Okayama Korakuen Garden Flower Calendar. Enjoy the flowers of each season! (First half of the year)

January, February, March/Daffodils

Daffodils are flowers that add color to the cold winter. They are commonly found around the plum garden, so you can enjoy them performing alongside the plum blossoms. The best time to see them is from mid-January to early March. You can find many different types of daffodils, including white and yellow trumpet daffodils and Japanese daffodils. These bulbous plants bloom despite the cold season, and their dignified appearance is also beautiful.

February/Plum

There are about 100 plum trees planted in the plum grove near the east gate. They come in a variety of varieties, including white plums, red plums, double-petaled plums, and single-petaled plums. You can enjoy viewing them for about a month, from early February to early March. Of the many varieties of plums, the wintersweet is the first to bloom, starting around mid-January. Its English name is "Winter Sweet." You can even smell its sweet fragrance near the plum grove and the crane house.

We recommend visiting during the plum blossom season, as there are three events taking place in the park that you won't want to miss.

① Grass burning: Around the beginning of spring, the winter-withered grass is enveloped in bright red flames and smoke, transforming into a world of pure black.

② Burning of pine straw mats ...Before the awakening of insects, the straw mats wrapped around the pine trees in autumn are removed and burned along with any overwintering pests.

3. Opening Day: Every year on March 2nd, a ceremony is held to mark the transfer of Okayama Korakuen Garden from the Ikeda family. On this day, admission is free and various events are held.

March/Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms

Okayama Korakuen Garden is a well-known cherry blossom spot. During the cherry blossom season (late March to early April), pale pink cherry blossoms bloom not only in the cherry blossom grove, but also in the riding ground and in front of the south gate. A flurry of falling blossoms and flower rafts... You can enjoy the cherry blossom-colored scenery even when the blossoms begin to fall. Enjoy the Sakura Carnival, held every year along the Asahikawa on the east side of Okayama Korakuen Garden .

March/Yaebenishidare

The Yaebenishidare cherry blossoms bloom a little later than the Somei-Yoshino cherry blossoms (from early to mid-April) on the banks of Kayo Pond. Look up at the deep crimson double-flowered flowers or walk under them. The Itabashi Bridge and Sakae Bridge with their balustrades are great photo spots, with many tourists passing by. The small flowers stand out beautifully against the blue sky. Relax and enjoy the view, feeling like a feudal lord.

March and April: Japanese plum

Niwaume is a plant of the rose family with delicate pink flowers covering its branches. It is a fruit tree that blooms with plum-like flowers from March to April and bears apple-like red fruit from June to July. Although small, they are very vibrant and you can enjoy their lively branches. They can be found around Yatsuhashi, along with Niwazakura, a variant of Niwaume.

March and April: Kobano Mitsuba Azalea

Open the shoji screens and you can get a panoramic view of the pond at Kansui Saikyoken. Around this small building, you can see the Kobano Mitsuba Azalea, a species endemic to Japan. Its crimson-purple flowers grow in clusters all over Okayama and the Setouchi region, but it's actually the most common azalea in the Setouchi region and western Japan.

April/Hirado azalea

Following the bright red Kirishima azalea, the Hirado azalea blooms. From late April to early May, the slopes of Mt. Yuishin are painted in white and pink. You'll be captivated by the gardeners' pruning skills. It's a location well worth seeing. In April and May, you can enjoy not only the azalea relay, but also the Japanese safflowers in the Seiden fields and the wisteria flowers on the wisteria trellis.

April/Quercus quinces

Blending in with the bamboo grove around Hanaha Pond, the tree blooms with pale pink flowers on its beautiful mottled bark. The flowering season is from April to May. The large yellow fruits that are said to have medicinal properties appear from October to November. One of the charms of the quince is that you can enjoy its completely different appearances in spring and autumn. It is also said to bring good fortune in terms of money, as it is known as "karin (borrowing money)."

May and June/Satsuki

The vibrant colors of the azalea add a touch of color to Enyotei, which was once used as a living room for the feudal lord. The way they are reflected on the water's surface is truly beautiful. The best time to see the flowers is from late May to early June. The azalea, with its pink and vermilion flowers, also blooms brilliantly and three-dimensionally on the Yuishinzan artificial hill, which was built to resemble a mountain.

May/Deutzia

Deutzias, written as "Utsugi" (sky tree), are flowers that bloom at the beginning of summer (around May to June). Also known as Unohana, they appear in ancient works such as the Manyoshu. These delicate white flowers bloom at the ends of long branches. They bloom quietly in the bushes near the waterwheel just before the crane house, giving them a somewhat ephemeral appearance, and they have become one of my favorite flowers.

May/Peony

Peonies, with their large flowers at the end of their stems, bloom in the Seiden rice fields just before the tea fields. The best time to see the flowers is from mid to late May. Enjoy their elegant appearance. In the Seiden rice fields, you can also see the adorable Chinese milk vetch (early April), the gorgeous peony (late April to early May), and the rare Oga lotus (June to July).

June/Iris

Straight leaves. A vibrant blue-purple color. In the iris fields in front of Ryuten, the irises begin to bloom a little earlier than the Japanese irises. The best time to see the flowers is from May to June. The contrast between the colorful white and pink Hirado azaleas and the blue sky before summer is well worth seeing. From early to late June, you can also enjoy the 3,000 Japanese irises.

June/Hydrangea

Near the wisteria trellis, along the meandering stream that leads to the Hanaha Pond, you can see beautiful hydrangeas with a beautiful gradation of color. The best time to see the flowers is from early to late June. They are a representative flower of the rainy season, shining even in the rain. Purple, pink, white, and blue. Be soothed by the cute, rounded shape of the flowers, which come in a variety of colors.

Enjoy Okayama Korakuen Garden at a great price with the Annual Pass!

The annual pass, which allows unlimited entry for one year, is available for purchase at the admission ticket counter. The admission fee is scheduled to increase from July 2024, but the annual pass will be available for purchase at an even better price of 2,000 yen (adults)!

●For details on admission fees, please see here⇒Okayama Okayama Korakuen Garden Admission Guide Take a little stroll. Take a short break on a bench. I have really enjoyed myself this past year. Come in spring, summer, fall, and winter and enjoy Okayama's best flower spot to the fullest.

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