It is located in the northeast of Japan, and the center of Okitama Basin in the south of Yamagata, With the population of 16,000, and the area of 166 kmo, Kawanishi is a town owning the natural scenery and the residents are quite nice, and this is Kawanishi.
“Yamagata Kawanishi Dahlias Garden” is known for the largest-scale dahlias garden in Japan. With the area of 4 hectares, there are around 650 types and 100 thousands of dahlias blooming to complete with cach other. The best time for people to visit the garden is from Aug. 1" to November 4“ every year to enjoy the various spectacular dahlias.
※Now, people usually call “DARIA”, but it is still called “DARIYA” in Kawamishi Machi and Yamagata Kawanishi Dahlias Garden as it used to be. Here we use “DARIYA” in the article,
Kawanishi Machi is a town merged with five villages. After the villages were united, residents wanted to come up with a symbol to represent the new town. By the influence of Nanyou county and Nagai county, next to Kawanishi Machi, they all used flowers as their symbol, resulting in building up parks, and residents were delighted to follow the influence, and the support of using flowers as the symbol had grown.
The history of planting dahlias can be traced back to Showa period when the early years doctors in Komatsu Machi brought back the plants from Tokyo. At that time, Yield and Quality of flowers were so expensive that dahlias were cultivated extensively provided by dahlia-lovers in Komatsu Machi before villages were merged. It began with "Flower Association of Komatsu” (it’s called “Kawanishi Machi Dahlias Association' now) in 1954, and members were holding Dahlias exhibitions. By the enthusiasm of members in the association, it was making a process that members built a garden to be a symbol of the Machi.
People can see various Dahlias from August to November.
"Kawanishi Dahlias Garden" is the first dahlia appreciative garden in Japan. At the beginning, it was only 4,700 square meters for cultivation, and then was extended to 10,000 square meters. Now as we all know, dahlia has become the symbol of Kawanishi Machi,and there are visitors attracted by the admiration to enjoy in Dahlias Garden.
After being loved, Dahlias Garden has been updated to a higher level, and now it becomes "New Kawanishi Dahlias Garden" after the land consolidations in 1999. The new garden owns four hectares, and besides dahlias and oasis with turf and tress, there are also playground facilities. It becomes a quite beautiful park. There are 650 varieties and 100,000 plants of dahlias in the garden where they grow lovely and colorful to maintain the best Dahlias Garden in Japan.
Moreover, Yokuyuku Hot Spring Center, MADOKA, was built in 1992 besides Dahlia Garden. Since MADOKA had been built on a hill, people now can see the whole view of Dahlia Garden from the roof to look all the way down the view of Mount Zao. Visitors can enjoy the hot spring cven though they just stay one day.
When Kawanishi Dahlias Garden opened in 1975, the name of Dahlia was called "DARIYA.' It became “DARIA” while pronouncing in English "Dahlias" "DARIA" is used in Japan, and is also now used while other facilities are established.
Dahlia is a member of Asteraceae, herbaceous plant native to Guatemala, the southeast of Mexico of the U.S. It is also Mexico City Flower.
In the late years of Edo period (about 1846), dahlias were imported from Nagasaki and planted in Tokyo. Dahlias were called "Peony" at that time (imported from foreign countries and looked like a peony). During Meiji period, "Peony” had been gradually placed by DARIYA or DARIA. It was fully placed as “DARIA" after Showa period.
Dahlias had been planted in Kawanishi Machi at the beginning of Showa period, and Kawanishi Machi became the dahlias garden with history. Besides, “DARIYA' is kept to maintain the change of traditions.
You can see various dahlias during the long-time period of florescence.
On August 1, the garden starts, and it looks like that dahlias have a competition with the sky and clouds in summer. With the bath under the sun, various dahlias bloom colorfully. The garden opens until November 4, and the best duration to enjoy the maximum varieties of dahlias starts from the middle of September to the middle of October and the garden is filled with many colors. It is not the hottest period and autumn is coming. There is nothing more comfortable tham walking in the garden in this season.
When it comes to Kawanishi Machi, people will know that is the birthplace of the famous writer, Hisashi Inoue. The new type of dahlias named "Hyoutanjima' will be shown in the garden this year.
Dahlias, named as "Universe" can reach a diameter of 30 centimeters that is bigger than a palm of a man. Furthermore, queen dahlias are the king of the queen, and the giant dahlias are also planted. Because of bigger flowers, "Universe Dahlias" are hard to be cultivated. In 1975, the formal dahlias were cost around 100JPY to 1500.JPY, but for "universe dahlias", they were cost 3000JY. Universe dahlias bloom in the middle of September, welcome visitors to take a look if they are as big as a palm.
When entering the entrance, you will see a plaza and souvenir stores. You also can enjoy the "Dahlia Ice Cream" with dahlias, or "Red Bean Ice Cream' with the red beans from Kawanishi Machi. You only enjoy the special items here. There are also selling Crystal Dahlias with real dahlias inside created by Kawanish Machi.
Most Popular Red Bean Ice Cream.
There are various kinds of activities on every weekend this year (2016). The 63th "Northeast Dahlias Exhibition" (9/24-26) has been held annually since 1954 that has known for its history, Dahlia-lowers show their favorite and proud dahlias to learn from each other. It’s a good time to strengthen the cultivation for dahilias.
With the long-period of corporations that residents worked together, "Kawanishi Dahlias Garden" also accompanied residents on the journey of growth. Take a walk in the courtyard and have a look to see each kind of dahlia, and then take a shower in the hot spring. Why don't you try you enjoy and relax on a beautiful day in autumn?
130 minutes to take Yamagata Shinkanscn on Tokyo train station to Yonezawa train station. 55 minutes to take Yamagata Shinkansen on Sendai train station. 160 minutes to take Yonesaka Sen on Niigata train station.
190 minutes from Haneda Airport to Tokyo train station and transfer Yamagata Shinkansen to Yonezawa station. 220 minutes from Narita International Airport to Tokyo train station amd transfer Yamagata Shinkansen to Yonezawa station. 150 minutes from Sendai Airport by Yamagata road traffic.
