• There are many famous gardens around Japan, and few countries can surpass Japan’s traditions when it comes to cultivating ornamental plants. An English visitor to the country in the 1800s even said in comparison to his home country that “if a love of plants could measure the level of a civilization, then Japan’s would be far superior”. One of the most famous of those gardens is located in the small city of Ashikaga, north of Tokyo. Here you will be greeted by flowers of many kinds planted so that something is always in bloom from February until November. The wisteria here are particularly famous, and bring huge crowds in April and May looking to catch sight of the lavender colored flowers. Ashikaga City has even more to offer besides the gardens, including Japan’s oldest school, the Ashikaga Gakko, a place of learning for Samurai children for centuries, and the beautiful Orihime Shrine, with great panoramic views and multi-colored Torii Gates beckoning visitors up its steps.

Arrive at Ashikaga Flower Park and have time to stroll the gardens, eat lunch, and shop for souvenirs. With inviting benches, quaint pathways, and covered walkways you will have a lot of areas to explore during your time here. With a selection of plants carefully planted to allow the viewing of flowers for much of the year, you can get lost wandering through this enchanting maze of greenery. With plum blossoms in February, cherry blossoms in March, and countless tulips in April, the spring months are a parade of color that stand out even more when the trees are still bare. Starting from April and going through May, the wisteria (‘fuji’ in Japanese) is the big attraction here, with visitors from all around the world hoping to catch sight of its beauty. Through the summer months and into autumn, roses, water lilies, sage, and others decorate the park and offer a more relaxed environment away from the busier months earlier in the year.