This morning I was at the Sankei-en garden in Yokohama at the ungodly hour of 7:00 a.m. to see their field of lotus in bloom, but it was the bonus attractions that really made my day!
Sankei-en has special early weekend opening hours during The Season, because (who knew?) lotus flowers only bloom in the morning, and they don’t sleep in. They open at first light, and are already starting to close up again by 9:00, so ya gotta really strap on your alarm clock to catch them at their peak.
But the good folks at Sankei-en make it worth your while!
But the best part about the special early opening festivities were the hilariously educational exhibits.
Sankei-en’s early opening lotus program: 6:00 – 8:30 am, only on Saturdays, Sundays & national holidays
When: July 13 – August 4 (2019)
Garden admission: ¥700 (Early lotus hours and demonstrations are free once you’re in the gate)
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How to get to Sankei-en garden from the Negishi train station
You could walk (it takes about 30 minutes) but it’s faster and easier to take the bus. Here’s how:
• Outside the Negishi train station exit (there’s only one), you’ll see an array of bus stops. The first one to your left is where to catch the buses that stop nearest Sankei-en. The shelter is clearly marked, like this:
You can take the 58, 99 or 101 bus to Sankeien, and they all pick up passengers at this shelter. Tap your transit card on the Suica pad near the driver as you get on (or pay ¥220 for adults or ¥110 for children) then find a seat. The stop you’ll get off at is called Honmoku (本牧) and it’s the eighth stop on non-express buses. The driver will announce it, but it will also be displayed on the electronic signboard above the driver’s head when you get close.
When you get off at Honmoku, you’ll be at a big intersection. From the corner you can see the street you’ll walk down to reach Sankei-en, and also the bus shelter for your return to the station.
Cross the wide street and turn into the smaller one. It’s less than a ten minute walk from there to the garden gate.
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
Only In Japan 
Awesome photos!
Great photos and yes Who Knew? Great description of getting there. Am enjoying your posts.
D🍵❣️
Sent from my iPhone
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Thank you, Diane! And ha, I hadn’t been to that garden for over a year, so even I had some qualms about the bus thing. Once I got to Negishi, I remembered, but why not make it easier for everyone else?
Wow, that’s really cool! Very pretty photos 🙂
Thanks! (Although I always feel sort of guilty taking credit for Japan photos, because they practically take themselves. I think you’d have to be seriously camera-impaired to take a bad photo of a lotus lol)