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 language: they’re associated with loss and death, and it’s said that they bloom along the paths of people that you’ll never see again. They also happen to be common in cemeteries and are thus said to be the flowers of the underworld.
If you want to see these hauntingly beautiful flowers, head over to in Hidaka, Saitama from mid-September to early October. The park is a 15-minute walk from Koma Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro line, which is about an hour away from Ikebukuro Station. You’re sure to catch these colorful blossoms, which are nicknamed (autumn cherry blossoms), .
Kochia are fluffy balls of fun from July to November, but they are most sought-after when they turn a brilliant shade of red in mid-October. In the past, people used to dry the plant and use it as a broom — but they soon realized Kochia is far too pretty for that. Fun fact: the plant also produces nuts, which are a specialty in .
Miharashi Hill in Ibaraki Prefecture’s is famous for being covered in fiery red Kochia throughout October. The park is about two hours away from Tokyo. You can , if you don’t feel like dealing with trains and buses.
While it’s a common flower, if you like roses, you’ll be pleased to know that some parks and gardens in Tokyo — Kyū-Furukawa Teien Garden in Komagome, , and in Chōfu, among others — have autumn rose festivals for certain types that bloom in October. This flower show is a yearly highlight at Kyū-Furukawa Gardens. Not only are there beautiful roses, but there is also a concert, a scent tour, and a shop selling bloomin’ good items.
Next up are chrysanthemums — arguably the flower that gets associated with autumn the most. Even though it’s never been one of the , it’s been long-cherished in Japan, so it might as well be considered the representative flower for autumn. Aside from the cherry blossom, the chrysanthemum ( in Japanese) is considered to be Japan’s national flower, since it is associated with the Imperial Family.
Not only does it appear on the Imperial Seal of Japan, but the monarchy is also referred to as the Chrysanthemum Throne. Many family crests have also featured this flower, which is a symbol of longevity. You can see it on the , too.
Because of the chrysanthemum’s significance, there are several flower festivals dedicated to it, and here are a few of them. In most cases, they not only display the flowers, but also sell seeds and young chrysanthemums that you can grow on your own. Head to Jindai Botanical Gardens for their yearly Chrysanthemum Exhibition.
The park is accessible from the Jindai Shokubutsu-kōen-mae Stop of the Keio Bus bound for Shindai-ji Temple. Board the bus from Tsutsujigaoka Station on the Keio Line. Held at Takahata-fudoson Kongo-ji, this is one of the Tama area’s biggest chrysanthemum festivals.
There is a plant sale, as well as displays, judging of the competitive entries, and workshops, too. The temple is a 5-minute walk from Takahatafudo Station on the Keio Line or Tama Monorail. Well known for its wisteria festival in spring, Kameido’s signature shrine also has chrysanthemums to enjoy in autumn.
This festival is a 15-minute walk from Kameido Station. You can pair a visit with a twirl around the historical . Held annually since 1929, the Shinjuku Gyoen exhibition includes specially planted flowerbeds as well as temporary arrangements.
The garden has been growing chrysanthemums since 1904 and although there’s a small fee to get in, it’s well worth it. . This flower festival is a 2-minute walk from Hibiya or Kasumigaseki stations.
It’s practically a tradition now, as it’s been held since 1914 and has displays of over 2,000 flowers. There are also seedlings sold and seminars about growth techniques. From 6 a.
m. til dusk, this event at Yushima Tenmangū has dolls with clothes made of chrysanthemums on display, in addition to over 2,000 chrysanthemums. It’s a 2-minute walk from Yushima Station.
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