5 million higanbana at Kinchakuda 🌷and EASY Mount Hiwada hiking 🥾 🪻🌳🌺

To join this event please see below and send me a message on LINE. Without this, you will not find out our meeting point. EVERYONE needs to do this EVERY TIME, including those who have participated with me previously.

***Discounted event fee (¥500) for early applications. See below***

This hike from Hannō station to Kinchakuda and Mount Hiwada is a gentle stroll through some woods and only a relatively minor climb near the end, plus there’s some several possible nice picnic spots along the way. The hike is an easy trek, and should take 2-3 hours.

We will follow this route

We will meet at Hannō Station at 11.30am. Please kindly ensure you arrive punctually.

◾️After you have applied to join this event, please contact Mark via the Line application quoting your FULL NAME and this message: [Kinchakuda hiking event - 28th September] MARK's LINE ACCOUNT
If you would like to bring a guest, please ask me via Line.

◾️参加されるイベントの名前(フルネーム)と日付を付けてマークにLINEしてください。
例:[Kinchakuda hiking event - 28th September] MARK's LINE ACCOUNT
定員の都合上、お連れ様がいる時は事前にLINEでご相談ください。

From mid-September to early October, higanbana blossom all over Japan like a flaming-red blanket covering the ground.

In Japanese, the red spider lily is called "manjushage" - flowers that are distinguished by straight stems and long, narrow petals. They are known for having vibrant, bright red flowers, but there are also white, orange, and yellow varieties.

Legend has it that they bloom along the shore of the Sanzu River, a mythological river said to separate the living world and the underworld.

In Japan, manjushage are frequently seen growing along footpaths around the perimeters of rice fields and are a colorful feature of the fall countryside. They are planted near rice fields and on river banks not only for their beauty but also for their roots that keep the soil packed together and their poisonous bulbs that are thought to keep unwanted mice, moles, and other critters away.

Japan’s largest red spider lily field is none other than Kinchakuda Manjushage Park in Saitama. This park is 500 meters in diameter and 22 hectares in area. From mid-September to early October every year, 5 million red spider lilies bloom in the field, forming a mysterious and an otherworldly scene. During the flowering season, the park holds the Manjushage Festival, which gathers food stalls, gift vendors, and stage performances for visitors from all over the world.

OUR ROUTE!

From the north exit turn left and follow the main road heading north, and follow this road for about 20 minutes, all the way going straight. The main road eventually ends, but keep heading north down the minor streets, keeping an eye out for the bright yellow “チカン注意” perverts signs.

Eventually you’ll reach the woods, and should so this path (see image) leading into them. If you don’t emerge at the exact same spot just walk along the road till you stumble across one. Keep following your nose into the woods, and you should join another path heading east–west, so take a left heading west.

Follow this gentle path through the woods until you emerge along side a fenced off driveway (which leads to a rather posh golf course).

Follow the path under the road and back up into the woods again. Keep following the path with the signs to 巾着田 – “Kinchakuda”.

You’ll stumble across a nice clearing with picnic benches and some seasonal flowers.

You’ll emerge from the forest, take a left when you see the map (see images), and keep following the signs which will lead you down to this little wood bridge over the river and into Kinchakuda.

You could see various crops, ponies, frogs, fish, and a water mill, and HIGANBANA! Either way there’s a variety wildlife and nature to enjoy here.

We then take a leisurely hike up Hiwada mountain (日和田山), which, at 305m is more of a hill really. Leave Kinchakuda and cross the main road, heading north towards the hill, or signs for Komajinja (高麗神社). At some point you’ll also see a signpost to 日和田山, so follow that.

Leave the road and head up into the woods on your way up 日和田山. There are two routes the “male” – dansei (男性) and “female” – josei (女性) paths, take whichever path you please. If the visibility is good you’ll get a pretty spectacular view.

When you’ve had your fill of Hiwada, retrace your steps back down and to the main road. Just on the edge of Kinchakuda is Alishan Organic Cafe. The Alishan shop stocks local organic produce as well as a range of imported whole foods.

Our trip will end at Koma Station (高麗駅), just a 3-min walk west from Alishan Cafe.

Additional fees - small entry fee to Kinchakuda Manjushage Park (approximately ¥500)

Event fee:
¥500 - limited to the first 7 applicants (make sure you contact me on LINE immediately!) - prompt payment is essential to guarantee this reduced fee.
¥1250 if you pay by 27th September early evening (PayPay, or in cash at an earlier event).
¥1500 in cash on the event day (28th September) - please bring the correct money (see the NOTE below).

If you don't have PayPay, please ask a friend or coworker to do the transaction for you (give them cash!).

Cancellation policy:

• Full refund given if cancellation is notified BY LINE MESSAGE at least 36 hours before the event starttime.
• Reservation and then no-showing without prepayment requires full payment of the event fee via PayPay within 24 hours. Further non-payment will result in removal from the group.

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After the event, you may submit a review/evaluation. Please kindly rate appropriately as a low evaluation has an impact on the group. Things you should clearly understand in advance:

1. I (Mark) am not a tour guide. For many events this will also be my first time, and events are mainly organised based on intensive internet research.
2. Nature cannot be guaranteed, so flower festivals may be impacted by the recent climate.
3. We aim to depart on time, however bus schedules might change. This is unavoidable.
4. We request participants arrive EARLY. In rare cases we might wait a few minutes if we do not need to take a bus.
5. The number of participants is not guaranteed. However we will not have large groups.
6. The event finish time might be earlier or later than advertised. The hiking time might be longer/shorter than anticipated. Return bus times are not guaranteed.

How to calculate your review appropriately:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars) = Everything was as described.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars) = The event was generally ok, but there were a few things that you weren't happy with (please provide further details).
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 stars) = The event was disappointing (please provide further details).
⭐️⭐️ (2 stars) = The event was poor (please provide further details).
⭐️ (1 star) = The event was terrible (please provide further details).