Azuma Park

Small nature park and hiking entrance

Every third Sunday there is a tea ceremony held, often inside the tea house, and sometimes outside under the pavilion. It costs 300en and you get both the tea and some small japanese confectionery. It is a lovely experience. The people who run it don't speak english, but did enjoy having some bumbling foreigners also indulge in in the practice of tea ceremony. Inside the tea house you are to sit "seiza", on your knees" and they provided myself and a friend small props for our bums so our legs didnt have to take the strain. http://www.kiea.jp/TeaCeremony.html There are also different seasonal flowers throughout the tiered park. Because the parkis situated in a tiny valley, the lower area has a small wetland with irises. Then there are sunflowers farther up the mountain. If you continue to follow the paths up, you will eventually reach the hiking trails, which lead out all the way to the next prefecture, Tochigi. The park is about a 10 min walk from Nishi kiryu station, or a 15 min one from Kiryu station. There is also parking for cars at the entrance to the park.