Sunday 24 March 2013

Narcissus Garden on the Keikyu Line


EMU Keikyu 1000 series passes through Minami-Oota Station

We had a severe winter this year. According to the news report, Sukayu Hot Spring in northern Japan saw snowfalls of 5.66 meters last month, which was the largest ever recorded in Japan. Since the Kanto Mountains blocked the cold and wet wind blowing from the northwest, it has remained fine for many days in Tokyo. Even so, it was much colder than usual.

Because of the cold winter, the early spring blossoms are late in blooming this year. They are winter sweet, plum, and narcissus. I visited Jogashima Island Park in Kanagawa Prefecture last month to view the narcissus blossoms. Although, it is one of the warmest areas in the Tokyo metropolitan area, only about half of the narcissus flowers were in bloom at that time. The attraction of narcissus is its yellow and white blossom and floral fragrance. Specifically, I am fond of its sweet perfume, and was carried away by the fragrance of the narcissus flowers, even though they weren't in full bloom.

To get to this beautiful flower island and see spring in advance, board the train on the Keikyu Line. It takes about 65 minutes from Shinagawa in downtown Tokyo by limited express train with a maximum speed of 120 kilometers per hour. The nearest station to the island is Misakiguchi, which is located in the southern part of the Miura Peninsula. You can easily find Jogashima Island, as it is located in the southernmost area of the peninsula.

Narcissus garden in Jogashima Island Park near Misakiguchi Station on the Keikyu Line