Sakura season is not the only enjoyable season in Japan. Land of the Rising Sun welcomes you with a variety of vibrant colors every season.
Winter
Peony
Usually peony`s blooms fill us with anticipation of summer and warm sunny weather. However, in Japan, from late November to mid-February, you can find special varieties of these lush flowers that delight visitors of temples and gardens.
Usually you can see peonies in winter under special capes made of thin rice straw, covered with snow caps. Winter peonies symbolize the spirit of nature that resists harsh conditions. You can enjoy the flowers in:
– Toshogu Shrine in Ueno Park (Tokyo);
– Sekkoji temple (Nara);
– Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine (Kamakura).
Plum
Plum blossoms mark the beginning of early spring. The trees begin to bloom from mid-February and remain in full blossom until mid-March. According to old tradition, this is the first flower that appears in the new year, as the beginning of spring was considered the beginning of the year in the olden times.
Unlike sakura, plum blossoms have a pleasant and intense fragrance. The sight of white, dark pink, light pink and even yellow flowers under the snow awakens a special thrill in the soul of the Japanese. In order to enjoy the view of plum blossoms, you can visit:
– Kairakuen Garden (Mito);
– Yushima Tenjin Shrine (Tokyo);
– Atami plum garden (Shizuoka).
Spring
Sakura
If a Japanese person hears the word “flower”, they most likely imagine sakura. The most popular reason for visiting the Land of the Rising Sun by tourists is the Cherry blossoms and festivals for admiring it.
The National Meteorological Agency monitors the front of cherry blossoms in all regions of the country, announcements of the appearance of flowers on reference trees are broadcast across the media, and residents evaluate the “splendor” of flowering every year according to special criteria. “Why sakura?”, one may ask. The tradition dates back to the deep Middle Ages, and we tell the story of its origin in our spring tours.
In the historical region of Japan, cherry blossoms bloom from mid-March to mid-April. The best places for viewing sakura are:
– Philosophical trail (Kyoto);
– Embankment of the Meguro River (Tokyo);
– Garden of the Four Seasons at the Tenryuji Temple (Kyoto).
Wisteria
You can catch the beginning of the flowering of wisteria at the same time as sakura, because the front of its flowering in some regions of the country begins in mid-April. However, you are most likely to see impressive clusters of wisteria flowers in May.
Violet, lilac, pink, white and even blue – they reach a length of up to 1 meter, hanging over the heads of visitors to gardens and parks from specially equipped verandas. Just like the plum, the wisteria exudes a strong sweet aroma, making its presence known for several kilometers around. The most popular place for admiring is:
– Kawamachi Garden (Kitakyushu) on the island of Kyushu;
– as well as Maizuru Park (Fukuoka);
– Buzoiji Temple (Dazaifu).
Summer
Iris
When the true summer heat comes to Japan, the season of irises begins. Irises are planted along streams in gardens at temples and shrines and special angular bridges are built across the streams for walking and admiring the flowers.
This delicate and exquisite flower is considered a male symbol in Japanese culture. Irises are the most often used flowers in the Japanese art of flower arrangement – ikebana. You can enjoy irises in June here:
– Meiji Shrine (Tokyo)
– Horikiri Garden (Tokyo);
– Mizumoto Park (Tokyo).
Hydrangea
Hydrangea is associated with the beginning of the rainy season, but flowering lasts from mid-June to mid-July.
There are several species of this plant, but one of them is especially noteworthy, since its leaves are boiled to make a sweet tea – Hydrangea serrata. Bright blue lush hydrangea caps are especially beautiful in the morning mist in the rays of the morning sun. Recommended to visit:
– Asukayama Park (Tokyo);
– Hakusan Shrine (Tokyo);
– Hasedera Temple (Kamakura).
Autumn
Cosmos
The cosmos season starts from the end of August and lasts until the beginning of October. The flowering of cosmos marks the arrival of autumn, when flowers of all possible shades of red and yellow reign in nature.
The most popular images of Fuji in Japan probably are: the mountain view with a bullet train (shinkansen) in the foreground and the mountain view through cosmos flowers. The flower is also poetically called the Autumn Sakura. For beautiful photos of cosmos fields, you can go to:
– Kurigama Flower Park (Yokosuka);
– Hananomiyako Park (Fuji);
– Hitachi Flower Park (Hitachinaka).
Maple
Closing act of Japan’s beautiful flowers and foliage is the red maple. Although the tree itself does not bloom, it is believed that the elegant miniature leaf of the Japanese maple looks like a flower head, and the tradition of admiring this tree is called Momiji as admiring the red petals.
From mid-November to mid-December, all of Japan and the world follow the maple leaf autumn foliage. Along with sakura, viewing scarlet maples also became a very popular season for tourists. And no surprise as at this time of the year the most comfortable weather for travel sets in. We invite you to enjoy the beauty of Japanese maple in:
– Momijidani Park (Miyajima);
– Garden at Ginkakuji Temple (Kyoto);
– garden of 15 stones Ryoanji (Kyoto).
We can truly feel how Japanese appreciate and love nature, so in addition to the above mentioned flowers, you can admire endlessly beautiful landscapes all year round.
