Hanami-chan, Shibata's PR character!
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At a Glance
Welcome to Shibata, known aptly as "The Town of Flowers". Sharing the Hitome Senbonzakura with Ogawara, in springtime the area becomes flooded with tourists coming from across Japan and even overseas. They come for a chance to view one of the most renowned cherry blossom spots in the country.
Outside of cherry blossom season, the town has many other flowers on display. June has hydrangeas, September presents beautiful spider lilies, and October through November you can see many chrysanthemums. March also has plum blossoms blooming ahead of the famous cherry blossoms! The area comprising Shibata is larger than the central Funaoka area, so there's much to see! |
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Kouran - 好蘭
This affordable Chinese restaurant serves classic dishes, like fried rice, ramen, and ankake. |
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Minoya - めん屋 みの家
This homey ramen restaurant is located just off Route 4. Specializing in miso-based ramen, they offer some comforting, classic bowls of soup. Their sesame miso is well-known for it's interesting black broth. |
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Ibis Cafe
Located right in front of Tsukinoki Station, this trendy cafe provides a relaxing atmosphere with delicious menu options. From reasonably priced lunch sets to decent coffee, this cafe is a liable option in the Shibata area. Frigoles - フリゴレス A cafe in the Funaoka area which roasts its own beans. The owner has traveled to Sri Lanka in order to study and perfect an authentic Sri Lankan curry.. |
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Patisserie Marble Marble
Serving more than cakes, this patisserie even carries gelato! The extensive menu makes it a tempting stop during any season. |
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Pwoom - インド風カレー パオーン
An Indian curry restaurant serving large cuts of pork atop their rich curry sauce. |
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Shibata History Museum - しばたの郷土館
A local history museum detailing the people who've lived in the Shibata area since Paleolithic times. |
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Kodawari Highway - かどわり街道
An unique collection of various decor displayed along a rural road - featured on NHK's Michitan program, there's a combination of old Showa Era signs, mannequins, and other sculptures decorating the road.. |
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Funaoka Castle Ruins
While there might have been a castle here in the past, today there is a statue of the goddess Kannon, surrounded by flowers of all kinds. There is a cable car which runs to the top of the park, and in springtime is quite the idyllic ride through countless blossoms towards the statue. The view from the top is also quite impressive. |
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Hokujiya - 麹やコレクション
A former Edo Period storehouse, this building holds all kinds of events throughout the year. From pop-up cafes to small concerts, there's almost always something happening here. When not holding events though, the building is a museum full of Edo items and various artwork. |
