It may be famous for cherry blossoms but there are plenty of other florals to admire in Japan, writes Denise Stephens.
For the past three seasons, the Japanese have enjoyed popular cherry blossom viewing sites free of crowds as closed borders meant no international tourists. That's likely to change as Japan gradually opens to tourists and international visitors arrive on long-postponed trips, making next year's cherry blossom season even busier.
If you plan to visit Japan, it's worth considering months outside cherry blossom time. Cherry trees bloom from mid-March through to early May, but Japan has a flower for every month of the year — including chrysanthemums, plum blossoms and irises. No matter what time of year you visit, you can see spectacular floral displays in gardens, temples, and castles. There's also often a festival with food or events celebrating the season.
Here are some seasonal flowers to look for on your trip to Japan, and some of the best places to see them.
The chrysanthemum is Japan's national flower, associated with the imperial family and featured on the 50 yen coin. As the days get colder and shorter, chrysanthemums bring a welcome burst of colour to gardens around Japan. Varieties range from small bushy plants smothered in flowers to large single prize blooms, with bouffant layers of petals so top-heavy they are supported on frames.
When: from September to November.
Where: The chrysanthemum exhibition in Hibiya Park in central Tokyo has more than 2000 blooms in all colours and varieties.
Cosmos is sometimes called "autumn cherry blossom" as mass plantings of the pink flowers are reminiscent of cherry blossom in spring. There are other colours, including white, mauve and red, which are often planted in striking designs or mingled in a colourful display.
When: from September to November.
Where: In Tokyo's Showa Kinen Park, fields of cosmos spread across the hillside and it's also a great spot for autumn foliage in November. At Lake Yamanaka a couple of hours from Tokyo, visitors to Hana no Miyako Koen can view Mt Fuji with a million cosmos plants in the foreground.
Even in the coldest, darkest months of the year, there are flowers blooming, thanks to intensive cultivation techniques unique to Japan. Winter peonies shelter inside straw tents protecting them from snow and wind, with an opening so their beauty is visible.
When: from late December to mid February
Where: Winter peonies are not common, but there are two well-known peony gardens in Tokyo. At Hamarikyu Gardens, a former imperial retreat is now a public park with a tea house for a warming bowl. The peony garden at historic Toshogu Shrine in Ueno Park opens for the winter peony season and later for the spring flowering.
The first tinges of pink in parks and gardens are plum blossom, heralding the approach of spring. Shades range from white to deep pink, and the blossom is fragrant, unlike cherry blossom. Many places have a plum blossom festival, with events such as a plum bonsai exhibition or food stalls selling seasonal snacks and locally made plum wine.
When: from February through to mid-March
Where: Kairakuen is one of Japan's three great landscape gardens and has 3000 plum trees. It's in Mito, about an hour by express train from Tokyo. The plum orchard at Kyoto's Kitano Tenmangu shrine is open to the public during the blossom season and on 25 February there is a festival where local maiko (geisha apprentices) serve tea.
As cherry trees lose their blossom and turn green, azalea flowers appear in vivid shades of pink, purple, and red. Azaleas are everywhere, from expansive sweeps of sculptured round bushes in parks and temples, to small potted plants on city doorsteps. Native to Japan, azaleas are popular as bonsai, and you may come across bonsai exhibitions during the flowering season.
When: from mid April to early June
Where: Nezu shrine in Tokyo is famous for its azalea garden on a slope overlooking the shrine. Its azalea festival runs from mid-April to early May. The gardens of Nijo Castle in Kyoto are worth visiting year-round, and azaleas provide splashes of colour during their season.
Another plant native to Japan, the iris comes in a wide range of colours. Blue irises are the most common and traditionally grown in ponds or streams in Japanese gardens, making for great photo opportunities with reflections in the water.
When: from mid May to the end of June
Where: Major Tokyo gardens such as Hamarikyu, Shinkuku Gyoen, and Koishikawa Korakuen all have irises, but the smaller Horikiri Shobuen in northern Tokyo specialises in irises, with some unusual varieties and colours. An iris festival is held in June when the flowers are at their peak. Kenrokuen in Kanazawa, another of Japan's three great landscape gardens, has traditional blue irises planted along streams and fringing the lake.
The rainy season starts in June, with hot and humid weather ideal for hydrangeas. Intense blue, pink, and mauve flowers glisten with raindrops, their colours brightening up dull grey days. Hydrangeas are native to Japan, mentioned in writing as far back as the 8th century. They are a popular flower today, with many varieties found in parks and temples.
When: June and July
Where: Kamakura, a seaside town south of Tokyo, is known for its temples and for hydrangeas. Meigetsu-in temple is called the hydrangea temple because its gardens are filled with intense blue hydrangeas. Hasedera has flowers for all seasons, including hydrangeas. Although the walk uphill can work up a sweat in the summer heat, the view of the coast from the hydrangea garden makes the effort worth it.
For more on visiting Japan, see japan.travel/en/
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