Cherry blossoms aren’t the only spectacular flowers that bloom in Japan. Wisteria (fuji in Japanese) is a stunning flowering plot that can bloom in purple, white, pink, or blue. The plant is a climber, so it is often trained to climb into unique trellises and arches all throughout Japan.
Located in Kitakyushu, Kawachi Fujien Wisteria Garden is considered one of the spectacular wisteria gardens you can visit in Japan. Here wisteria blooming season begins in late April.
Wisteria is in its fullest bloom during the spring and it can be a spectacular sight to see. It’s obvious that when you take a trip to Japan in spring you can see flowers, such as wisteria, cherry blossoms, shibazakura, tulips and so on.
One of the best things to do in Japan in spring is to experience hanami. Usually, wisteria flowers bloom when sakura season is over, but there is still plenty of places to see sakura in Northern Japan.
If you wish to see both cherry blossom and wisteria, at first you will have to visit a wisteria garden located in central Japan, then transfer to somewhere else in Northern Japan to see sakura.
Where to go to see wisteria in Japan? Find your answer here as we feature the eight best places to see wisteria in Japan. Enjoy!
1) Kawachi Fujien Wisteria Garden, Fukuoka Prefecture
This lovely Japanese wisteria garden in Fukuoka is only open during wisteria season in spring and during the leaf-changing season in autumn.
It was founded in 1977 and covers 10,000 square meters.
Many people think that wisteria blooms are at their best at the start of May, though due to the Kawachi Wisteria Garden’s more southern location, its wisteria is at its best in late April.
There are over 150 wisteria trees in Kawachi Wisteria Garden, with 22 types of wisteria. There are two incredible wisteria tunnels, where wisteria has been trained to grow up a long row of arches and its flowers hang down as if in a scene from a fairytale.
Admission costs anywhere from 300 to 1000 yen, depending on the blossoming stage of the flowers.
It gets very crowded on weekends, so the best time to go is often during the week if possible.
You can reach Kawachi Wisteria garden by taking a JR train to JR Yahata station, then taking Nishitetsu bus #56 from there to Kawachi Shogakko-Mae bus stop. The garden is a 15-minute walk from there.
2) Ashikaga Flower Park, Tochigi Prefecture
This flower park in Tochigi Prefecture was among the top ten international travel destinations selected by CNN in 2014. There are more than 350 wisteria trees on the grounds. The most iconic wisteria tree in the Ashikaga Flower Park is more than 150 years old.
You can find wisteria here that ranges from pink to purple to white to yellow. One of the highlights of Ashikaga Flower Park is an 80-meter long white wisteria tunnel.
The season at Ashikaga Flower Park runs from mid-April to mid-May. There is also spectacular night lighting that lasts for most of the season. Hours run from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
Fees for adults during the day are between 900 and 1800 yen, and for children between 500 to 900 yen. At night, the fees for adults range between 600 to 1500 yen and 300 to 800 yen for children.
You can reach Ashikaga Flower Park on the JR Ryomo Line.
3) Mandaraji Temple, Aichi Prefecture
The Mandaraji Temple and its adjacent park host the Konan Wisteria Festival from the middle of April to the beginning of May every year.
Wisteria pergolas are set up throughout the park and there are about 60 wisteria trees in bloom. There are many different colors on the display, including purple, red, and white. There are a number of traditional events held during the festival.
There is no entry fee to the Konan Wisteria Festival. You can reach Mandaraji Temple by taking the Meitetsu Inuyama Line to Konan Station.
You can also take a bus to the Mieitetsu Bus Mandaraji stop. There is also parking available for a small fee.
4) Byakugou-ji Temple, Hyogo Prefecture
Build in 705, Byakugou-ji is a historic Buddhist temple located in Tamba city. The wisteria found here blooms in very long clusters. A unique wisteria festival is held here every year near mid-May.
The wisteria here falls in long, wondrous waterfalls of purple and blue. There is a wide variety of wisteria on view around the temple.
There is no entry fee to the festival. You can reach Byakugou-ji Temple by train from Kasuga I.C. and by car from JR Ichijima Station.
5) Kameido Tenjin Shrine, Tokyo
This large Shinto shrine has a large garden that plays hosts to an annual wisteria festival.
The best-known image from the shrine is the arched moon bridge, which is especially wonderful when the wisteria are in bloom. The reflections of the flowers on the ponds turn the sight into a truly magical scene.
During the wisteria festival, there are a number of food and game stalls to be found among the flowers.
You should also take the time to relax near one of the ponds and visit with the garden’s turtles, or walk around the shrine structures, which are copies of traditional buildings lost during World War II.
Admission is free. You can reach Kameido-tenjin Shrine from Kameido Station on the Chuo-Sobu Line and the Tobu Kameido Line, from Kinshicho Station via the Hanzomon Line and the Chuo-Sobu Line, and from Omurai Station via the Tobu Kameido Line.
It’s a very nice location to visit at all times of the year, even if you cannot attend the wisteria festival.
6) Tennogawa Park, Aichi Prefecture
Tennogawa Park is laid out around the elliptical pond called Maruike, a remnant of the Tenno River. Every year from late April to early May, the Owari Tsushima Wisteria Festival is held here.
Wisteria bloom all around the park and their draping blooms are reflected in the water of the pond. You can find food, games, and entertainment throughout Tennogawa Park.
You can reach Tennogawa Park by taking the Meitetsu Tsushima Line from Nagoya Station. It is also 20 minutes from Yatomi Y.C. and 30 minutes from Ichinomiya I.C. by car.
There is no admission fee.
7) Shirai Omachi Fuji Park, Hyogo Prefecture
This park sits on the slope of a mountain and is one of the most famous places to see wisteria in Japan. There are many different wisteria trellises over a 7000 meters squared area.
A wisteria festival takes place here in May, offering food and entertainment as well as beautiful views of the blooming wisteria during both the day and night.
The wisteria blooms offer a beautiful and tranquil view among the park’s greenery, ponds, and fountains.
Shirai Omachi Fuji Park charges a fee of 300 yen and children below 10 are free. If you are looking for a large group discount, you can inquire with the park officials. The parks hours are 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Free parking is available in the area.
8) Shindachijuku Wisteria Garden, Osaka Prefecture
If you plan on visiting Osaka in late-April, don’t forget to pay a visit to this unique wisteria garden, located in Sennan City, Osaka.
You will find this wisteria garden inside the residence of a local, the late Masahiro Kajimoto in the Kumono Kudo (The Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Route). This is a hidden spot in Osaka in spring, which worth a visit, especially if you like flowers and nature.
This historic place is open to the public for about one week every spring for a special wisteria (fuji) festival. Here wisteria flowers start blooming in mid-April and reach full bloom around late-April.
