Hydrangeas at Tanematsuyama Park West Area ～ Enjoy a short hike among approximately 13,000 hydrangea plants

June is here, and the season of hydrangeas has arrived.

Drive south from central Kurashiki City, and you’ll find Mt. Tanematsu (Tanematsuyama) in Fukuda, rising 258 meters above sea level.

After seeing news that hydrangeas had begun blooming on Mt. Tanematsu, where flowers can be enjoyed throughout the seasons, I went to see them.

Here’s a look at my stroll through Tanematsuyama Park West Area on June 17, 2024.

The information provided was accurate when this article was published in June 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.

Tanematsuyama Park West Area

Mt. Tanematsu is a 258-meter-high mountain with a first-order triangulation point, spanning the Kurashiki and Mizushima areas.

At the summit is Tanematsuyama Summit Park, and about one kilometer to the southwest of the summit is Tanematsuyama Park West Area, which opened in 1990. Visitors can enjoy flowers throughout the seasons there, including plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, and roses.

The park also has athletic equipment in its children’s plaza and Adventure Forest, making it a comprehensive park where people of all ages, from adults to children, can have fun.

On the day I went for a stroll to see the hydrangeas, I heard the lively voices of children playing on the athletic equipment and encountered a wheelchair user who had driven close to the hydrangeas. I saw all kinds of people enjoying their time in the park in their own way.

Hydrangeas at Tanematsu West Area

The hydrangeas at Tanematsu West Area are one of the largest hydrangea gardens in Kurashiki City.

They usually reach their peak in June, and this is a spot where you can enjoy around 13,000 hydrangea plants.

June 17, 2024, was a little before peak bloom, so it looks like the hydrangeas will be enjoyable for a while longer.

Hydrangeas turn pink in alkaline soil and blue in acidic soil.

The hydrangeas at Tanematsu West Area are cultivated rather than growing wild, so you can see them in a variety of colors and varieties.

Hydrangeas at Tanematsu West Area can be enjoyed alongside roses

You’ll need to drive to Tanematsu West Area. There are many curves along the way, so please take care.

After parking near the hydrangea area, I was greeted by hydrangeas right away.

In May, roses added color to the scenery at Tanematsu West Area.

Although they were past their peak that day, in some places I could enjoy hydrangeas and roses together.

The hydrangea path at Tanematsu West Area is paved and easy to walk

From the parking lot, walk up a gentle slope toward the hydrangea garden just before the tennis courts.

The path is paved, so it’s easy to walk on.

Light blue, purplish blue, deep pink, pale pink… As I continued along, hydrangeas in new colors appeared, making me stop and admire them each time.

Hydrangeas at Tanematsu West Area are large and fluffy

The hydrangeas, carefully tended by hand, have large, sturdy blooms.

This is a mophead hydrangea, known for its ball-like shape.

True to the origin of the name “ajisai,” meaning “gathered indigo,” it’s lovely to see so many flowers clustered tightly together.

There are many varieties of hydrangeas at Tanematsu West Area

The hydrangeas at Tanematsu West Area aren’t limited to mophead hydrangeas.

Here are some of the hydrangea varieties I found on June 17, 2024.

First, I found a mountain hydrangea, which is a little smaller than a mophead hydrangea and is distinguished by bead-like clusters of tiny flowers in the center.

With its delicate, charming shape, the mountain hydrangea is a variety enjoyed in Japanese gardens and at tea gatherings.

This hydrangea, whose flowers have a swirling, shell-like shape, is called an uzuhydrangea. Because it also resembles an otafuku bean, it is also called an otafuku hydrangea, and has been enjoyed since the Edo period.

From a distance, the hydrangeas look round, but when you get closer, you can see them facing in all sorts of directions—it’s hard not to stop and gaze at them.

This hydrangea, with large flowers arranged like a frame around the small flowers clustered in the center, is a lacecap hydrangea.

Large, fluffy mophead hydrangeas may seem to be the most common, but in fact all hydrangeas are derived from this lacecap hydrangea. It is like the mother of hydrangeas around the world.

There are many different kinds of hydrangeas in bloom, so it’s fun to compare them with one another.

Some varieties had not yet bloomed on June 17, 2024, so there should be even more to enjoy from here on.

Many of the hydrangeas at Tanematsu West Area are tall

You may think of hydrangeas as short because you often see them as cut flowers at florists, but like lilacs and wintersweet, they are deciduous shrubs and grow to a height of 1–2 meters.

At Tanematsu West Area, hydrangeas grow on a mountainside, and they had grown tall enough to completely hide me, even though I’m 155 centimeters tall.

Viewed from the side, you can see how long the hydrangea branches have grown.

The hydrangeas are about eye level, so you don’t have to crouch, making this a great spot for portrait photography.

Although it’s a mountain path, it’s paved, and the hydrangeas are carefully pruned, so I was able to walk with peace of mind.

About an hour and a half after setting out on the walk, I returned to the parking lot, sweating more than expected on a humid day typical of June. If you visit Tanematsuyama Park West Area, remember to stay hydrated as you walk.

From the Writer

The rainy season, with its steady drizzle, can often leave you feeling gloomy, but the sight of raindrops falling on the damp hydrangeas is beautiful every time.

It was my first time visiting Tanematsuyama West Area, and I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of hydrangeas.

As of June 17, 2024, they were just short of their peak bloom, so it looks like there will be time to enjoy the hydrangeas for a little while longer.

Why not visit and look for your favorite among the approximately 13,000 hydrangea plants?