Visiting Satoyama Garden and Egawa River Babbling Green Road in Yokohama Japan for landscape photography
里山ガーデン＆江川せせらぎ緑道（神奈川県・横浜市）の写真撮影。
Satoyama Garden in Yokohama, Japan, is a small flower garden that is meticulously tended to, and includes trails and some paths that are barrier free—perfect for visitors needing a wheelchair or using a baby stroller. どんな季節でも、神奈川県横浜市の「里山ガーデン」と「江川せせらぎ緑道」の散歩と写真撮影がおすすめです！
The garden has no entrance fee, is pet friendly, and accessible by shuttle bus. I found it easier to drive to the park, and was pleased with a flat parking fee of only ¥1,000.
The garden staff plant seasonal flowers, so regardless of when you visit, you will be enthralled with the variety of flora in full bloom!
Food and drink trucks are available near the entrance to the garden along with tables, chairs, covered rest areas, and small shops selling small gardening related souvenirs, gifts, and plants.
After spending most of the morning and afternoon at Satoyama Garden, I headed over to Egawa River Babbling Green Road, which is accessible by bus, although driving is a lot easier. Just be aware that you’ll need to find a coin parking lot.
This river has about 200 cherry trees and 15,000 tulips that have been carefully tended to by about 50 volunteers and local school children since 1985.
Access details, Google Maps links, and handy references can be found at the bottom of this blog post.
White California Poppy and Lupine Rainbow Flowers
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 400 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/5.6
Satoyama Garden located adjacent to Yokohama Zoological Gardens Zoorasia is a city park accessible via bus from Nakayama Station on the JR Yokohama Line, or from Mitsukyou Station on the Sotetsu Line.
Access to the park is free and pet-friendly, and wheel-chair accessible. Parking costs a flat fee of ¥1,000 yen for all-day-parking.
The park also includes food trucks selling ice cream and snacks near the entrance, and tents are set up to sell garden related items, including small live plants.
The park is basically a huge flower bed with an area of 10,000 m2, making it one of the largest in Yokohama city.
Rhododendrons
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 400 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/8.0
Widely celebrated for their displays of color, rhododendron shrubs are said to be the epitome of spring. Here in Japan, they might rank second only to the gorgeous cherry blossoms.
Rhododendrons are just one of over a hundred different flowering plants on display at Yokohama’s Satoyama Garden (Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan).
Tasso Strawberries & Cream English Daisies
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 400 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/8.0
Satoyama Garden located adjacent to Yokohama Zoological Gardens Zoorasia is a city park accessible via bus from Nakayama Station on the JR Yokohama Line, or from Mitsukyou Station on the Sotetsu Line in Yokohama (Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan).
The park has about 300,000 plants of more than 100 varieties during spring, with about 250,000 plants during fall.
Osteospermum “4D Violet Ice” (African Daisy)
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 800 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/8.0
Native to South Africa, the variety seems to go by other names including African daisy, Cape daisy and Blue-eyed daisy.
Osteospermum are just one of over a hundred different flowering plants on display at Yokohama’s Satoyama Garden (Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan). If you ever visit Yokohama, please take the opportunity to visit this garden!
Satoyama Garden Picnic Grounds
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 800 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/8.0
Although 3 or 4 food truck vendors are available just inside the main entrance of Satoyama Garden (Yokohama, Japan), if you want to enjoy some homemade cooking in the shade of trees on lush, green grass, the park has you covered with a small picnic ground.
Visitors can spread out a picnic blanket and take in the greenery and flower blossoms while enjoying some rice balls, sandwiches, or whatever it is that your family packs in the picnic basket.
Japanese Carp Kites
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 400 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/5.6
Traditionally flown from April through early May, a carp kite (鯉のぼり, koinoboiri) is actually a windsock shaped like a koi fish with its open mouth attached to a pole or rope so that its tail flutters freely in the wind.
Freshwater carp represent energy and determination as they can fight their way against swift-running streams and obstacles making them symbolic of courage and success.
Families and communities fly the koinoboiri in hopes that their children will grow up with courage, determination, and the ability to overcome obstacles.
Border Collie & Japanese Carp Streamers
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 400 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/5.6
Osteospermum “4D Violet Ice” (African Daisy)
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 800 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/8.0
Native to South Africa, the variety seems to go by other names including African daisy, Cape daisy and Blue-eyed daisy.
Osteospermum are just one of over a hundred different flowering plants on display at Yokohama’s Satoyama Garden (Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan). If you ever visit Yokohama, please take the opportunity to visit this garden!
Barrier-Free City Flower Garden Park
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
34 mm ISO 1600 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ13
Two primary objectives were met when I chose to visit Satoyama Garden here in Yokohama, Japan: 1. No entrance fee; and 2. Pet friendly.
The view of this shot gives you a basic idea of how the garden was designed. The city took the extra effort to ensure that the park was mostly barrier free making it easy to bring family or friends who rely on wheelchairs to get around.
The slopes in this shot are not that steep, making it easy to push a wheelchair around and allow your family member or friend to enjoy the flowers up close!
Cherry Blossoms & Tulips
Pentax K-1 II + HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR
105 mm ISO 3200 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/5.6
A small babbling creek named “Egawa River Babbling Green Road” (江川せせらぎ緑道) is a small community project that was born in 1985 with a crew of 50 volunteers and extra help from local elementary school children. Over the years, the volunteers and children have planted more than 200 cherry trees and continue to maintain the nearly 15,000 tulips.
Egawa River (Tsuzuki Ward, Yokohama, Japan) runs through an area that has drastically changed from rice paddies and fields to a zone of heavy industry. The river and its beautiful trees and flowers stand in dark contrast with metal recycling yards, factories, warehouses, and distribution centers.
With no designated parking nearby, and somewhat cumbersome access via public transportation, I was pleased to find such a pleasant oasis of greenery, and signs of nature’s spring rebirth.
References & Links
Satoyama Garden | 里山ガーデン
Google Maps:
Satoyama Garden Festa | 里山ガーデンフェスタ by Yokohama City (Japanese only):
Article by Cathy Cawood with photos at Japan Travel K.K.:
Translations:
- White California Poppy | エスコルチアアルバ
- Lupine Rainbow | ルピナスレインボー
- Yokohama Garden Necklace | 横浜ガーデンネックレス
Types of flowers used in many Yokohama parks by Yokohama City:
Egawa River Babbling Green Road | 江川せせらぎ緑道 by city of Yokohama (Japanese only):
Google Maps to Egawa River Babbling Green Road:
Nearest coin parking to Egawa River Babbling Green Road:
Commercial licenses, advertising license, and personal license available here:
Stock Photos:
Quality Prints:
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Below is a list of the equipment I took with me on this photo shoot.
Camera Gear:
Pentax K-1 Mark II (K1-II)
https://amzn.to/3gM4KqJ
Standard zoom lens: Pentax D FA 28-105mm f3.5-5.6ed DC WR HD Lens
https://amzn.to/3JlBBPs
Tripod: Manfrotto MT190CXPRO4 (carbon fiber legs with quick locking clamps)
https://amzn.to/2Fqpghd
Ball head: Manfrotto Cloud XPRO Series Ballhead BHQ2 with 200PL locking plate
https://amzn.to/3g6WI9j
Camera Gear:
Pentax K-1 Mark II (K1-II)
https://amzn.to/3gM4KqJ
Standard zoom lens: Pentax D FA 28-105mm f3.5-5.6ed DC WR HD Lens
https://amzn.to/3JlBBPs
Tripod: Manfrotto MT190CXPRO4 (carbon fiber legs with quick locking clamps)
https://amzn.to/2Fqpghd
Ball head: Manfrotto Cloud XPRO Series Ballhead BHQ2 with 200PL locking plate
https://amzn.to/3g6WI9j
Filters & Filter Systems:
PolarPro QuartzLine ND 64 Filter - 67mm (ND64 6-stop reduction in light)
https://amzn.to/2J9VSOM
PolarPro QuartzLine ND1000 Filter - 67mm (ND1000 10-stop reduction in light)
https://amzn.to/39rwWwW
PolarPro QuartzLine ND100k Filter - 67mm (ND100K 15-stop reduction in light)
https://amzn.to/3q7YHAm
PolarPro QuartzLine Circular Polarizer - 67mm
https://amzn.to/3fOwgCY
PolarPro Summit | Landscape Filter System Custom Kit (Core, Thread Plate, ND4-GR filter, ND8-GR filter, Circular Polarizer)
https://amzn.to/37hjkBv
https://amzn.to/2J9VSOM
PolarPro QuartzLine ND1000 Filter - 67mm (ND1000 10-stop reduction in light)
https://amzn.to/39rwWwW
PolarPro QuartzLine ND100k Filter - 67mm (ND100K 15-stop reduction in light)
https://amzn.to/3q7YHAm
PolarPro QuartzLine Circular Polarizer - 67mm
https://amzn.to/3fOwgCY
PolarPro Summit | Landscape Filter System Custom Kit (Core, Thread Plate, ND4-GR filter, ND8-GR filter, Circular Polarizer)
https://amzn.to/37hjkBv
Pack:
F-stop Tilopa 50L Adventure and Travel Camera Backpack (Essentials Bundle: backpack, rain cover, internal camera unit)
https://amzn.to/2XfjDIE
F-stop Tripod Bag (large)
https://amzn.to/3pXW57n
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F-stop Tripod Bag (large)
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