The Fiery Kochia of Hitachi Seaside Park: Ibaraki Autumn Day Trip from Tokyo

One of the best autumn day trips from Tokyo is Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki, where you can see a small hill dotted with crimson bushes known as kochia. Visitors flock to see Miharashi Hill where a winding path stretches seemingly toward the sky, adorned on either side with what looks like clumps of red cotton candy. It’s a unique sight that you can only catch in October.

Date Visited: October 26, 2019

What are Kochia?

The plant kochia goes by many names: summer cypress, firebush, rageweed, and a few other variations. In Japan, the plant is called “kokia” (コキア) and have traditionally been used to make brooms. More recently, the plants are known for their ornamental use. They grow a bright green in summer and turn into a fiery red in winter.

There are several places where one can see kochia in Japan, but Miharashi Hill in Hitachi Seaside Park is arguably the most popular. The kochia of Oishi Park is also a favorite Instagram spot, with the handsome Mt. Fuji in the background.

Kochia Hill

Hitachi Seaside Park is mainly known for two things: baby blue eyes or nemophila in spring and kochia in autumn. Both of these plants grow on Miharashi Hill.

A winding path stretches across Miharashi Hill, its curves as aesthetic as the plants that adorn it. The hill is mostly a gentle slope, and the path allows you to examine the flowers or bushes up close. It also allows for plenty of photo opportunities.

The top of the hill overlooks the park on side and the Pacific Ocean on another. You can also ring a cute bell, a cute note to end your uphill walk with.

Hitachi Seaside Park is popular among foreign and local tourists alike, with tour buses catering to both. The photos were taken pre-pandemic, but they show you how crowded the park can get.. As with every popular flower spot in Japan, always come early, and if you can, come on a weekday.

Other Flowers, Too

You can see other flowers in season around the same time the kochia turn red. Among them are cosmos, buckwheat flowers, and susuki or pampas grass.

Kochia Food

Japan always finds a way to turn attractions into food, and Hitachi Seaside Park is no exception. Kochia are celebrated in mainly two forms: the soft-serve ice cream and the curry.

The ice cream pleases both the eyes and taste buds, with a combination of green (matcha) and red (strawberry). The colors represent the colors of kochia in summer and autumn.

The curry is disappointing at best. Let’s just say I tried it so you don’t have to.

How to Get to Hitachi Seaside Park from Tokyo

Hitachi Seaside Park (ひたち海浜公園, ひたち かいひん こうえん、Hitachi Kaihin Kōen)
15-minute bus ride from Katsuta Station (JR Joban Line, Hitachi Kaihin Tetsudo Minato Line, Limited Express HITACHI and TOKIWA)
Business Hours: 09:30 to 17:00, closed on Tuesdays
Official Website

You can ride the Joban Line at Ueno, Tokyo, or Shinagawa and make your way to Katsuta Station. During peak season (nemophila and kochia), you can buy a round-trip bus ticket that comes along with the the park entrance fee at ¥1,080. This is usually available by the West Exit. During off-peak season, you can ride the bus going to Hitachi Seaside Park from the East Exit.

Alternatively, you can also take a highway bus from Tokyo Station.

Hitachi Seaside Park Admission Fees

Standard pricing

Seasonal pricing