Jun 24, 2025
Summer flowers in Japan: sunflowers
I saw sunflowers in bloom today, June 24th 2025. I also saw some in bloom, in another location, last week. Although summer sunflowers (there are autumn sunflowers too) are mostly associated with July and August, I personally love when the sunflowers bloom in June. They are of course planted to bloom in June, which I am eternally grateful for. I love sunflowers and I will go see some in July, but I prefer viewing them in June because its not as hot and humid as July or August.
Furthermore, I quite like seeing sunflowers on a rainy day like today. And the sky was really overcast today. Without a doubt they look better in the sun, but as I usually see them on a sunny day, its nice to see them on a cloudy or rainy day every now and then. For the contrast. Moreover, they really do bring a bit of sun on a cloudy day! I noticed today that the background in the sunflower photos I took aren't as dark as all other photos I took.
Have you seen any sunflowers in bloom yet in your area? Don't worry if you haven't. There are hundreds of sunflower fields in Japan. And they are all planted to bloom at different periods during summer. So, in Saitama and the Tokyo area anyway, you can usually see summer sunflowers from now right up until the end of August. And then the autumn sunflowers start!
Former nickname was "Saitama". Changed it to save confusion on place review posts! Irish, 20+ years in Japan! I also write on my personal website: insaitama.com
2 Comments
TonetoEdo
6 hours ago
Can you recommend some spots in Saitama Prefecture?
BigfamJapan
4 hours ago
@TonetoEdo Endo farm in Kumagaya - they have acres of sunflowers. They don't bloom all at the same time, but they have sunflowers from early July to early November! They also have sunflower light up. Unfortunately, Hasuda which would be next on my list, stopped growing them last year. I thought it was just last year, but I read last month that they don't plan to grow them again. I really hope that information is wrong. Tokorozawa's are very popular, the Mikajima field I think its called, but I haven't seen them myself. I love Kawagoe's personally, but each year they grow them at a different time (I think to deter crowds) so unfortunately I don't know when they will bloom this year. It can be anytime from now to early Autumn!