Shirly Poppy in Full Bloom (Hitachi Seaside Park)

The "Large Grassland Flower Garden" at Hitachi Seaside Park has seen approximately 354,000 Shirly Poppies come into full bloom since May 11, 2026. This year, the peak blooming period is on par with average years and is expected to last until around May 25. In the garden, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery resembling a carpet of red and pink, and the gentle early summer breeze rustling through the delicate, Japanese paper-like petals.

Shirly Poppy Basic Information

Shirly Poppy belongs to the Papaveraceae family, genus Papaver, and is an annual plant native to Central Europe. It produces delicate, brightly colored red and pink flowers, resembling Japanese paper, at the tip of slender stems. It grows to about 60-80 cm tall, and its hairy buds initially face downwards but turn upwards just before blooming. The tip of the bud splits into two, and a flower about 5-8 cm in diameter blooms. Its Japanese name is "Hinageshi," and it is also known as "Coquelicot" or "Gubijinsou."

[Shirly Poppy]

Best Viewing Period

May 11 - around May 25

Number of Plants

Approximately 354,000

Location

Large Grassland Flower Garden

Planting Area

Approximately 4,515 m²

This year, a viewing platform has been installed to allow visitors to overlook the flower fields from a higher vantage point.

Viewing platform (photographed May 9, 2026) Photo spot door (photographed May 9, 2026)

The newly installed viewing platform this year offers a panoramic view of the Large Grassland Flower Garden. You can also capture the Shirly Poppies and the photo spot door with the Ferris wheel in the background in a single shot.

Agrostemma and Centaurea cyanus blooming nearby are also at their best.

Agrostemma (photographed May 9, 2026) Centaurea cyanus (photographed May 11, 2026)

From now on, various colorful flowers will bloom, and the area around the Large Grassland will enter its most vibrant season of the year.

Agrostemma is attractive with its soft, swaying form and lovely, beautiful pink flowers. It was sown to add a splash of color to the predominantly blue Centaurea cyanus flower fields. Its name comes from the Greek words "agros" (field) and "stemma" (crown), named after its lovely appearance like a flower crown blooming in the wild.

Centaurea cyanus, with blue, white, pink, and red flowers swaying gently in the early summer breeze, was named because its shape resembles the "Yaguruma" (arrow wheel) attached to the tip of Koinobori (carp streamers) displayed for Children's Day.

[Agrostemma, Centaurea cyanus]

Best Viewing Period

Mid to late May

Number of Plants

Approximately 44,000

Location

Flower fields around the BMX course

Planting Area

Approximately 942 m²

Hitachi Seaside Park, Hitachi Park Management Center

Hitachi Seaside Park, located on the Pacific coast of Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Prefecture, offers a rich variety of colorful flowers to enjoy throughout the four seasons, such as nemophila, daffodils, and tulips in spring, poppies and roses in early summer, zinnias and sunflowers in summer, kochia and cosmos in autumn, and ice tulips in winter. In addition to Pleasure Garden, an amusement park with diverse attractions including a large Ferris wheel offering views from 100m above sea level and roller coasters, there are also forest athletic fields and barbecue areas. With dining, sports, picnics... there are endless ways to play. Please enjoy your time at this charming park.

Hitachi Seaside Park, Hitachi Park Management Center, Public Relations Section 605-4 Onuma, Mawatari, Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Prefecture 312-0012 TEL: 029-265-9001 FAX: 029-265-9339

[Official Website] https://hitachikaihin.jp/

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