As you walk along a path by the side of pond surrounded by beautiful green forest, fields of stunning irises spread out before you at this park. When flowering season arrives this spot is extremely popular with people who come to see 600,000 plants and 300 different varieties of iris. Ijimino Park is one of Japan’s four largest iris parks. Why not come here for a relaxing stroll among the large park in the midst of a sea of purple, white and blue irises?

Every year the Iris Festival is held around the end of June. There are always many food stalls set up for this festival, but if you try anything it should be Shibata’s famous poppo-yaki bread. This homespun steamed sweet bread made from flour and brown sugar is long and thin, with the rich flavour of the brown sugar complemented by the fluffiness of the bread. The iris fields are illuminated at night during the festival and you may also see fireflies darting about in the darkness.

There is also a lawned area and a park with wooden play equipment, making Ijimino Park perfect for having fun with children.