If you couldn't make the 2023 arrival of Japan's cherry blossoms – which reached full bloom in Tokyo on March 22, 2023, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, never fret. There are plenty of spectacular spring flowers, within an easy day trip from Tokyo, to impress you with their beauty and make you grateful that you conveniently missed the sakura crowds.
Ashikaga Flower Park is famous for its 350 magnificent "Fuji" or Wisteria trees and more than 5,000 azaleas. The 23-acre facility attracts more than 1.5 million visitors per year but is most beckoning during its "Wisteria Stories" event (https://www.ashikaga.co.jp/fujinohana_special2023/en/). Held between April 15 (Sun) and May 14 (Sun), the event highlights the blooming of the Park's mega-wisteria tree. Occupying 11,780 square feet, it is the symbol of the park itself.
There is also a 263-foot white Shiro Fuji wisteria archway "tunnel," a designated prefectural natural monument. Wisteria flowers begin to bloom in the order of pink, purple, white, and yellow, and can be enjoyed for a month.
Wisteria claim a long and beloved history in Japan, where they were even featured in 8th Century Man'yōshū poem collection -- Japan's oldest known compendium of poems. Today they remain a jewel, and in 2014 they were featured as one of CNN's "Dream Destinations." During the festival period, the lights will be illuminated at night. You can view the movie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmEICrVyNzo!
Also, at Ashikaga Flower Park, roses, irises, hydrangeas, and water lilies bloom after wisteria. It is truly a flower lover's heaven.(Roses bloom May to early June.)
Opening hours in April & Early May:
(1) April 15 (Sat) - April 21 (Fri) 8:00am - 8:30pm
(2) April 22 (Sat)- May 7 (Sun) 7:00am - 9:00pm
(3) May 8 (Mon) - May 14 (Sun) 8:00 - 8:30pm
Admission:
One-day Admission: Adults 900 yen - 2,100 yen / Children 500 yen - 1,100 yen
Evening Admission: Adults 700 - 1,900 yen / Children 400 - 1,000 yen
***Evening ticket sales begin at 5:30 p.m.
Directions:
Take the Tobu Skytree Line (Tobu Isesaki Line) to Ashikaga-shi Station, then take a taxi-cab
for about 20 minutes. The taxi will be about 3,000 yen (currently about $25).
About Tobu Railways:
TOBU Railway Co., Ltd. is a major Japanese corporation consisting of approximately 80 companies. The Tobu Railway covers the longest operating distance in Metropolitan Tokyo, leading to numerous tourist attractions including: Asakusa and TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN in Tokyo; Nikko and Kinugawa-Onsen, famous for its world heritage sites and hot springs; the Tatebayashi and Ashikaga areas, known for their blooming flower fields; and Kawagoe and Tochigi City, where the atmosphere of the old Edo era lives on. Tobu is also invested in a portfolio of hotels, including the newly opened The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko and FUFU Nikko Onsen Resort.
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