All in bloom: The New York Lamp Museum and Flower Garden

A colourful seasonal flower garden all in bloom, an impressive museum collection of exquisite stained glass lamps, and a relaxing café space set against the backdrop of the magnificent Jogasaki coast. You can experience all of this at the New York Lamp Museum and Flower Garden in Ito, Sh[izuoka ](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/to-shizuoka-with-love-vsot)Prefecture. Open all year round, guests are welcome to experience Ja[pan](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/timeless-japan-a-fusion-of-cutting-edge-tasty-ancient-and-natural-cxoc)’s seasonal flowers and the ocean view. From May to June, hydrangeas take the main stage, with over 200 species featured during the Hydrangea Festival.

Flower Garden

Resplendent in colour, the flower garden is a scene of pure beauty, soothing to the eyes. Take a stroll through the garden and of course, also take many photographs! When I visited in spring, the flowers were in full bloom. My friends and I spent plenty of time basking in the sun on the wooden deck by the flower fields, posing for pictures, and enjoying the view and ocean breeze. It was relaxing and calming, and it felt so wonderful to be enjoying all this natural beauty.

Museum cafe with a ocean view 

Take a break and enjoy lunch or tea time at the museum café. The café serves a variety of light meals, pasta, and beautifully plated sweets for refreshment. A part of the café is also used as a gallery for antique exhibits. If the weather is especially fine, or if you feel like enjoying the ocean breeze, sit at the alfresco terrace that overlooks the ocean. It is indeed a very romantic and special experience to have the spectacular view of the ocean while you dine. The tomato pasta I tried was simple, tangy, and delicious, made perfect with the great surrounding view and good company with me.

Stained glass museum 

Do not miss the exhibition hall which houses a unique collection of stained glass Tiffany lamps and panels. The colours of the stained glass are vivid and vibrant and the intricate designs depict flowers, landscapes, and animals. These Tiffany lamps were iconic and fashionable amongst New York society in the past and remain so amongst antique collectors today. The level of detail and the subtle gradient of colour in each of these art pieces is astounding. Some of the pieces also feature flowers that are well-loved in Japan, such as the wisteria.

Nature stroll by the coast 

You can also take a walk along the coast, as the trail starts right outside the museum. To complete the whole trail does take a fair bit of time, and so we loaded up with delicious and pretty Yamanashi peach and Shizuoka strawberry ice creams before starting off. It is a very picturesque walk, watching the waves lap at the rugged coast, framed by plenty of greenery. How beautiful and lovely the landscape is, when framed in a picture, and a thousand times lovelier viewed in person. 

If you visit the Izu Peninsula, do not miss out on this special museum where the seasonal flowers are all in bloom, and where you can enjoy this unobstructed view of the mighty ocean together with your friends and loved ones.  A visit to the New York Lamp Museum and Flower Garden will fill you with joy and great memories. Enjoy!