Kairakuen in Mito City is one of Japan's Three Great Gardens and one of the country's most famous plum-blossom destinations. The garden's 3,000 plum trees across 100 varieties bloom in sequence from late February through late March, creating a weeks-long festival atmosphere with a heady fragrance throughout the grounds. The annual Mito Plum Matsuri features stalls, traditional dance performances, and tea ceremony events hosted in the beautifully restored Kobuntei pavilion. The garden's hillside setting above Lake Senba provides scenic backdrops for photography, and early-morning visits before the crowds arrive are especially atmospheric.
- Type
- Festival
- Category
- Cherry Blossom
- Season
- Spring
- Month
- Late February to Late March
- Region
- Kanto
- Prefecture
- Ibaraki
- City
- Mito
Highlights
- ◆3,000 plum trees in 100 varieties across one of Japan's Three Great Gardens
- ◆Weeks-long bloom sequence from late February through March
- ◆Tea ceremony events at the historic Kobuntei pavilion
- ◆Traditional dance and performing arts during festival weekends
- ◆Hillside garden with scenic views over Lake Senba