Best peony gardens to visit in Japan

Best peony gardens to visit in Japan

Peony is one of the most popular flowers in Japan, and many people love this flower for its beautiful meaning. The peony is said to symbolize a lot of things, including good luck, romance, prosperity, and honor, making it popular not only in Japan, but also around the globe.

In Japan, there are a number of great destinations to enjoy peonies, and we’ve picked up some of the best for you to visit!

Index : Best peony gardens to visit in Japan

• 1. Botanen, Saitama
• 2. Sukagawa Botan-en, Fukushima
• 3. Yuushien, Shimane
• 4. Peony Garden Tokyo, Ibaraki
• 5. Ueno Toshogu Shrine, Tokyo

1. Botanen, Saitama

Botanen is a small peony garden opened in 1990 in Higashimatsuyama, Saitama. The garden is known as the largest peony garden in Japan, and it has more than one hundred varieties with over 6,500 peonies blooming there.

A spring festival celebrating peony is held annually from mid-April until the end of Golden Week. There are vendors selling local treats and souvenirs during the festival too.

The garden also has a special annual exhibition in January, exhibiting the winter peonies with small bamboo huts protecting them from severe cold weather and snow.

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2. Sukagawa Botan-en, Fukushima

Sukagawa Peony Garden is a garden in Fukushima, and this 10 hectares garden displays an impressive 7,000 peony flowers in 290 different varieties. This picturesque garden was designated as one of Japan’s Special Places of Scenic Beauty back in 1952, and these days, this garden has become everyone’s favorite photography spot for shooting beautiful peonies.

The peonies were first cultivated in this garden in 1766, using seeds from Settsu Province, which is known as Hyogo Prefecture in this modern-day.

The peonies were planted for medicinal purposes, but as time goes by, people start enjoying peonies for their aesthetic qualities.

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3. Yuushien, Shimane

Yuushien Garden is one of the most popular gardens in Shimane, and the garden has become everyone’s favorite destination for flowers throughout the year. Mainly known for its peonies in spring, the garden is home to 250 varieties of peonies along with azalea, rhododendrons, and irises.

The main highlight of this garden is the garden’s pond, where around 30,000 cuts of peonies are placed on its surface, creating an incredibly breathtaking view.

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4. Peony Garden Tokyo, Ibaraki

Peony Garden Tokyo, which was previously known as Tsukuba Peony Garden, is a garden in Ibaraki opened in 1989. Unlike other peony gardens, the flowers in this garden are organically cultivated, using herbicide and pesticide free soil.

There are over 50,000 peonies cultivated here, with around 20,000 peonies blooming at peak. The garden is also home to a 150-year-old peony, and there is a beautiful crater lake where birds like kingfishers and herons gather every day.

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5. Ueno Toshogu Shrine, Tokyo

Ueno Toshogu Shrine is a famous sightseeing spot in Ueno, Tokyo, and its peony garden was opened in 1980 in recognition of Sino-Japanese friendship, particularly because peonies were introduced to Japan from China for medicinal purposes in the Nara Period.

The garden is home to 600 peony plants from 110 varieties, and these flowers have been attracting tourists from all over the world. Many people visit the temple to take beautiful photos of the temple and the peonies, and there is a festival held annually to celebrate.

The peony garden on the grounds of Ueno Toshogu Shrine was opened back in 1980 in recognition of Sino-Japanese friendship, since peonies were introduced to Japan from China for medicinal purposes in the Nara Period.

The garden is home to approximately 600 peony plants which comprise of around 110 varieties, and visitors will find numerous places around the grounds that make for incredibly picturesque photo spots. A festival is typically held at the shrine when the flowers are at their best.

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