Flowers in Japan

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Seasons are a main theme in the Japanese culture. Flowers are like mirrors to the seasons, reflecting the passage of time. Fittingly, flower viewing is a very popular activity in Japan as most prominently seen in the annual festivities surrounding the cherry blossoms, but not limited to them.
The following chart shows the approximate blooming periods for some of the most popular flowers in Japan. One point to note is that because Japan extends north to south for some 3500 kilometers, a particular flower species might blossom at differing times across regions with varying climate. The chart serves as a rough reference for the country in general. It is recommended to check on details for specific locations before visiting.

Popular types of flowers

Plum Blossoms (Ume)
Typical Season: Mid February through March (Tokyo)
Cherry Blossoms (Sakura)
Typical Season: Late March to mid April (Tokyo)
Tulips
Typical Season: End April to early May (Tonami, Toyama)
Pink Moss (Shibazakura)
Typical Season: Mid April to mid May (Fujigoko)
Wisteria (Fuji)
Typical Season: Late April to early May (Tokyo)
Roses (Bara)
Typical Season: The month of May (Tokyo)
Hydrangea (Ajisai)
Typical Season: Mid June to mid July (Kamakura, Hakone)
Irises (Hanashobu)
Typical Season: The month of June (Tokyo)
Sunflowers (Himawari)
Typical Season: Early July to early August (Hokkaido)
Lavender
Typical Season: Mid July to early August (Hokkaido)

Autumn Colors (Koyo)
Mid September to early December (Nationwide)

Flower related places of interest

There are many places in Japan where various species of flowers can be appreciated at different times of the year. Flower parks and botanical gardens are usually great locations for flower viewing. Some temples and shrines may also be famous for particular flowers. Below is a list of places which are popular for flower viewing.
See also our pages on cherry blossomplum blossom and autumn color spots.

Hokkaido

Hokkaido
Furano Flower Fields (more details)
Known for: Lavender and sunflowers
The flower fields of Furano offer a wide variety of flowers from May to October; however, the region is most famous for its lavender which attracts large numbers of visitors every summer, when the plants are in full bloom.
Hokkaido
Biei (more details)
Known for: Lavender and various flowers
The rolling hills of Biei are home to multiple flower parks with various flower fields. Some can be enjoyed not only by walking along the trails, but also by renting golf or buggy carts or taking a ride on tractor-pulled wagons.

Around Tokyo

Gunma Prefecture
Tambara Flower Park
Known for: Lavender
Tambara Flower Park is located in Gunma Prefecture. Over 50,000 lavender bushes are planted on the Tambara plateau, creating a spectacular lavender flower park in the summer. The area is a ski resort in the winter.
Gunma Prefecture
Gunma Flower Park
Known for: Various flowers
Gunma Flower Park offers an extensive collection of flower varieties which bloom during different seasons, including tulips, irises and roses.
Tochigi Prefecture
Ashikaga Flower Park (more details)
Known for: Wisteria
One of the best places to view wisteria is the Ashikaga Flower Park in Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture. Ashikaga Flower Park features lots of blue, white and pink wisteria, as well as yellow laburnum (Japanese: kingusari) that look like yellow colored wisteria.
Saitama Prefecture
Chichibu Hitsujiyama Park
Known for: Pink Moss
This park features wide fields of pink moss in almost ten varieties and colors. The flowers are strategically planted to produce delightful designs across the fields. From the northern end of the park, gorgeous views of pink moss with Mount Buko in the backdrop can be seen.
Tokyo
Kameido Shrine
Known for: Wisteria
Kameido Shrine in Tokyo is a great place to view wisteria. Every year, thousands of people visit the shrine to appreciate the wisteria, which bloom from late April to early May.
Kamakura
Meigetsuin Temple (more details)
Known for: Hydrangea and irises
Meigetsuin is also known as “Ajisaidera”, meaning “Hydrangea Temple”. This is because hydrangea bloom in abundance at the temple during the rainy season around June, and they usually attract large numbers of visitors.
Kamakura
Hase Temple (more details)
Known for: Hydrangea
Hasedera is famous for its huge statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Every summer, huge crowds come to the temple to visit its hydrangea garden. Long queues may be expected due to the popularity of the hydrangea.
Hakone
Hakone Tozan Railway (more details)
Known for: Hydrangea
A ride on the Hakone Tozan Railway, Japan’s oldest mountain railway, is a treat for more than just railway fans. The ride is especially beautiful in June and July when thousands of hydrangea are in bloom along the tracks and are illuminated during the evenings.
Hakone
Gora Park (more details)
Known for: Roses
This is a western style landscape park located in Hakone, featuring a large fountain and a rose garden. Visitors can also take part in craft activities such as dried flower arrangement.
Yamanashi Prefecture
Fuji Shibazakura Matsuri (more details)
Known for: Pink Moss
The Fuji Shibazakura Festival is perhaps the best occasion to see pink moss (shibazakura). Wide fields of lovely shibazakura combine with Mount Fuji in the backdrop on clear days to produce breathtaking scenery. Hundreds of thousands of flowers in various colors can be enjoyed at the festival grounds, which is located a short distance south of Motosuko Lake.

Around Nagoya

Nagoya
Nabana no Sato (more details)
Known for: Cherry blossoms, roses, tulips, hydrangea, irises
This is a park which provides great views of seasonal flowers throughout the year. Every spring, it hosts a flower festival which is claimed to be of the largest scale in Japan. Winter illuminations are held from mid November to early March. Nabana no Sato is part of Nagashima Resort, which features the famous amusement park Nagashima Spaland.

Around Osaka

Osaka
Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park
Known for: Cherry blossoms, roses, tulips
Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park located in Osaka is a great place to view cherry blossoms. The large park hosted the International Garden and Greenery Exposition in 1990, and features many gardens of various countries.

Shikoku

Kochi
Makino Botanical Garden
Known for: Irises and various flowers
Makino Botanical Garden in Kochi includes extensive walking paths, outdoor parks and a greenhouse. The spacious garden has various flowers on display.

Kyushu

Kitakyushu
Kawachi Wisteria Garden (more details)
Known for: Wisteria
The Kawachi Wisteria Garden is a private garden in the mountains just outside central Kitakyushu that is known for its long tunnels of pink, purple and white wisteria blossoms. The garden has become extremely popular and gets crowded with flower hunters from late April to mid May.
Nagasaki Prefecture
Huis Ten Bosch (more details)
Known for: Tulips and roses
Huis Ten Bosch is a theme park in Nagasaki Prefecture which recreates a Dutch town. It has an attractive landscape, enhanced by lots of seasonal flowers, especially tulips for which Holland is famous.
Oita Prefecture
Kuju Flower Park (more details)
Known for: Various varieties
Kuju Flower Park on the slopes of Mount Kuju is a large, attractive park with large flower fields of about three million plants of more than 500 different varieties.
Satsuma Peninsula
Flower Park Kagoshima (more details)
Known for: Various varieties including tropical flowers
Flower Park Kagoshima is located near the southern tip of theSatsuma Peninsula. It is a large, attractive park with about half a million plants of more than 2400 varieties.

the material is taken from http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2423.html