Garden Necklace Yokohama: A Colourful Springtime Stroll Through Yokohama Harbour
Yokohama (横浜市) is one of my favourite day trips from Tokyo, and as a flower lover, I was very excited when I found out that every year since 2019, the city organises an event called 'Garden Necklace Yokohama' (ガーデンネックレス横浜), which celebrates flower blossoming and springtime in the city's various green spaces.
From March to June, Yokohama's parks and gardens celebrate spring with impressive flower displays, from cherry blossom to tulips, roses, azaleas and much more.
On a sunny weekend in mid-April 2023, I visited Yokohama and spent a wonderful afternoon taking a long walk along the Yokohama harbour admiring the flowery landscape. Keep reading if you would like to know more.
A Glimpse of the 2023 Edition of the Garden Necklace Yokohama
On a sunny day, I travelled on the Minato-Mirai Line from Tokyo and got off at Motomachi-Chukagai station (元町・中華街駅) to make my way to Yamashita Park (山下公園), one of my favourite parks in Yokohama. This large seaside park is popular for its long promenade along the water's edge, its historic monuments and its rose garden. Although the roses weren't yet in bloom when I visited, the colourful flowerbeds had invaded the park in an exhilarating celebration of spring.
It was impossible to miss "Garden Bear" (ガーデンベア), the event's mascot. I’ve always been a big fan of Japanese cute mascots (called yuru-kyara or ゆるキャラ). Isn’t it adorable?
Yokohama Garden Necklance’s Mascot
In Yamashita Park, there were around twenty floral displays, each meticulously crafted with flowers and charming decorations in an artistic manner. I was in awe of the work of Yokohama's talented gardeners.
The spring flowerbeds, with their mix of tulips, daffodils, muscari, violas and more, were also a delight, creating a kaleidoscope of enchanting colours.
As I left Yamashita Park to embark on a leisurely saunter along the Yokohama waterfront toward Rinko Park (臨港パーク), I was captivated by the azalea clusters gently unfurling their petals. The softness of their colours, in stark contrast to the cityscape of Yokohama, were bringing a new, brighter light to this urban scenery.
My Walking Map
Here's a rough map of the walk I took along Yokohama harbour that day. I often took this walk, finding solace in the picturesque harbour scenery that surrounded me and the tranquil views of the sea that stretched to the horizon, but the flowers took it to another level.
Please note that this walk only covers a few of the Garden Necklace Yokohama venues. You will find the full list of venues in the information provided below.
2024 Garden Necklace Yokohama Event Information
Dates: 23 March - 09 June 2024
Price: Free
Venues: The event is organized in 23 locations across 7 venues in Yokohama. You can find the detailed list here.
Official website: https://gardennecklace.city.yokohama.lg.jp/
Good to Know: You may also be interested in the "Yokohama Flower & Garden Festival 2024", one of Japan's largest gardening events, to be held at Pacifico Yokohama from 3 to 6 May 2024 (tickets are required). More info can be found here.
To Conclude
I hope you found this quick introduction to Garden Necklace Yokohama, and in particular the wonderful site of Yamashita Park, interesting and that my photos gave you the impression of being there or inspired you to visit one day.
Are you a flower lover like me? If so, you might be interested in my other blog posts on flower-watching locations and events around Tokyo and Japan.
