16 Best Japanese Wisteria Gardens (2024 Edition)

What Is Japanese Wisteria?

Japanese wisteria is the collective name for the species of wisteria native to Japan, most commonly “wisteria floribunda” and “wisteria brachybotrys.” Japanese wisteria bloom with many clusters of small-sized hanging flowers in shades of purple, pink, and white around mid to late April and early May.

Wisteria is called “fuji” in Japanese, sharing the same English spelling as Mt. Fuji, but with a slight variance in intonation and completely different “kanji” characters. It holds a significant place in Japanese culture, with many Japanese surnames, including the most common of Sato and other popular names like Ito and Kato, containing the wisteria kanji, along with numerous place names. Wisteria also has its own “hanakotoba” (Japanese language of flowers), which you can read about in this article.

Being a kind of vine, Japanese wisteria tends to branch out as it grows, and those in gardens are often supported by trellises. When they bloom, their flowers form a thick ceiling that visitors can stand beneath to be engulfed by colors and aromas. Japanese wisteria trellises of all shapes and sizes are common at parks and gardens throughout Japan, as well as on the grounds of temples and shrines.

In this article, we’ve chosen 16 of the best Japanese wisteria gardens in each region of Japan where they grow, giving you plenty of ammo to fill your springtime itinerary. The peak blooming periods are based on the average year, so be sure to confirm the exact dates before making any plans.

16 Best Japanese Wisteria Gardens

Hokkaido/Tohoku Region (North Japan)

Maeda Forest Park (Hokkaido)

Maeda Forest Park is an enormous green space located in Teine Ward on the outskirts of Sapporo, Hokkaido. It contains many forests and lawns, and is most famous for its photogenic 600-meter-long canal. It also hosts skiing, snow trekking, and other winter activities.

Maeda Forest Park has its own Japanese wisteria trellis made out of stone that blooms between late May and mid-June, around a month later than most of mainland Japan. While small compared to Japan’s more famous wisteria gardens, Maeda Forest Park is still a great choice for those who missed the mainland bloom or who want to catch some wisteria on their trip up north.

The trellis is also next to the park’s Observation Lounge, where you can view the wisteria and other greenery from above while munching on sweets and snacks. And if you want to explore more of the sights around Sapporo, check out this Sapporo day tour!

Tonose Fuji no Sato (Akita Prefecture)

Tonose Fuji no Sato is a remote Japanese wisteria garden in the deep countryside of Akita Prefecture. While difficult to reach without a car, adventurous travelers will be rewarded by a tapestry of differently colored wisteria trees growing next to rows of flooded rice paddies.

Unlike the well-manicured look of most Japanese wisteria gardens, Tonose Fuji no Sato retains a dense and leafy appearance, making it feel like a fairytale forest untouched by the human hand.

The garden is only open for the wisteria season, which generally falls in mid-May. The latest opening dates can be viewed on the official website below (Japanese only). Those coming by car will also need to book a parking spot in advance.

The Northern Culture Museum (Niigata Prefecture)

While many of Japan’s wisteria gardens host multiple trees, the Northern Culture Museum in Niigata has just oneーalthough you wouldn’t know from looking at it! The branches of this 150-year-old Japanese wisteria tree cover a space of around 145 m², and its trunk boasts a whopping 1.6-meter circumference. The tree begins flowering in late April, and its branches continue to droop as they bloom, extending to almost a meter long! The garden opens at night, too, lit up to create a display even more spectacular than the daytime.

The Northern Culture Museum is also a must-visit for history buffs. It was originally the residence of the wealthy Ito family, and visitors can now explore its enormous wooden buildings and appreciate the Meiji era (1868-1912) architecture.

Tokyo and the Kanto Region

Kameido Tenjin Shrine (Tokyo)

Even those staying in Tokyo can enjoy Japanese wisteria! One of the most famous Japanese wisteria gardens in the big city is at Kameido Tenjin Shrine, in the east of central Tokyo. It was founded in 1646 and enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, a historical Heian Period (794-1185) poet and scholar venerated as the deity of learning.

Kameido Tenjin Shrine’s Japanese wisteria peaks from mid to late April. The dainty purple flowers are reflected by the mirror-like pond beneath and pop out against the curved vermilion bridge in the background. The scene is the subject of many historical ukiyoe woodblock prints, and can now be enjoyed together with the Tokyo Skytree in the horizon. There are also spellbinding nighttime light-ups and stalls selling street food.

Koishikawa Korakuen Garden (Tokyo)

Tucked next to Tokyo Dome, the historical Koishikawa Korakuen is one of Tokyo’s most convenient spots for Japanese wisteria viewing. The garden was constructed in the early Edo Period (1603-1868), and is the oldest surviving daimyo (feudal lord) garden in Tokyo.

Koishikawa Korakuen’s wisteria trellis is situated in the north countryside-themed section of the park, right by its famous Japanese iris field. Its wisteria generally blooms in late April, and while not as large as other well-known wisteria gardens, viewing it together with the irises in the background is sure to delight!

Ushijima no Fuji (Saitama Prefecture)

Saitama’s Kasukabe City is famous for its many Japanese wisteria, at the crux of which stands the 1,200-year-old Ushijima no Fuji, declared a Special Natural Monument of Japan. It is generally at its best between mid-April to early May.

The tree’s sturdy trunk branches off in several directions, smothering a roughly 700 m² space in dark lilac-colored flowers that droop up to two meters at the longest. The surrounding park is also filled with many other beautiful Japanese wisteria, along with irises, azalea, and an ancient pine tree.

Ashikaga Flower Park (Tochigi Prefecture)

Ashikaga Flower Park, located in Tochigi Prefecture near the border of Gunma, is one of Japan’s most famous wisteria gardens. There are over 100 wisteria trees on the 100,000 m² grounds, including two trellises spanning a whopping 1,000 m², a rare multi-petaled wisteria, an 80-meter-long white wisteria tunnel, yellow-flowered common laburnum, and beautiful cherry blossom-colored wisteria.

With such variety, wisteria can be seen at Ashikaga Flower Park for over a month between mid-April and mid-May, blooming together with azaleas and rhododendron. The park has plenty more to offer throughout the year, too, like peonies, plum trees, and wintersweet in mid to late winter, tulips and cherry blossoms in early spring, roses, irises, and hydrangeas in summer, bush sage and autumn roses in fall, and an illumination festival in winter, which includes a wisteria-inspired lights display!

You can also join a tour of Ashikaga Flower Park combined with the equally spectacular Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki!

Chubu/Kansai Region (Central and West Japan)

Tennogawa Park (Aichi Prefecture)

Tennogawa Park, located in the city of Tsushima on the western outskirts of Nagoya, is centered around a pond that was once part of the now non-existent Tennogawa River. This spacious park is famous for its huge 5,034 m² Japanese wisteria trellis and wisteria tunnel, which bloom from mid-April to early May.

A wisteria festival brings stalls and food trucks to the park grounds, and at night the trees are lit up in an enthralling display. With grassy lawns, large playgrounds, and a Starbucks, Tennogawa Park promises a full day of fun for the family.

Kazahaya no Sato (Mie Prefecture)

Kazahaya no Sato is a hilly 78,000 m² park based around the Kazahaya Pond in the outskirts of Tsu, Mie Prefecture. It opened as Japan’s first ever “welfare park,” designed to support those with disabilities through gardening work, and its spectacular gardens of 77,700 hydrangeas, 555 plum trees, and 1,800 Japanese wisteria are famous nationwide.

Kazahaya no Sato celebrates its wisteria bloom with a festival between late April to early May. 10 unique species of Japanese wisteria are planted across the grounds, both arranged on trellises and standing alone. The trellises each have distinctive shapes, including a long corridor, an elegant arch, and even a wisteria “tower.”

Byodoin Temple (Kyoto Prefecture)

Those wanting to see wisteria in Kyoto while touring the ancient capital’s top sights can tick both boxes at Byodoin Temple in the green tea mecca of Uji. Founded in 1052, Byodoin Temple is a World Heritage site and appears on the 10 yen coin, and it contains many highlights like the iconic Phoenix Hall.

Next to the Phoenix Hall is a large wisteria trellis whose purple flowers pair spectacularly with the vermillion-painted buildings and encompassing greenery. Considered one of Kyoto’s best wisteria trees, it attracts both locals and visitors from far and wide during its bloom of late April and early May. Coincidently, Byodoin Temple also has a deep connection to the powerful Fujiwara clan, whose name contains “fuji,” meaning “wisteria.”

You can also explore Byodoin Temple and other Kyoto highlights like Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine on this Kyoto day tour!

Byakugoji Temple (Hyogo Prefecture)

Byakugoji Temple is an ancient Buddhist temple in rural Hyogo Prefecture originally founded in 705 CE. Its grounds hold solemn and rustic temple structures nestled amongst luxuriant greenery, jazzed up by flowers like cherry blossoms, rhododendron, water lilies, lotuses, and Japanese wisteria, earning it a great reputation amongst nature fans.

Byakugoji Temple’s main wisteria trees are of the long “Nodanaga fuji” variety, and their branches grow up to 180 cm in length. They bloom from early to mid-May, and are laid out on several rows of trellises. At night, visitors can experience exciting new scenery as the trellises are illuminated with five different kinds of lights.

Shirai Omachi Fuji Park (Hyogo Prefecture)

Shirai Omachi Fuji Park is also in rural Hyogo Prefecture, about a 50-minute drive from Byakugoji Temple on the border of Kyoto Prefecture. Dedicated solely to Japanese wisteria, the park was created by volunteers who picked 150 wild wisteria seedlings from nearby mountains and grafted them with branches from a famous wisteria tree in Wake, Okayama Prefecture. The park was completed in 1999, boasting around 500 meters of wisteria trellises with flowers of purple, pink, and white.

The park opens for its wisteria festival between late April and mid-May. Together with a wooden water wheel, daffodils, lush forest, and carp-shaped streamers strung up to celebrate Children's Day, the park presents evocative scenes of Japanese countryside life sure to leave you feeling refreshed.

Chugoku/Kyushu Region (South Japan)

Fuji Wisteria Park (Okayama Prefecture)

The Fuji Wisteria Park in Wake, Okayama Prefecture, is one of the most famous Japanese wisteria gardens in Japan, and is the source of the above Shirai Omachi Fuji Park. It boasts around 100 different species of Japanese wisteria gathered from every prefecture in Japan (excluding Okinawa, where wild wisteria don’t grow), and is said to be the largest collection of its kind.

On the grounds are Japanese wisteria with long branches stretching up to a meter, as well as wisteria with adorable stubby grape-like vines. You’ll find shades of both dark and light purple, along with pink and white, and a huge 500-meter-long, 7-meter-wide trellis shrouding visitors in radiant hues. Locals celebrate the bloom with a festival between late April to early May.

Kawachi Fujien (Fukuoka Prefecture)

Chosen as one of “Japan’s 36 most beautiful places” by CNN, Kawachi Fujien has become known across the globe for its photogenic Japanese wisteria tunnels. These tunnels are beautifully arranged to form a gradation of purple, pink, and white layered with vivid greenery.

Kawachi Fujien is a private garden painstakingly built by two brothers in the 1970s in the forested outskirts of Kitakyushu City. It opens only to the public between late April and early May when its wisteria comes into bloom, as well as in mid-November to early December for the autumn foliage.

Be aware that certain periods require advance tickets to enter, so be sure to check the official website. Alternatively, you can skip the hassle of booking online by joining this Kawachi Fujien tour, which includes visits to nearby attractions like Kokura Castle!

Nakayama Ofuji (Fukuoka Prefecture)

Nakayama Ofuji is the name of a single wisteria tree on the grounds of Kumano Shrine, in the outskirts of Yanagawa, Fukuoka Prefecture. It is estimated to be over 300 years old, and is said to have been planted by a local who brought back a seed from Noda, Osaka.

Nakayama Ofuji generally blooms from mid to late April. Its flowers hover above an arched stone bridge, while lanterns add a twist of enchantment at night. The Nakayama Ofuji Festival fills the usually-sleepy shrine with a bustling lineup of food stalls, live concerts, and shops selling local produce. Tables and chairs are even set up directly beneath the wisteria, letting you dine and unwind amongst its aromas.

Nicknamed the “Venice of Japan,” Yanagawa is packed with other exciting sights that you can read about in our guide!

Senzai Farm (Oita Prefecture)

Senzai Farm, located on the outskirts of Usa City in rural Oita Prefecture, is home to one of the largest wisteria trellis in all of Kyushu. 250 Japanese wisteria trees cover an almost 8,000 m² trellis with flowers of purple, pink, and white, contrasting spectacularly with the farm’s green tea fields. The wisteria here blooms from mid to late April, and if you’re a little late, the enormous garden of 2,500 roses that takes over from early May is also well worth seeing.

You can also visit Oita Prefecture’s main attractions like the “hells” of Beppu Onsen and Yufuin on this Oita tour from Fukuoka!

Japanese Wisteria - Japan’s Other Springtime Wonder!

While spring in Japan is all about cherry blossoms, if you wait a little longer, you’ll be rewarded by the charming colors and soothing fragrances of Japanese wisteria. Whether you go out of your way to visit one of Japan’s famous wisteria gardens, or just stop by a local park, you’re bound to be enraptured by the dream-like beauty of the Japanese wisteria!

Top picture: PIXTA