Free poppy picking season

The poppies are in bloom around the Kanto plain at the moment. Only, they are either past or just about to pass their prime. But never fear, that means its free poppy picking season! Every year after the large poppy flower festivals are finished, many of the poppy field organizers allow people to pick the poppies for free.

I went along to one of the two large poppy fields in Konosu City. The Konosu Flower Festival ended on Sunday. There was supposed to be a picking event at the festival itself, but they canceled due to bad weather. But now, since yesterday, you can pick the poppies for free. And until the end of the month, subject to availability. You can also pick in the other field in the Fukiage area of Konosu too.

The very first year I picked poppies here I had absolutely nothing with me, because I didn't know that you could pick them. It didn't matter, you really don't need anything. But today, I had my scissors with me! It just makes it easier. I noticed some people had gloves on them. I also had some newspaper to wrap them in. Others had plastic bags. 

I was glad to see there were some festival food stalls at the fields today. Unfortunately as the weather was not great throughout the official period of the flower festival, I doubt they made very much money at all this year. But thanks to the reappearance of the sun, after days on end of cloudy weather, there plenty of people buying ice-cream, kakigori and drinks from the food stalls today.

Have you ever picked poppies in Japan before?