Spring is a wonderful time to visit Shimoda. There is an entire month dedicated to the hydrangea festival, and this one lasts the whole month! I walked through it in early June. The garden and park area are stunning, and when I went, there were food and flower stalls set up. They even had a blue heart-shaped ‘kawaii’ hydrangea photo spot set up to take pictures.
Although the park is a beautiful place to explore in its own right, the hydrangea garden is so stunning it is worth going just for that! The garden is filled with small paths weaving through the mountain. Every path is decorated with thousands of hydrangea bushes in every shade of blue and purple imaginable.
I would say the garden itself is undoubtedly the most beautiful place in Shimoda in the summer. The flowers cover the mountainside, creating a blue and purple quilt and lighting them up beautifully. The festival is a huge deal, and there are tour buses and tour groups that come from all over Japan just to see the flowers! I spent an entire afternoon walking along the intertwining paths.
There were food stalls, flower stalls, and a number of stores selling handmade crafts. The festival also offers cultural demonstrations and performances, though I wasn’t there to see it myself. If you are in Shimoda in June, I would recommend it!
JA