I’m not an outdoor girl, and yet even I am starting to miss getting outside and walking amongst the flowers. There are some nice front gardens along my socially-distanced dog walking route, but it’s just not the same.
So whenever I’m reminded of the amazing spring flower displays in Japan right now, I’m feeling some serious FOMO.
I’m not just talking about the cherry blossoms either.
While those are definitely part of the reason any trip to Japan I eventually get to make will be in April, Japan is full of amazing botanical gardens that are carefully maintained and have a long history.
Ashikaga Flower Park is one of those places, and it’s particularly famous for its wisteria.
Every year, the approximately 92,000-square-meter (22.3 acres) wisteria park comes into full bloom.
Wisteria is a long-lived creeping plant, so various frames and structures have been built to allow it to grow into amazing features, like the purple “waterfall”.
Most famously, it is home to two of the largest and oldest-known wisteria in the world.
The Great Wistera are estimated to be a bit over 150 years old, and their canopies creep over a raised lattice to create an incredible ceiling of hanging blossoms.
At night, the more than 350 varieties of wisteria plants have their white, yellow, pink, and purple flowers illuminated to create a spectacular experience.
Unfortunately, like many things in 2020, the annual Great Wisteria Festival has been cancelled.
Each year it attracts thousands of visitors both local and from abroad, and that simply isn’t feasible in the age of social distancing.
Still, we can enjoy the incredible photos of the park and I’m sure that when it reopens, the event will be one for the ages.
h/t: Japan Web Magazine
