Walk Among the Ukiyo-e Flowers at Tokyo’s Historic Horikiri Iris Garden & Katsushika Iris Festival
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Beloved by ukiyo-e artists in the Edo era, and now sitting in the shadow of Tokyo Skytree, Horikiri Iris Garden is one of Tokyo’s best early summer destinations for flower lovers in Japan!
CONTENTS
A Tokyo Flower Garden for May & June Travelers
Image Source: Wikipedia
In the classic “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo” collection created by famous ukiyo-e artist Hiroshige Ando, one of the most striking prints is a work focused on flowers that seem to flow into the horizon, called Irises at Horikiri (堀切の花菖蒲). For foreign travelers visiting Tokyo an iris garden might not be the most obvious attraction to add to the itinerary, especially after seeing the flower fever of Japan’s yearly cherry blossom bloom. But there’s a long history of iris cultivation in Japan, and many decades (or even centuries) of careful selection has resulted in the creation of any number of unique and beautiful iris varieties. Perhaps there’s nothing more Japanese than the quiet elegance of the Horikiri Iris Garden (堀切菖蒲園/Horikiri Shobuen), sculpted to perfection, filled with floral tradition, and lined with the masterpieces of generations of iris-obsessed hobbyists. If you want to step right into an Edo-era ukiyo-e print and enjoy the same beautiful flowers as the artist Hiroshige himself, you’ll have to visit Horikiri Iris Garden.
Enjoy Early Summer in Tokyo with a Stroll Through Katsushika
Tokyo’s Katsushika Ward has a reputation for… well… not much, and it’s probably one of the least touristy areas of Tokyo, but locals have probably been cultivating irises in the Horikiri neighborhood for a good half a millennium or more. Local legend tells us that people started growing irises in the area during Japan’s Muromachi period (1336-1573), and the origins of Horikiri Iris Garden definitely reach back more than a century. But no matter what year it was when the first irises were planted in Horikiri, there’s no denying that the neighborhood now has a reputation as a destination for anyone who can appreciate the beauty of an iris. Ever since the days of Hiroshige’s famous ukiyo-e work, people have been coming to Horikiri to see the irises bloom in early summer each year.
Before World War II, there were actually four famous iris gardens in Horikiri, including a sprawling garden named “Horikiriya Garden.” Unfortunately, much of Tokyo was destroyed by bombs and fires during the war, and only a chunk of Horikiriya Garden was preserved throughout the years. That little sliver of the former iris-filled wetlands is what continues on today as Horikiri Iris Garden.
Take Tokyo’s Keisei Line and get off at Horikirishobuen Station to visit the garden, which is a quick and pleasant walk of 500 meters or so from the station that borrows its name. The modern-day Horikiri Iris Garden is not a massive flower garden, and in fact the surrounding area is just a normal residential neighborhood, but that makes it feel a little like a secret garden hidden away in the city. At the peak of the Horikiri Iris Festival held during iris season each summer, the hustle and bustle of festival vendors adds a little extra energy to the area.
The garden contains 6,000 irises of 200 different varieties, which burst into color from May to June every year, blooming in white and every shade of purple you might imagine, from pinkish periwinkle to a deep violet. Each variety is carefully planted in its place and labeled with a small sign, so if you can read a little Japanese, you can also admire the romantic names given to the different irises cultivated over the years. Look around and you’ll find First Frost (初霜), Small-Town Maiden (小町娘), and Stone Bridge (石橋)!
During iris season, this summer garden is also full of verdant green, along with a handful of hydrangea bushes and a small water lily pond. It’s still worth stopping by during other times of the year if you’re already in the area, however, to see the plum blossoms, wisterias, winter cherry blossoms, and peonies!
The area between the train station and Horikiri Iris Garden only adds to the overall atmosphere. Wedged in alongside the paralell lines of the Ayase and Arakawa Rivers, the Horikiri area is the epitome of local Tokyo, where people live and shop and carry on with daily life without many signs of tourism. But since this is Japan, and Japan never has enough places to appreciate flowers, even a portion of the route leading to the garden is called “Hydrangea Road” (あじさい通り), so you can admire the big flower bushes along the path on your way to see the irises!
Irises and Skytree on the Arakawa River
Once you’re done with Horikiri Iris Garden, I recommend walking towards the Horikiri-Shobu Watergate and along to Horikiri Waterside Park, located on the narrow embankment squeezed between the Ayase and Arakawa Rivers. This park also has its own little bed of irises, and it has a clear view of Tokyo Skytree in the distance. During iris season, it almost looks like Skytree is just another of the lively green iris buds poking up out of the ground. It’s a great place to take some unique Tokyo pictures!
The Arakawa River embankment has always been one of my favorite places in Tokyo. Not only does it look like the broad riverside embankments that frequently serve as backdrops in Japanese dramas, but I’ve lived in this general area ever since I moved to Tokyo some years back. To me, this green riverbank is a symbol of Tokyo.
If you’re planning an early-summer trip to Tokyo and you want to enjoy Japan’s traditional flower viewing culture, a few hours enjoying the flowers in and around the Horikiri Iris Garden is the perfect way to spend a morning in late May or June. For the other half of the day, I recommend heading over to nearby Shibamata, a quaint shopping and entertainment district with a famous temple, and another of Katsushika Ward’s few noteworthy attractions. The retro atmosphere is so distinctive that fans of old Japanese films may even recognize the area as the setting for the popular movie series “Otoko wa Tsurai yo” (男はつらいよ)! If you do want to spend your day in the area, I recommend picking up a Shitamachi Biyori Ticket (下町日和きっぷ) from Keisei Railways for 510 yen, for a much better deal on local travel.
2024 Katsushika Iris Festival (葛飾菖蒲まつり)
Event Dates: May 27 ~ June 16
Horikiri Iris Garden Admission: Free!
Horikiri Iris Garden Special Event Hours: 8:00 – 18:00
Horikiri Iris Garden Evening Light Display: June 7~8, 19:00 – 21:00
*The garden will be closed from 18:00 to 19:00 for light show preparations.
Official Website (jp)
▶︎ More Katsushika Iris Festival event details in English.
Details
NAME:Horikiri Iris Garden (堀切菖蒲園)
MAP
HOURS:9:00 - 17:00
ACCESS:10 min. from Horikirishobuen Station on the Keisei Line
https://www.city.katsushika.lg.jp/institution/1000096/1006888.html
Japankuru's head Chinese editor: mid-30s, likes to write, draw, and take photos. Aiming to become an old aunty with a girlish look.・ Articles written in Chinese by Lucy Wu, and translated by Sophia Appelbaum.
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KYOTO
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Kyoto flourished as the capital of Japan between the years 794 and 1100, becoming a center for poilitics and culture, and to this day it's a great place for close encounters with Japanese history. The cobbled streets of Gion, the atmospheric road to Kiyomizudera Temple, Kinkakuji's golden walls and countless historic attractions, even Arashiyama's Togetsukyo Bridge―Kyoto is a place of many attractions. With new charms to experience throughout the seasons, travelers can't stop themselves from returning again and again.
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NARA
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Nara Prefecture's important history reaches back to 710, a time now called the Nara era, when it was once capital of Japan. Called "Heijo-kyo" during its time as a capital, it's said that nara was once the end of the silk road, leading it to flourish as a uniquely international region and produce important cultural properties of all kinds. To make the most of each season, travelers head to Nara Park, where the Nara deer who wander freely, or climb Mount Yoshino, a famous cherry blossom spot.
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OSAKA
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Osaka is known for friendly (and funny) people, but its history is nothing to laugh at, playing a major part in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's 16th century unification of Japan. Thanks to long years of economic activity, it's one of Japan's biggest cities, and Osaka's popular food culture earned it the nickname "The Kitchen of the Nation." To this day Osaka is the model of western Japan, and alongside historic structures like Osaka Castle, it also has major shopping malls like Umeda's Grand Front Osaka and Tennoji's Abeno Harukas. Osaka is a place to eat, eat, eat, with local specialties like takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and kushi-katsu, and for extra fun, it's home to Universal Studios Japan.
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CHUGOKU
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The Chugoku Region (中国地方) consists of five prefectures: Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, and Yamaguchi. In Chugoku you’ll find the sand dunes of Tottori, and Hiroshima’s atomic bomb site, plus centers of ancient history like Grand Shrine of Izumo.
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HIROSHIMA
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Hiroshima Prefecture has everything, from world heritage sites to beautiful nature and delicious local cuisine, and it's either an hour and a half from Tokyo by plane, or four hours by train. Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island and the Atomic Bomb Dome, two Hiroshima UNESCO sites, are famous around the world, but in Japan it's also famous for food. Seafood from the Seto Inland Sea, especially oysters, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, and Setouchi lemons are all popular, and the natural scenery alone is worth seeing.
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SHIKOKU
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On the other side of the Seto Inland Sea opposite Japan’s main island, Shikoku (四国) is a region made up of four prefectures: Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi, and Tokushima. The area is famous for its udon (in Kagawa), and the beautiful Dogo Onsen hot springs (in Ehime).
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KAGAWA
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Kagawa Prefecture is on the northern part of the island of Shikoku, facing Japan's main island and the Seto Inland Sea. It's known for being the smallest prefecture in Japan, by area, but at the same time Kagawa is called the "Udon Prefecture" thanks to its famous sanuki udon. Aside from Kotohiragu Shrine and Ritsurin Garden, the prefecture's small islands are popular, and Kagawa is full of unique destinations, like Angel Road. They say that if you lay eyes on Zenigata Sunae, a huge Kagawa sand painting, you'll never have money troubles ever again.
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KYUSHU
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Located in the most southwestern part of Japan, Kyushu (九州) is an island of 7 prefectures: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima. The island's unique culture has been influenced by Chinese and Dutch trade, along with missionaries coming in through Nagasaki's port. Modern-day travelers love the lush natural scenery and fresh food, plus the natural hot springs found all throughout the area (thanks to volcanic activity)!
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FUKUOKA
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Fukuoka Prefecture has the highest population on the southern island of Kyushu, with two major cities: Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. Thanks to growing transportation networks, Fukuoka is more accessible than ever, and so are the many local attractions. On top of historical spots like Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, travelers shouldn't miss Fukuoka's food scene, with motsu nabe (offal hotpot), mentaiko (spicy cod roe), and famous Hakata ramen―best eaten from a food stall in the Nakasu area of Hakata. Plus, it's full of all sorts of destinations for travelers, like trendy shopping centers, and the beautiful nature of Itoshima and Yanagawa.
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KAGOSHIMA
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Kagoshima Prefecture played a major role in Japan's modernization as a backdrop for famous historical figures like samurais Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, who pushed Japan out of the Edo era and into the Meiji. Because of that, Sengan-en Garden is just one of many historical destinations, and when it comes to attractions Kagoshima has plenty: the active volcano of Sakurajima, popular hot springs Ibusuki Onsen and Kirishima Onsen, World Heritage Site Yakushima Island, even what Japan calls the "island closest to heaven," Amami Oshima. Kagoshima might be found on the very southernmost tip of the southern island of Kyushu, but there's plenty to see.
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OKINAWA
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The island chain of Okinawa (沖縄) makes up the southernmost tip of Japan, which is why it's also the most tropical area in the country. Thanks to a history of independence and totally distinct political and cultural events, Okinawa has a unique culture, and remnants of the Ryukyu Kingdom are still visible all over the islands. Food, language, traditional dress, it's all a little different! It's also said to be the birthplace of karate.
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