Wanna go to The Netherlands in Japan?

Posted on May 18, 2007 by Dione

Probably the title sounds stupid but yeah, there’s a place in Japan that looks like Holland (or called The Netherlands). I bet the first things that come out in your minds when you hear the country Holland are tulips, clogs, bicycles and windmills…same here! When I was younger I really dreamt of going to this place because I was so curious on how they grow their high-breed tulips which made them top exporters in the world. Their tulips are considered expensive and high-quality ones. It’s like their soils are gifted with fertilizers for best growing breeds of tulips.. how amazing!

Winter of last year, I was wondering where to go for spring. I heard from a friend that there's a Dutch inspired "koen" (park) in ChibaOne of Japan's 47 prefectures. Located just East of Tokyo and home to such well known sites as Narita International Airport and Tokyo Disney Land. good for springtime. I was so eager to go to the place for this is a great opportunity to see Netherlands inspired stuffs in Japan!

This only happens every once a year, 2nd week of April though. They said the flowers are fully bloomed at its maximum during the beginning of spring only. Definitely a great time and place for unwinding.

Seeing varieties of tulips is one of my frustrations! With the different beauty of this flower that could uplift your feminine side and make you feel grateful of being alive. Makes you shout “Thanks God, I’m alive”! This flower brings unexplainable joy that would bring out the romantic side of you…ok I’m being exaggerating here, back to the topic! LOL.

Then I learned Akebonoyama Nogyo Park from that "tomodachi" (friend), around 43 minutes, ¥ 620 yen from Tokyo station by Yamanote line then Joban Line. Indeed, it was like Holland. The views I watched from televisions about the common scenario of Holland was greatly manifested in that Koen.

This place looks like a fantasy for me, more than other koens that I visited anywhere in Japan. I wish you could visit this place too! The park is only 5 minutes walk from the station of Abiko and when you reach the place you can see a cute little Dutch cottage with a spinning windmill,accessories like clogs and traditional Dutch bicycle really feels like you’re in Holland!

The main attraction of this koen is the 150,000 numbers of Tulips of different breeds and different colors. They planted the big area with several styles; you can see tulips forming a flag of japan (white and red tulips) and many more. This koen allows people to touch, smell and take photos of the tulips but never picking. Picking tulips is definitely prohibited. They have some penalties on people caught picking.

For next April consider coming to Akebonoyama Nogyo Koen, it’s never a waste of time. I can guarantee you that.