Hananooka Park : Where Seasons Bloom and Agriculture Comes to Life in Kitakyushu

A Floral Sanctuary Beyond the City

Just a short distance from the urban center of Kitakyushu lies Hananooka Park (Kitakyushu Municipal Agricultural Center), a spacious agricultural park where seasonal flowers, animals, and local agriculture come together.

Originally established to support agriculture and provide opportunities for citizens to connect with farming, the center has developed into a place where visitors can enjoy gardens, animal encounters, local produce, outdoor activities, and seasonal events.

Engaging the Senses in a Garden of Culture

1. A Garden of Seasonal Flowers

The park offers a variety of seasonal scenery throughout the year. Its rose garden features around 1,000 roses in 128 varieties, spread across a 3,200-square-meter garden. During the rose season, the colorful blooms create an especially attractive landscape.

Visitors can also explore a Japanese garden of about 4,000 square meters, the Shirazu Plum Garden with around 170 plum trees in 16 varieties, and a hilltop observation deck overlooking the park. Cherry blossoms, sunflowers, and cosmos add further seasonal color throughout the year.

2. Encounters with Animals

One of the park's highlights is its Animal Interaction Area, where visitors can see a variety of animals up close.

Capybaras, ponies, and goats can be seen here, while the facility also offers a chance to observe Kokura cattle and Kiso horses, a breed designated as a natural monument of Nagano Prefecture. Visitors can enjoy activities such as feeding goats and ponies, and calf milk-feeding experiences, while pony riding is also available on weekends. Programs featuring guinea pigs provide additional opportunities to learn about and interact with animals.

3. Discover Local Produce

At the Himawari Market, visitors can find fresh agricultural and livestock products produced in the Kitakyushu area, along with seasonal specialties and other local products.

The market also sells flowers and vegetable seedlings grown by local farmers, making it a convenient place to discover the region's agricultural bounty and take a little of it home.

4. Enjoy Outdoor Food and Recreation

The park also offers several ways to relax and enjoy time outdoors. At the Vegetable Café, visitors can pick up casual snacks and seasonal soft-serve ice cream.

For a more leisurely experience, the BBQ Garden offers outdoor barbecue using fresh local vegetables and meat, allowing visitors to enjoy a meal while surrounded by greenery. The park also has a spacious lawn area suitable for picnics and recreational activities.

Rediscover Nature and Local Life

Hananooka Park is more than a place to admire flowers. Its gardens, animal experiences, agricultural market, outdoor dining, and recreational spaces offer visitors a chance to experience the close relationship between nature, agriculture, and everyday life in Kitakyushu.

For travelers looking for a relaxed break from the city, this seasonal park offers a refreshing way to discover a greener and more hands-on side of Kitakyushu.

Hananooka Park Official website