Ashikaga Flower Park’s annual Great Wisteria Festival is the place to see pretty purple wisteria — fuji-no-hana in Japanese — in all its glory. And also to see less common varieties in pink, white, and yellow. Basically it’s a really big park with A LOT of wisteria!
Pro tip: See the best of spring flowers around Tokyo, inlcuding the wisteria, with this tour to both Hitachi Seaside Park and Ashikaga Flower Park.
Ashikaga Great Wisteria Festival highlights
The biggest attraction is a 160-year-old plant whose canopy covers an astonishing 1000 sq. meters. Elsewhere, trellises create spectacular blossom tunnels — including one that is 80m-long and another that goes over a bridge. In the evenings, some of the wisteria are illuminated. It’s all very photogenic, as you can see.
When should I visit?
The different varieties peak at different times during the festival:
- Mid- to late April usubeni-fuji (light pink, like cherry blossoms)
- Late April to early May the “Great Wisteria” — the really big, old tree
- Early May shiro-fuji (white wisteria)
- Early to mid-May kibana-fuji (yellow blossom wisteria)
Opening times
Prices and opening times also vary slightly throughout the duration of the festival.
- April 13 to April 17: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- April 18 to April 24: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- April 25 to May 6: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- May 7 to May 15: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Evening illuminations will take place from April 18 through May 15.
If these dates don’t quite work out for you, have a look at some other flower festivals happening this spring.
How much does it cost?
Tickets cost between ¥1,000–¥2,200 (children ¥500–¥1,100) depending on the day. Exact prices for the day will be posted on the website, but expect admission to cost the most on weekends during peak blooms and during Golden Week.
How to get to the Ashikaga Great Wisteria Festival
Ashikaga Flower Park is in the city of Ashikaga, in Tochigi Prefecture. A few years ago, the park got its very own train station, Ashikaga Flower Park Station, on the JR Ryomo Line. The nearest major transit hub that connects with the JR Ryomo Line is Oyama (the one in Tochigi, not the one in Saitama). The journey from Oyama to Ashikaga Flower Park Station takes 40 minutes and costs ¥590.
From Tokyo to Ashikaga Great Wisteria Festival
Coming from Tokyo, you can reach Oyama via the Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station (40 minutes; ¥4,130) or from Ueno Station (35 minutes; ¥3,740).
You can also take a Rapid Rabbit train on the JR Utsunomiya Line from Tokyo or Ueno, which does the journey in 80 minutes and costs ¥1,520. The Rapid Rabbit trains are for commuters though and only run in the early morning and evenings. Regular express trains, which run regularly, take an extra 15 minutes and cost the same.
These are just the most direct options; there are numerous ways to get to Oyama depending on where you’re coming from, but they will require transfer(s).
If that all sounds like too much, Tokyo’s best local wisteria display happens at Kameido Tenjin.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.
