The carpet of rape-flowers tells the arrival of spring.

When long winter is over, flowers and trees color mountain villages as if they are celebrating the coming of warm spring.Visitors to Iiyama are entertained by the wide stretch of nationally wellknown rape field.

The rape-flowers, "Nanohama" in Japanese, which are called the symbol of Iiyama come to be in full glory all at once, informing the return of spring in Northern Shinshu. As the City's Nanohana Park shows the panoramic view of rape-flower fields in April thru May, visitors are also greeted by the five magnificent snow-topped mountains of Northern Shinshu and the elegant flowing of the Chikuma River. At the same time, the natural wood of the beech begins to send out buds in the forests, and the Mt. village is dyed the fresh green. Let's enjoy a sign of spring that a flower and a tree create.

Buckwheat (Soba)

A buckwheat field of the panoramic plateau.The flowers of white soba are harvested after they have finished blooming. Then comes the season when you can taste new soba.There is an old custom in every village of serving newly-harvested soba to houseguests.There has been a growing number of homes that cultivate their own buckwheat so that they can enjoy homemade soba.

The rape-flowers, "Nanohama" in Japanese, which are called the symbol of Iiyama come to be in full glory all at once, informing the return of spring in Northern Shinshu. As the City's Nanohana Park shows the panoramic view of rape-flower fields in April thru May, visitors are also greeted by the five magnificent snow-topped mountains of Northern Shinshu and the elegant flowing of the Chikuma River. At the same time, the natural wood of the beech begins to send out buds in the forests, and the Mt. village is dyed the fresh green. Let's enjoy a sign of spring that a flower and a tree create.

Iiyama Nanohana (rape-flowers) Festival

This festival is sponsored by the City of Iiyama with "Nanohana Park" as the main meeting place. People from all over Japan come to this event to enjoy such presentations as “The Music Festival of the Night of the Hazy Moon" and "the Nanohama Maze.

	Giant Skunk Cabbages The damp plain of Numanohara and Madarao Kogen becomes the treasure house of alpine plants with the season of the thaw. Snow-white giant skunk cabbage greet in full bloom in the season during the months from the end of April.
	Opening of the Beech Roots A time of thaw comes round from the middle of April to the middle of May, when the snow-covered root area of the beech is opened.Holes of 2 to 3 meters in diameter are seen around the trees by a thaw, and the fresh green sends out buds.
	Snow Carrots Carrots harvested in fall and laid out under the ground are dug out in the spring and are specially valued among consumers. A sugar content features taste highly and is used for juice and salad.
	Asparagus Iiyama is known as one of the best producers of asparagus.