Riddle of Tokyo's Sunflower Maze

When I was a kid, I love to play with word puzzles, picture puzzles and maze games. I have this boy-friend (he is a boy and he is my good friend) used to do our own puzzle games for each other. But unfortunately, he was being teased terribly at school by other boys for hanging out with a girl and her friends. Kids can be so mean at times. But we didn't care because we shared something in common, solving puzzles and creating maze games.

Because I had a good time with my friend, I grew up fascinated about being in an actual maze. Whenever I read the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, I feel like I can transport myself in the maze, feeling the excitement and as well as the fear of being in a maze. So, it has been a long-time dream for me to go and visit one. Some of the famous maze gardens I want to visit are the hedge maze of Hampton Court (I miss my chance of visiting this one and I am still regretting it years after, sob!), the yew tree maze of Longleat, and the one I really, really want to go to is the maze at Reignac-sur-Indre in France. Hopefully, all of them before I am too old and creaky.

So, when I heard that there is a sunflower field maze in Nishi-Tokyo, I knew I had to go and take a look. Since it is not open during the weekend and Monday (too?), I had to go on a weekday which is not a bad thing because it will definitely have lesser people.

It was a very hot afternoon and I nearly didn't make it to the door to go out and see this maze. But once you reach the sunflower field, you forgot about how hot day is.

The sunflower maze was created on 1,000sqm land. They planted a total of 3,000 sunflowers in this plot of land to create this maze. The creation of the sunflower maze is an idea of the Institute for Sustainable Agro-ecosystem Services, an institute affiliated with the University of Tokyo. They created it for their 'Sunflower Project DE OIL 2014', a project that focuses on learning about food and sustainable farming practices.

The staffs are really friendly. They quickly approach me when they saw me coming and encourage me to try out their maze. They also handed me their little maze map so that in case, you are lost, you can draw your way out. 

The sunflower towers around 2 meters and while in the maze, you could see just enough through the sunflowers to other areas of the maze and perhaps to make out silhouettes of other people who are there at the same time, but not entirely. It is also easy to find yourself hopelessly lost in that sunflower maze, although it wasn't that big of a maze.

Back to the sunflower maze, so, the maze itself is not very big, but once you are inside, it definitely feels far bigger. Like I-have-shrunk-to-an-ant-size magic. I feel that this maze has just that enough level of fun and confusion, especially for a first-timer! It was awesome. It is easy to get lost, but you can also easily find your way back on the interconnecting paths.

These girls went for several rounds in the sunflower maze.
I am sure they already know their way around with their eyes closed.

Okay, which way to go - left or right?

I am almost there! But that wasn't the way.

Finally, found it!

I was told that the maze route changes every year, so you can return year after year to try out their different maze route creation. I also heard that last year's maze route was harder than this year's. But still, I had good fun! The sunflower maze didn't disappoint me at all.

I definitely encourage you to go there with a friend and try it out yourself. I can assure you that you will enjoy getting lost in the sunflower maze. And don't forget your sunscreen and hat. And always drink enough liquid.

Well, if you are lost, you will still be in the company of the sunny sunflowers!

How to get there

There are two ways to get to the main gate of the Institute.

The easiest way is an 8-mins walk from the North exit (北口) of Tanashi station 田無駅) on the Seibu Shinjuku Line (西武新宿線). See map below.

The other way is to take a bus from the South exit (南口) of Hibarigaoka station (ひばりヶ丘駅) on the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line (西武池袋線).

Go to the bus stop of the South exit (南口バス停, Minami-guchi Basu-tei) and look for bus boarding stop No.2 「2番のりば」. Look out for the Seibu Bus (西武バス).

From bus boarding stop No.2  (2番のりば, Ni-Ban Noriba), take the bus Kyo No. 04（境04) which goes to Danchi Musashi Sakai-eki Yuki (団地経由武蔵境駅行) or Ta No.43 (田43) which is going to Danchi Keiyu Tanashi-eki Yuki (団地経由田無駅行). The journey on the bus should be roughly around 15mins. Get off at the Kami-Juku Jyutaku (上宿住宅) bus stop and walk 3mins.

Address and website

Institute for Sustainable Agro-ecosystem Services

1 Chome-1-1 Midorichō, Nishitōkyō-shi, Tōkyō-to 〒188-0003, Japan

〒188-0002　東京都西東京市緑町一丁目1番1号

http://www.isas.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp/detail/index.php?id=116

Best visit between: 13th - 29th Aug

Opening hours: 09:30hrs to 16:00hrs (last entrance is at 15:50hrs)

Closed on Saturday, Sunday and Monday (and also on rainy days or a thunderstorm or typhoon)

The admission is free.

Tanashi station (north exit)

Just walk straight for 550m!

Blue, blue sky...

Further up, there's a traffic light stop, just cross and walk straight ahead

You can see the sunflower maze from the opposite side of the street

A close-up

After this little sunflower maze, I am even more determined to make it to the other mazes that I have been dreaming about. Will you go and experience this amazing maze of the sunflower?

My favourite photo