When people think of fall in Japan, they tend to think of . But there is more to the season than just the trees undressing — there is a wonderful variety of autumn flowers to see in Tokyo and beyond. Japan has a habit of dedicating entire days to flower excursions.
may be the most famous example thanks to (cherry-blossom viewing). However, there are plenty of flower festivals — just look at or in Ibaraki Prefecture, and you’ll see what we mean. Autumn, naturally, is no exception.
Traditionally, Japan had seven representative autumn flowers — collectively known as — which were often depicted in paintings and described in haiku and other literature. Historically, Japan’s seven fall flowers were: Apart from a few , you don’t see many celebrations or exhibits for these plants anymore, though you can still find them at many parks. Instead, when people think of Japan’s fall flowers today, they tend to think of: There are festivals throughout the season, some within Tokyo and some requiring a little travel.
Some of the more rural locations are easiest to reach via an organized tour, so keep that in mind when planning. If you don’t feel like traveling far, you could simply head to one of . Most have a great selection of fall flowers.
Red spider lilies, or , bloom close to the autumn equinox in late September, so when you see them blooming, you’ll know that autumn is near. These vibrant red flowers are a sight to behold, but they have an ominous meaning in flower l.