Ever heard of Shibazakura, the pink moss of Japan?
When you hear the word moss, the first visual that comes to your mind is a wall with unavoidable, unwanted, tiny, dark green and slimy, flowerless plants. Right? When you look at them, all you think of is a way to get rid of them. But did you know that there is a pink coloured moss too? The pink moss we are talking about is a flower that grows during Japan's cherry and peach blossom season and is known as Shibazakura. It is a flower that grows in beautiful colours near the ground. Japan's well-known blossom seasons are followed by the moss pink season, which runs from late April to mid-May. You can enjoy these beautiful flowers by visiting Japan during the Pink Moss Festival and witness the designs created by different shades of pink moss. In Saitama Prefecture, near the city of Chichibu, Hitsujiyama Park is one of the most incredible places to witness moss pink blooming.
Hitsujiyama Park in Japan welcomes you by laying a graceful pink, purple, and white carpet of the moss. Winding trails lead you through the breathtaking hillside of pink and purple overlooking the town. Tulips line the broad, gently sloping paths as you cross the hill, and the Daisetsuzan Mountain Range gives snow-covered peaks as a backdrop.
Shades of pink
The Pink Moss Hill in Hitsujiyama Park is designed with vibrant pink mosses planted over 17,600 square meters of land. It is one of the most extensive gardens in the Kanto region and offers a magnificent view of Mount Buko. The pink moss plants are one of the most spectacular spring flowering plants. They have star-shaped flowers that bloom in an array of colours like white, light pink, deep pink, red, purple, or blue.
When and where does pink moss grow?
Pink mosses are perennial plants with North American origins. They are known as Shibazakura in Japanese because the plant grows over the ground like lawn grass (Shiba), and the flowers resemble the Japanese cherry blossom (Sakura). There are nine different species of pink mosses cultivated on Pink Moss Hill, including the scarlet flame, a vivid pink, and the amazing grace, a white blossom with a pink center. The garden utilizes the varied moss hues over a colossal landscape canvas to create a lovely spring design. The plant grows about 3/4 inch across on sandy, well-drained soil receiving full sunlight to partial shade. Pruning aggressively (to 1 to 2 inches) encourages new growth once blooming has stopped.
The Fuji Shibazakura Festival
In Japan, spring is all about the blossoms! Numerous vibrant flowers may be seen during the season across the nation, ranging from beautiful pink cherry blossoms to purple Wisteria.
To enjoy their magnificence, you must visit the Shibazakura festival. The festival's venue is three kilometers south of Lake Motosuko in the Fuji Five Lakes region, providing stunning views of the surrounding Shibazakura fields and, on clear days, of the iconic Mount Fuji.
The festival lasts from the middle of April to the beginning of June. The first three weeks of May are typically the best times of the year to view the blossoms, however this changes from year to year. Shibazakura stalks of five distinct types, totaling around 800,000, are on show, creating visually splendid fields of the pink moss. The experience ends with the festival vendors offering pink moss pots, memorabilia with Shibazakura themes, food, and regional goods.
Although cherry blossoms are popular in Japan, Shibazakura are incredibly beautiful in their own way. During your next visit to Japan, try going to one of these parks to experience a special aspect of Japanese nature!