550,000 Spider Lilies Across a Castle Hill — The 14th Shibata Manjushage Festival Opens 19 September
The rice in the paddies is turning gold and the mornings have cooled. From Saturday 19 September, Funaoka Castle Park in the town of Shibata hosts the 14th Shibata Manjushage Festival.
Manjushage is another name for the red spider lily. Here some 550,000 of them cover the slopes of a former castle site; the densest stretch has earned the nickname "Lycoris Slope." Layer upon layer of crimson over green undergrowth, with the view opening up as you climb — a sight this park offers for only a few weeks each year. You may also spot white spider lilies, uncommon in the Tohoku region.
Funaoka Castle Park stands on the site of the residence of the Shibata clan, who lived here until the Meiji Restoration. At the summit is the 24-metre Funaoka Peace Kannon statue, and from beside it you can see the town below, the Zao mountains beyond, and on clear days the Pacific Ocean. You come for the flowers and stay for the view.
On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays during the festival, a weekend fair and food trucks set up in front of the Sakura no Sato visitor centre — target shooting, superball scooping, ring toss and lucky draws, so there is plenty for younger children. On opening day, 19 September, a ceremony begins at 10:00, after which 200 servings of rice balls made with locally grown rice and pork miso soup are given out (numbered tickets on the day). Throughout the festival, Sakura no Sato also offers a floral water basin and water fortune slips (300 yen).
One thing to know before you go: the slope car to the summit is out of service while its cars are replaced (due for completion in March 2027). You will be walking up to the Kannon statue, so please wear comfortable shoes.
The park is about a 30-minute drive from MARUKI Saifuku. Spider lilies come into their own around the autumn equinox and hold their peak for roughly ten days. If you are staying with us, we suggest going in the morning, when the low light shows the red at its best.
Source / latest information: Shibata Tourism Association — The 14th Shibata Manjushage Festival | Shibata Tourism Association — Funaoka Castle Park (Japanese). Dates and programme are subject to change — please check the official site, along with bloom conditions, before visiting.