Ruru Park (Oita Agricultural Culture Park) is located in Oita Prefecture in the north-eastern part of Kyushu, Japan. It was established in April, 2001 for the purpose of promoting cultural exchange among cities and villages. Many people visit to enjoy seeing various plants including camellias all year around.
The camellia garden of 2.2ha in area, was planned from the beginning to include the wild camellias which had been growing on the site. It now has more than 1,000 camellias of 400 cultivars and species. A noticeboard with the precise planting information is sited at the center of the garden and each camellia is labeled with the cultivar and scientific names. The most eye-catching camellias in the garden are the distinguished large trees of ‘Tama-no-ura’; also an old, rare cultivar, ‘Usa-tsubaki’; collections of Edo camellias (historic camellias popular in Edo, now Tokyo, in the Edo period); wabisuke camellias; fragrant camellias; and the four japonicas which were introduced to Europe in 1830 by Philip Franz von Siebold.
From late February to early April a camellia festival is held every year, and guided tours in the camellia garden are provided. During the festival camellia shows and camellia growing seminars are held, camellia flower arrangements are displayed . Small camellia plants and other goods are sold.
Ruru Park (Oita Agricultural Culture Park), 1-1 Hisashi, Yamaga-machi, Kitsuki-shi, Oita-ken, 879-1312 Japan
(Access off Usa-Beppu Highway at the interchange ‘Ruru Park (Oita Agricultural Culture Park)’)
E-mail: info@oita-agri-park.or.jp
Web: http://www.oita-agri-park.or.jp/
9:30-17:00 (Mar-Jun, Oct-Nov)
9:30-18:00 (Jul-Sep)
10:00 -16:00 (Dec-Feb)
Closed
Tuesdays & New Years Day.
Admission is free.
Early blooming japonicas from September, wabisukes from February, other japonicas in March to April. More than 200 japonicas are at their best from mid-March to early April.
Also, Japanese apricots, cherries, flowering peaches in Spring. Dogwoods, cotton roses in Summer. Higanbana (Lycoris radiata) and maple tints in Autumn.
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