Fields of Kochias and Cosmos, Hitachi Seaside Park

Every October the kochias on  hill in Hitachi Seaside Park change from green to crimson. Neighboring fields are filled with pink, purple and white cosmos.

Like the Kawachi Fujien Wisteria Tunnel, social media popularity has greatly increased the number of visitors in recent years.

Even on a rainy day, crowds swarm the park as soon as it opens.

The kochias look like they belong in a Dr. Seuss story.

The bright kochias are not always appreciated. In some parts of the U.S., the plant is banned as a “noxious weed.” A highly invasive species, kochia is not so innocently known as “burning bush.” When they dry and become tumbleweeds, they are highly flammable.

One country’s noxious weed is another country’s delicacy. In Japan the seeds are dried and harvested as a seasoning called tonburi. Of course Kudzu is used as a root starch in Japan, but it somehow ended up as a highly invasive species in the United States.

Not to worry, the koichas of Hitachi Seaside Park never end up as tumble weeds.  The plants are cleared and replaced with millions of baby blue eyes in time for spring, covering Miharashi hill in a beautiful shade of blue.

Details

Hitachi Seaside Park is in Ibaraki Prefecture and can be reached in about 1.5 hours from Central Tokyo.  From Ueno Station, take the Joban Line to Katsuta Station.  From there, it is 15 minutes by Ibaraki Kotsu Bus to Hitachi Kaihin Koen.