Culture of Flower Viewing in Japan
Seasons are a big theme in Japanese culture. Each season brings different foods, decorations, annual festivals and of course seasonal flowers. Flowers have a great meaning in Japan and you can see them everywhere, in classical arts, ceramics, or Japanese flower arranging – ikebana. Moreover, flower viewing is a popular pastime among Japanese people and it is not limited only to cherry blossoms. There are so many amazing beautiful flowers and plants in Japan, but often they are overshadowed by sakura (cherry blossoms).
If you can appreciate the beauty of nature and would love to immerse yourself in the Japanese tradition of flower viewing, keep reading… flowers in Japan
Flower Viewing in Kansai
Even though you can find some articles online about where to see some gorgeous flower fields in Japan, they usually talk only about Tokyo and surrounding prefectures, or about the island of Hokkaido. Luckily there’s also plenty to see in Kansai area too, and each big city – Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Kobe, has a place where you can admire the beauty of seasonal flowers. Here is my guide where and when to see these beauties, so you can plan your trip in Japan and include flower viewing to your itinerary. flowers in Japan
Plum Blossoms - February
The seasonal flower viewing starts in Japan earlier than in other countries. First flower buds start to peek out in February, when is the best time to see the plum blossoms. Plums are called ume in Japanese and they have bright pink or white flowers with strong scent (unlike cherry blossoms that don’t have any smell at all). Here are some of the best places to see blooming plums.
Plum Grove at Osaka Castle
Osaka Castle Park is known for many cherry blossom trees, but when you get closer to the castle, you will pass by a plum grove as well. There are about 100 plum trees that bloom in late February. From the garden you can also get an amazing view on the Osaka Castle as well. The admission is free and the garden is open daily 24/7.
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine - Kyoto
Kitano Tenmangu is located on the north of Kyoto, about 5 minute bus ride from the Golden Pavilion. The beautiful 10th-century shrine features a relatively big plum garden. During the peak season (end of February-beginning of March) the admission to the garden is 800 yen.
Jonangu Shrine - Kyoto
Jonangu Shrine is located on the south of Kyoto city centre and it is another popular flower viewing spot. Beside plums groves you can also enjoy here blooming wisteria and azaleas at the end of April.
Cherry Blossoms - End of March and Beginning of April
Cherry blossoms, or sakura in Japanese, is the biggest flower-related even in Japan that attracts people from all over the world. You don’t really have to look for sakura, they truly bloom almost everywhere. Random corners in the city are decorated by one or two cherry trees, banks of rivers, gardens in temples and shrines… People go out, have hanami under the trees (hanami is a cherry blossom viewing party) and enjoy the two special weeks when the whole country turns into white and pink hues. flowers in Japan
Even though you don’t have to go and particularly look for sakura in Kansai, there are some top places where to go. I wrote two articles – Where to see cherry blossoms in Osaka and Where to see cherry blossoms in Kyoto, so don’t forget to check them out.
Mount Yoshino – Nara Prefecture
Mount Yoshino is a small town in Nara prefecture located within the Kii Mountains range. It is known for its 30,000 cherry blossom trees that bloom at the beginning of April, and for its beautiful temples and shrines. It is a truly special and very unique place to visit, however, the journey to get there can be quite challenging if you don’t have a car. If you would love visit this place by train, I would recommend staying overnight in one of the ryokans. It truly very special town and even though the journey is long, it is worth to explore it! Moreover, all the temples in Kii Mountain range are listed as UNESCO Heritage Sites.
How to get to Mt. Yoshino by train
The town of Yoshino is located on a mountain. The closest station is the Yoshino station where you can get with the Kintetsu line from Osaka, Nara or Kyoto. From the station you can go up with an old ropeway. Once you reach the town, you can only walk and hike in the mountains, because during peak season there are no cars allowed.
Tsubosaka Dera Temple – Nara Prefecture
Tsubosaka-Dera Temple is a mountainside temple from the 717 AD with visible Indian and Japanese influences. Its main feature is a large sitting Buddha statue that is completely surrounded by countless of cherry blossoms at the end of March and beginning of April. The temple is beautiful and quaint and even during peak season it is not very busy. It may be caused by the fact that it is a little bit out of reach and it is more convenient to get there by car, rather than public transport.
How to get to Tsubosaka-Dera Temple by train
The closest train station to the Tsubosaka-Dera is Tsubosakayama station. You can get to this station with Kintetsu line from Osaka, Nara or Kyoto. From Tsubosakayama station you have to take a bus number 20, Tsubosakaderazen line (in Japanese: 壷阪寺前行).Get off the bus at the Tsubosakaderazen bus station (this should be the last stop but the driver will tell you when to get off) and from there it is about 5 minute walk to the temple.
Wisteria - End of April
As soon as sakura petals fall down, another beautiful flower starts to bloom! Wisteria is called fuji in Japanese (yes, just like Mt. Fuji) and you can enjoy its lovely cascading flowers in many gardens in Kansai. The best time to see wisteria is at the end of April and beginning of May. Kyoto is the place to go to enjoy blooming wisteria. Here are few places not miss if you would like to this flower in a full bloom.
Water plant in Minami Ward – Kyoto
I realize that mentioning a place such as water plant might sound a little bit strange, but it actually the best place where to see wisteria in Kyoto. It is located close to Jonangu Shrine and usually it is closed for public (obviously), but at the end of April they open their doors, because within the factory, there’s a 150 meters long wisteria tunnel. I personally haven’t visited this place but if you are interested to see, here’s the exact location: 〒601-8161 Kyoto, Minami Ward, Kamitobatonomori Umenoki.
Byodoin Temple – Uji, Kyoto
Byodoin Temple is one of the most significant and beautiful temples in Kyoto prefecture. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is also shown on the 10 yen coin. Besides its historical significance, it is also one of the top places to see blooming wisteria.
Byodoin Temple is located in a small town Uji on the south of Kyoto that is famous for its production of green tea. Check my article about top things what to do in Uji to get an inspiration how to spend here a day.
Toji Temple – Kyoto
Toji temple is located only about 1 km away from the Kyoto station. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has many seasonal flowers to see all year round, including some beautiful autumn foliage, cherry blossoms or hydrangeas. In front of the main pagoda, there’s a quite large wisteria tunnel and in front of the temple there is a pond full of lotuses and water lilies that bloom at the end of July. If you happen to be in Kyoto around 21st of any month, don’t miss the opportunity to visit flea markets at the Toji temple to buy some unique souvenirs.
Kyomizu-dera Temple - Kyoto
Kyomizu-dera Temple is an iconic mountain temple in Higashiyama district in Kyoto. It is known for many cherry blossoms and maple trees, but the beginning of the temple grounds, there’s also a smaller wisteria tunnel from where you can enjoy views over the Kyoto’s old town.
Nemophila 'Baby Blue Eyes' - End of April/Beginning of May
Nemophila is a small adorable flower with bright blue color. That’s why it is also called ‘baby blue eyes’. The most famous place to see the fields of Nemophila is Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture (about 2 hours from Tokyo), or Uminonakamichi Seaside Park in Fukuoka on Kyushu. However, there’s a lesser known place in Osaka as well where you can see Nemophila flowers.
Osaka Maishima Seaside Park holds annual event for nemophila viewing. It is a big festival with food stalls and different activities, such as helicopter rides or go karts. The entrance fee to the park during nemophila season is 1000 yen per person.
Azalea - End of April/Beginning of May
Colourful azaleas are favourite flower to decorate streets, parks, temples and gardens of Japan. You don’t have to travel anywhere far to enjoy their beauty, because they can be seen in many places around Japan. However, if you would like to see more of them with lesser people, I can recommend you to visit Uji in Kyoto prefecture or Mount Ikoma in Nara prefecture. Mimurotoji Temple in Uji has over 20,000 azaleas in bloom every year forming a whole wall.
Rhododendron - mid-April
Rhododendron is not a plant that would have close ties with Japan. It is mostly azalea that grows in Japanese temples, but there are some places where you can see rhododendron bloom.
Murou-ji Temple – Nara Prefecture
Murou-ji Temple in the mountains of Nara prefecture if one of the best places to see blooming rhododendrons. The whole stairway towards its 5-storey pagoda is lined with pink rhododendron flowers that usually bloom around mid-April.
The temple is located near the town Uda. Its pagoda is famous for being the smallest 5-storey pagoda in Japan and the history of the temple dates back 1400 years. It is also the first temple that allowed women to come here to pray (back then only men could enter most of the temples).
Fees and opening hours in Murou-ji Temple
Murou-ji is beautiful all year round. Beside rhododendrons, there are also several sakura trees and many maple trees. The admission to the temple is 800 yen and it is open daily from 9 am to 4 pm.
How to get to Murou-ji Temple
You can get to Murou-ji via Kintetsu line to Muroguchion station and from there take a bus number 43 that will take you directly to the temple.
Hydrangea - June/July
Hydrangea flowers start to bloom with the first rain and they’re in their peak usually from mid-June to mid-July (depending on how much it rains). You can see random bushes with hydrangea in many temples and parks, but there are several gardens in Kansai dedicated solely to this magnificent flower. If you are planning to travel to Japan during rainy season, don’t get upset and go for a ‘hydrangea hunt’!
Because hydrangea season is quite magnificent and greatly appreciated in Japan, I prepared a separate article about it – you can read it here. On this link, you will find all the amazing places to see hydrangea flowers, how to get there, plus some interesting fact about the flower itself.
Lotus Flowers - mid-July to mid-August
Lotus, called hasu in Japanese, has been a common plant in Japan for a thousand of years and it has become a symbol of Japan. Ancient people appreciated lotuses not only for their edible roots, but they used their large waxy leaves as dishes or food wrappers. If you would like to see these magnificent flowers in Osaka, these are the best places to go.
Hattori Ryokuchi Park - Osaka
Hattori Ryokuchi Park on the north of Osaka features as one of the Top 100 Urban Parks of Japan for a good reason. Besides its many facilities, you can also find here a large pond full of lotus flowers, rose garden, sunflower field and a botanical garden.
The lotus pond is quite impressive but that is not the reason why I love Hattori Ryokuchi. In this park there’s also an Open-Air Museum of Old Japanese Farmhouses which instantly transforms into Japanese countryside in Edo period. I wrote a whole article about it for Osaka.com and you can read the article here.
Nagai Park - Osaka
Nagai Park is located on the south of the city. Similarly to Hattori Ryokuchi, it is also home to a botanical garden and other great facilities, such as athletic fields or Museum of Natural History. Within the garden, there’s a large pond where you can admire gorgeous lotuses and colorful irises (irises bloom at the end of May/beginning of June).
In Nagai Park there’s also a large hydrangea garden with about 10,000 hydrangeas, a rose garden, palm trees, rhododendron grove or wildflower field. The entrance fee is 200 yen.
More Places where to see flowers in Osaka
For any flower lover in Japan, I would recommend visiting these places in Osaka, where you can find seasonal flowers all year round.
Expo 70 Commemorative Park
Expo 70 Commemorative Park is a large green area located in the Suita city on the north of Osaka. In the 70ties it was home to the biggest Asian EXPO that visited over 64 million people from all over the world. Today the park features many amazing facilities, as well as few gardens. In April you can admire thousands of blooming sakura trees, there’s a tulip garden where you will feel like in the Netherlands, a rose garden with more than 5600 roses and a Japanese Zen garden. My favorite, however, is the Hana-no-oka Flower Hill with different seasonal flowers all year round.
Opening hours and entrance fees
Because in the Expo Park, they take such a great care of their gardens, you have to pay a fee of 230 yen to be able to enter. The opening hours are from 9:30 am till 5 pm with the last entry at 4:30 so plan your visit accordingly.
Expo 70 Commemorative Park is indeed one of the best green spaces in Osaka. I wrote an article about all its facilities for Osaka.com and you can read it here.
Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park
Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park is sprawling over 300 square acres on the outskirts of the city center of Osaka. Similarly to the Expo 70 Commemorative Park, Tsurumi Ryokuchi was dedicated to the International Garden and Greenery Exposition in the 1990, therefore you can find in this park some incredible fauna and flora.
The whole area is bursting with seasonal flowers all year round. You will find here some special plants and species from countries all over the world, as well as rose garden, Dutch windmill or one of the biggest greenhouses in the world.
Nakanoshima Rose Garden
If you love roses, you don’t have to go far from the city to enjoy their magnificent beauty. Nakanoshima Rose Garden is right in the city center, walking distance from Osaka and Umeda stations. It is open 24/7 and there’s no entrance fee. The best time to see roses in Osaka is in May.
Where to see flowers in Hyogo Prefecture
Nunobiki Herb Gardens – Kobe
Nunobiki Herb Garden is located in mountains above the city of Kobe. Within the gardens, there are a couple of cafes, restaurants, botanical garden and a green house. The seasonal flowers, such as roses, dahlias or lavender are ever present.
How to get to Nunobiki Herb Garden
You can get to the Nunobiki Herb Garden with a ropeway that will give you spectacular views over Kobe, bay and Nunobiki waterfall. The ropeway leaves from Shin-Kobe station.
Admission and opening hours to Nunobiki Herb Garden
The 2-way ticket to the ropeway is 1500 yen. The entrance fee to the garden is included in the price. One-way ticket costs 950 yen. You can also hike up to the garden. It should take around 40 minutes but it is a steep hike through a forest. If you are not using the ropeway, the entrance fee will be just 200 yen.
I would recommend going up the ropeway and then hike your way down not to miss on the Nunibiki waterfall.
Nunobiki Herb Garden is open daily from 10:00 am till 5 pm.
Hanasajiki Flower Hill – Awaji Island
Awaji Island is located in the Seto Inland Sea and it belongs to Hyogo prefecture. It is known as the Flower Island because you can see beautiful flowers here all year round. The best place, however, is the Hanasajiki Flower Hill that overlooks the bay and the sea, and it has plenty of seasonal flowers blooming all year round.
Even though I always recommend to visit Hanasajiki, it is challenging to get there in case you don’t have a car, because it is outside of the typical bus route on Awaji.
The Flower hill is open daily from 9:00 am till 5:00 pm. The entrance is free, you only have to pay for your car at the parking lot. We stayed in the gardens for about an hour and paid 200 yen. There’s also a café, restaurant and a souvenir shop. From the viewing platform on the top of the building you can see the whole Hanasajiki and the sea on both sides of Awaji.
Autumn Foliage - late November
When hot summer days slowly fade and they slip into autumn, flower viewing is replaced by “momijigari” – autumn leaves viewing (momiji means autumn leaves or maple leaves). Japan has some of the best autumn foliage in the world and Japanese people love spending this time of the year outside and admire the beauty of nature, especially the red maple trees and bright yellow gingko trees.
Autumn is my favorite time of the year in Japan. Read more about this season in an article here.
Useful Information
It is a custom in Japan that you always pay an admission to visit its temples. If a temple features seasonal flowers, be prepared to pay the extra fee. The usual price for a temples visit varies from 200 to 500 yen, but during peak season it can be from 800 to 1500 yen.
Armor yourself with patience! Japanese people love seasonal flowers and the popular places are usually packed. Coming in early won’t help because the usual opening hours to the temples and gardens are from 9 am to 5 pm.
Flower viewing in Japan is accompanied with a number of unique seasonal merchandise for sale at temples or in souvenir shops. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to buy some beautiful items for yourself or as gifts.
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