: 10,000,000
• Open: Kirin Beer Park 24h, Kirin Beer Factory reception 10:00~15:00
• Free entry
• Free parking available: 1500 spaces
• 3601 Mada, Asakura City, Fukuoka
• Access: 5 min. by car from Amagi IC
• https://www.instagram.com/kirinfukuoka_cosmos/
Onga
Mizumaki-machi Cosmos Park
Cosmos has become the symbol of Mizumaki Town. The town is decorated with cosmos everywhere, including vending machines with original cosmos designs and maintenance hole covers with cosmos on them. Cosmos grown by local volunteers bloom from mid-October, and a pink cosmos road appears along the Onga River for about 7km. The growth of the cosmos will be updated on the official blog.
• Season: mid-Oct. 2022 ~ late Oct. 2022
• Approx: 6,000,000
• Open: 24h
• Free entry
• Free parking available: 300 spaces
• Access: 6 min. by car from JR Mizumaki Sta.
• 12 Mizumaki-machi, Onga, Fukuoka
• 093-201-4321 (Environment Division, Mizumaki Town Hall)
• https://bit.ly/3lp7Bb0
Tagawa
Oto Sakuragaido Flower Garden
This is a roadside station with a shop selling local agricultural products and a hot spring facility called “Tennen Onsen Sakura-kan.” In addition to the 100-million-yen luxurious toilets, the station also has a flower garden where seasonal flowers bloom throughout the year. Rape blossoms bloom in spring, sunflowers in summer, and cosmos in autumn. In the center of the field, there is an 8-meter high observatory where you can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of the cosmos blooming all around.
Photo from Oto Sakuragaido facebook
• Season: mid-Oct. 2022 ~ late Oct. 2022
• Open: 9:00~17:00 (opening time of the observatory)
• Closed: irregular
• Free entry
• Free parking available: 500 spaces
• Access: Take the free community bus from JR Tagawa-Ita Sta., get off at Ropponmatsu bus stop.
• 1339 Imatobaru, Oto-machi, Tagawa-gun, Fukuoka
• 0947-63-3000
• https://bit.ly/3hmHJMe
• https://www.instagram.com/ootousakurakaidou
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Originally written in October 2022.
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NOTE: The information presented here was gathered and summarized by the Fukuoka Now staff. While we have done our best to check for accuracy, there might be errors and details may have changed. If you notice any errors or changes, please contact us. This report was originally written in September 2021.
