Tourists are turning out to stroll the flower-lined grounds of Hitachi Seaside Park in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture, and enjoy the millions of baby blue nemophila now blanketing its bucolic hills.

HITACHI, Ibaraki Prefecture--There’s no shortage of marathons in Japan each year as there are literally dozens to choose from. So add this one to the calendar: the inaugural Hitachi Seaside ...