Where To See The Most Beautiful Wisteria In Tokyo
It’s purple season again! Yes, the wisteria are blooming, and (did you even have to ask?) of course Japan has over-the-top displays of the good purple stuff. Peak season is mid-April to mid-May, so get thee to these spots right now to see the most eye-popping ones around…
ASHIKAGA FLOWER PARK
I admit that even if you totally stretch the definition of suburb, this park isn’t actually in Tokyo, but it’s so amazing, it would be wrong if I didn’t tell you to hop on a train and daytrip it if you can.
Getting to Ashikaga Flower Park without a car takes about 2.5 hours by train. To get there, plug your nearest station into the Train Finder or download a free Japan Travel mobile app to your phone (I use Navitime Japan Travel) with Ashikaga Flower Park Station as the destination.
Open: Every day, 9:00-21:00 from mid-April to the end of May
Admission: ¥1700 for adults
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HITACHI SEASIDE PARK
While you’re out near Ashikaga, a little further northeast is Hitachi Seaside Park, where the Baby Blue Eyes are also in full bloom. Conveniently close to the rolling hills of blue is an amazing display of wisteria:
Open: 9:30 – 17:00, closed Mondays
Admission: ¥410
Hitachi Seaside Park is about three hours northeast of Tokyo, near Mito. To get there, plug your nearest station into the Train Finder or download a free Japan Travel mobile app to your phone (I use Navitime Japan Travel) with Ajigaura Station as the destination. There’s a free shuttle bus that runs every nine minutes between Ajigaura Station and the park.
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Of course, you don’t have to go that far to see wisteria extravaganzas. There are quite a few awesome displays right in Tokyo. For example…
KAMEIDO TENJIN SHRINE
Dishing up masses of purple flowers since Edo-era artists were inking their woodblocks (see below), the Kameido Shrine has acres and acres of the stuff. It all blooms at once, and…well, see for yourself.
Open: Every day, no closing hours. Lit up until 24:00
Admission: Free
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HIE SHRINE
Smack in the middle of boring, corporate Akasaka, there’s a venerable island of shrine greatness. The Hie Shrine sits on a hill by itself, magnificently attired in red and gold.
Open: 5:00-18:00
Admission: Free
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NISHI-ARAI DAISHI TEMPLE
In the north end of Tokyo, Nishi-arai Daishi Temple is famous for its peony garden (which, if you’re lucky, will still be in bloom) but it also has an impressive pair of giant wisteria plants
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These next places have lovely displays of wisteria, set in gorgeous gardens.
KORAKU-EN
Open: Every day, 9:00-17:00
Admission: ¥300
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HAMA-RIKYU GARDEN
View-worthy wisteria grows in two separate places at this huge stroll garden
Open: Every day, 9:00-17:00
Admission: ¥300
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KYU SHIBA-RIKYU GARDEN
This garden is always uncrowded, even though it’s right next to Hamamatsucho Station. Although it just has one trellis of wisteria, it’s an especially nice one, and the peonies and early iris are also in full bloom right now. A stroll through the deep green of this exquisitely-designed garden is always soul-restoring.
Open: Every day, 9:00-17:00
Admission: ¥150
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly newsletter Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
Categories
Awesome Stuff To Do, Beyond Tokyo, Just...Beautiful, Seasonal Goodness
Jonelle Patrick View All
Writing mystery books set in Tokyo is mostly what I do, but I also blog about the odd stuff I see every day in Japan. I'm a graduate of Stanford University and the Sendagaya Japanese Institute in Tokyo, and a member of the International Thriller Writers, the Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters In Crime. When I'm not in Tokyo, I live in San Francisco. I also host a travel site called The Tokyo Guide I Wish I'd Had, so if you're headed to Japan and want to check out the places I take my friends when they're in town, take a look!
Truly remarkable. D
Sent from my iPhone
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You have to come see these for yourself! I INSIST (ha!)
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing! You introduced us to Japan (10?) years ago and we love it! I have not been there in the Spring. fabulous! Phoebe
Phoebe! I remember those days together so fondly! It’s too bad I was such a newbie here myself then, and I didn’t realize how many great flower extravaganzas happen throughout the year. I’m happy we managed to see as much as we did, though. So happy I could bring a little flowery joy to your day. Hugs from me, across the sea.
All these pictures make me sit here, thinking wistfully about coming back to Japan…
Get it? Wistfully? Wisteria? Eh? Eh??
Completely agree that Ashikaga is worth the trip! When I visited with my hubs 3 years ago there was a bus to take visitors to the park from the station, too. So, if you’re not up for the walk (I was ready-to-pop pregnant at that time) it is still very doable.
Good to know! I admit I’m unreasonably afraid of buses in Japan because of my uncanny ability to get on the wrong one and/or get on the right one going the wrong direction and end up in uncharted wilderness, but the ones that leave from the train station to destinations like the Ashikaga Flower Park are really handy and the easiest to take. Thanks for reminding me I ought to include them as an option!