(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
With the temperature warming in Okinawa, visits to Mt. Yae or Nakijin castle ruins might be a top priority for catching the spring favorite, cherry blossoms. However, the season and the subtropical weather also lends itself to welcoming other beautiful blossoms not to be overlooked like the impressive cosmos flower.
On the mainland, cosmos are known as autumn flowers. In fact, it is spelled as “秋桜,” which means “cherry blossom of autumn.” But here in Okinawa, the flower blooms in the late winter and early spring months.
Catch these stunning blooms at the Yomitan Cosmos Festival near the village’s Sports Ground running through early February.
This year, the cosmos are hitting their peak earlier than usual due to the warmer temperatures, so I made my way to the flower field to enjoy the arrival of spring. According to Yomitan’s tourism association, roughly one million cosmos flowers are in bloom at the Yomitan Cosmos Batake field.
I was not expecting a superb view like that of cherry blossoms on the mountains in the north. As I approached the field, however, I was blown away by a stunning view; countless pink flowers blanketing a flat field the size of a soccer field. With several small paths running through each section, I could even walk through the middle of the field, surrounded by the beautiful flowers. When I took the flowers up close, I noticed many honeybees busy at work collecting nectar.
(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
I had so much fun chasing the bees through the pink flowers that almost one hour passed when I finally let them go. I felt suddenly hungry after strolling the cosmos field, but luckily there were food trucks on-site selling tasty crepes and fried bread.
For 500 yen (about $3.20), I ordered a raspberry crepe from one of the trucks. The warm crepe with a light pink raspberry sauce made me feel like I was tasting cosmos’ nectar like the bees in the field. The weather was cloudy, and the sky was a bit gloomy, but the sweets brightened my day.
(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
Plan a day trip to Yomitan to see what the buzz is all about!
Yomitan Cosmos Festival
Date: - early February
Location: Yomitan Cosmos Batake (26.396929, 127.742279)
Free parking available at Yomitan Village Sports Ground (26.397358, 127.742895)
Parking is prohibited on the grass field by the flower field.
