The experience of witnessing the sprawling carpets of vibrant pink moss phlox, with breathtaking views of Mt Fuji in the background, was one of the absolute highlights of my most recent trip to Japan.
When planning our 4 week adventure, I was disappointed to learn that we would narrowly miss the cherry blossoms in Fuji Five Lakes. But, a silver lining emerged, as our later timing aligned with the annual Fuji Shibazakura Festival in the region.
Read on for all you need to know about this remarkable flower park, with information on how to get there, what to expect and insider tips to ensure an unforgettable visit.
Quick Background on Shibazakura and the Festival
Shibazakura, literally translated as “lawn cherry blossoms,” is a breathtaking floral phenomenon that transforms the landscape into a sea of vibrant shades of pink, purple, and white hues.
Unlike traditional cherry blossoms, Shibazakura blankets the ground in a vibrant display, creating a surreal carpet of colours thanks to the dense bloom of over 500,000 planted flowers.
The annual festival showcases various species of Shibazakura, with creative patterned displays and unique photo props to make the most of this photogenic opportunity.
Festival Dates
March 2025 Update: The 2025 Festival Dates are April 12 to May 25 this year, so it’s time to get planning! Tickets are now available for sale, including Bus Tour day trips from Tokyo.
The festival usually runs from around mid-April to end of May, giving you ample time to see the moss phlox bloom if travelling to Japan in April or May.
To help give you an idea of previous years’ timings:
- The 2024 Festival Dates were April 13 to May 26
- The 2023 Festival Dates were April 15 to May 28
All photos in this article were taken during my visit on April 21, 2023. As you can see the carpets of flowers were very thick even though it had only been one week since the festival opened.
The festival generally runs daily, from 8 am – 4 pm, but opening hours may vary during peak periods (such as Golden Week). I recommend confirming opening hours before your visit here.
Getting There: Transportation Options
The Shibazakura Festival is located at the Fuji Motosuko Resort, about 30 minutes west of the town of Kawaguchiko in the Fuji Five Lakes area.
Here are the main options for how to get there.
From Tokyo
Train & Shuttle Bus: Catch the train from Shinjuku Station to Kawaguchiko Station (2.5 hours, one or more transfers may be required). Check Google Maps for the best options for your travel times, all the timetables are synced. From Kawaguchiko, get the shuttle bus liner to the Festival. You can purchase bus tickets upon arrival at Kawaguchiko Station.
Direct Coach Bus: You can purchase a combined ticket for admission to the Festival including direct bus transfers from Shinjuku Station. This is the most convenient option for getting directly to and from the Fuji Shibazakura Festival from Tokyo on a day trip.
Fuji Five Lakes Sightseeing Day Tour: This all-day tour visits the Shibazakura Festival during the festival season and allows you to explore other parts of the Fuji Five Lakes region, with a visit to Mt Fuji 5th Station and the Mt Kachi-Kachi Ropeway for views of Mt Fuji across Lake Kawaguchiko.
From Kawaguchiko
Shuttle Bus: A shuttle bus departs every 30 – 60 minutes from Kawaguchiko Station which costs 2,500 yen per adult (including Festival admission ticket), 2025 pricing. Bus timetables are released closer to the festival opening on the Fuji Motosuko Resort site.
Car: We hired a car to get around during our three days in Kawaguchiko. Driving to the Festival was easy during our early morning trip, with free parking onsite. I do recommend visiting early in the day, especially if driving, to ensure you get a car park and to avoid crowds.
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What to Expect at the Festival: Practical Tips for Visitors
Admission Fee
The 2025 admission fee is 1,000 yen per adult, with the exception of the peak period from 26 April – 11 May during which tickets are 1,300 yen per adult. You don’t need to purchase tickets in advance, unless you are buying a combined coach transport and admission day tour ticket from Tokyo.
What to Wear
The park is quite large, make sure to wear comfortable footwear for exploring the vast gardens and sun protection as there isn’t much shade.
Dining and Shopping
You’ll find a cafe in the Peter Rabbit English Garden area. There are also several food trucks, with picnic tables and a grassed seating area to enjoy your snacks.
There’s a small gift shop and gallery, next to the Observation Tower in the Peter Rabbit English Garden. Also check out the market stalls near the No. 1 Entrance where vendors were selling tea, snacks and other local specialties.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit is late April to early May when the moss phlox is at its most vibrant. Just check the timing of Golden Week, as this period will be especially busy. Weekends are also very busy, and there may be congestion on the roads.
If you have flexibility in your schedule, visit in the early morning to avoid crowds and large groups of tour buses.
Photo Tips
One of the best photo spots in from the Observation Deck at the back of the park. The raised platform allows you to get the best perspective of the rolling carpets of flowers with Mt Fuji in the background. I used my telephoto zoom lens to compress the background in the photo below, making Mt Fuji seem even larger.
If you can allow flexibility in your schedule for the weather, I would recommend doing so.
One morning we had planned to attend the festival, but woke up in Kawaguchiko to thick cloud around the mountain, so we delayed our visit by a day and had much better conditions for seeing Mt Fuji.
Regardless, I think visiting is still worthwhile if you want to witness the pink moss phlox with your own eyes, as it really is one of the best places to see this vibrant flower in such large carpets so close to Tokyo.
Check out my video of the festival on Instagram here.
Nearby Attractions
If you have a car, check out the nearby attractions. You can follow along on my 3 day Fuji Five Lakes itinerary, or read a short summary below.
Lake Motosu Viewpoint: This is the famous view of Mt Fuji as seen on the 1000 yen bill. The lake is also known as the mirror lake, thanks to its spectacular reflections of Mt Fuji on a clear day.
Ice Caves: On the highway on the way back to Kawaguchiko you’ll pass two ice caves: the Fugaku Wind Cave and Narusawa Ice Cave.
I recommend stopping by at least one of them, this was one of the more unique activities we’ve done during our time in Japan!
Final Thoughts on Fuji’s Famous Flower Festival
Attending the Shibazakura Festival is undoubtedly one of the best ways to see pink moss phlox near Tokyo. Nature and photography enthusiasts will delight in the unique and vibrant sight of over 500,000 blooms in rolling carpets of colour, and it was a personal trip highlight of our 4 weeks in Japan.
If you can time your visit to the Fuji Five Lakes region to align with this annual festival, you are in for a treat – whether you visit as a day trip from Tokyo, or spend a few days exploring the wonders of Kawaguchiko.
Check out my other Japan guides below, and let me know if you have any questions in the comments below. Happy adventuring!
Japan Itineraries:
- The Perfect 3 Day Kyoto Itinerary: How to Avoid the Crowds
- A Fun 7 Day Tokyo Itinerary: Complete 1 Week in Tokyo Guide
- An Exciting 4 Days in Osaka Itinerary for First-Timers
- A Perfect 4 Weeks in Japan Itinerary: Ultimate Travel Guide
- Takayama Itinerary: 2 Days Discovering Traditional Japan
- How to Easily Visit the Chureito Pagoda from Tokyo
Japan Travel Guides:
Hi, these are some great tips! Do you know if you are still able to visit the Fuji Motosuko resort outside of the festival dates? It’s difficult to find detailed information about it!
Hi Melissa, sorry for the delayed reply! Last year it appears it was open between June and November, with the rainbow flower festival held during September. I think it is closed at other times of the year, other than for the Fuji Shibazakura Festival (I guess they are busy planting the moss phlox!). https://www.fujimotosuko-resort.jp/peterrabbit_english_garden/index.html
What day did you visit the festival?
My husband and I have April 14th as our designated Mt. Fuji day, do you think it would be worth it to spend it looking at the shibazakura? Or will they not have bloomed yet?
Hi Jocelyn. All photos in this article were taken during my visit on April 21.
April 14 will be the second day of the festival, so it might be worthwhile since you are in the area. You could always check out the live camera feed closer to your visit to see how it is looking… here’s the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGyGoXlKZmw
They might also share flowering updates closer to the opening over on the Fuji Motosuki Resort instagram page here https://www.instagram.com/fujimotosuko/
Hello,
Great info and photos.. I plan to visit Shibazakura on the week of the 24th April by private car. But I could not find advance tickets online. The only tickets available are in combination with bus fares. Would you know if entry tickets only are available onsite?
Hi! Thanks for reading 🙂 you can just buy a ticket at the venue when you get there if you are driving yourself, no need to buy in advance! Enjoy your trip to Japan and the festival!
Hi, is it needed to buy the tickets for the shuttle bus from kawaguchiko on advance or there will be no problem buying them prior departure?
Sorry for the delay in reply – you should be fine buying them at the station on the day!