Chiba City in Chiba Prefecture is a place where you can enjoy both the urban area, such as Makuhari Shintoshin, and the satoyama border zone area between undeveloped woodlands or mountain foothills and populated areas, with abundant nature. With many parks with beautiful seasonal cherry blossoms and facilities for strawberry picking, the area is perfect to enjoy spring. With good access of about 40 minutes by train from Tokyo, Chiba City can be a great place for you to casually visit to enjoy the feel of spring.
An event to enjoy a “collaboration” between a castle and cherry blossoms
Inohana Park, which is located on the ruins of a former castle, is now one of the best places to view cherry blossoms in Chiba City. During the 9-day period from March 23 to 31, 2024, which overlaps with the peak season of cherry blossoms, “Chiba Castle Sakura Festival” will be held. After taking photos of cherry blossoms along with the castle tower, you can enjoy time-limited events, such as savoring delicious dishes with local ingredients and beer and visiting the adjacent Chiba City Folk Museum with its exhibition of samurai swords and armor and other historical artifacts.
On the 26th and 27th, a special tour is scheduled to be offered by volunteer guides showing participants around Inohana Park and the museum in English! It will be a great chance to interact with local people. Moreover, participants of the guided tour will be served wagashi sweets and matcha tea for free at the tea house in the park.
Four recommended strawberry picking spots
Dragon Farm
This strawberry farm offers a chance to enjoy sampling 20 different kinds of strawberries. The available kinds change depending on the season, so you should look forward to finding it out on the day of your visit. At this farm, you can also enjoy roasted sweet potatoes, which are slowly cooked over two hours and have a very high sugar content of 40%! This unexpectedly sweet taste of sweet potatoes is a must-try.
Access
Chishirodaikita Sta. (Chiba Urban Monorail) -> 20 min. on foot, or JR Tsuga Sta. -> about 10 min. by taxi
You can enjoy tasting three to five kinds of strawberries depending on the season. If you visit here at the right time, you may be able to pick special white strawberries! As the strawberry plant beds are elevated, it is easier for everyone, including children and people in wheelchairs, to pick the strawberries. The facility is equipped with a barrier-free toilet. It is also a great place for families.
As one of the biggest tourist strawberry farms in Chiba Prefecture, it has about 30,000 strawberries of a total of eight large-sized varieties in the huge farm. Strawberry ice cream sold at the farm stand and wooden mini-athletic play equipment at the resting space are especially popular among children.
As this farm offers an entire hothouse for each group of a maximum of eight people to enjoy strawberry picking, it is especially recommended for families and groups of friends. Take pleasure in strawberry picking at your own pace. It is also appealing that you can taste six kinds of delicious fresh strawberries.
Access
Chishirodai Sta. (Chiba Urban Monorail) → about 10 min. by taxi
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