``Okayama Korakuen'' flower reading. Enjoy seasonal flowers! (First half edition)

January, February, March/Daffodils

Daffodils are flowers that add color to the cold winter months. They are often seen around plum orchards, so you can enjoy them together with the plum blossoms. The best time to see the flowers is from mid-January to early March. You can find various types of daffodils, including white and yellow daffodils and Japanese daffodils. Bulb plants that bloom through the cold season. The dignified appearance is also beautiful.

February/Plum

There are about 100 plum trees planted in the plum grove near the east gate. White plum, red plum, double, single, etc. The best time to see them is from early February to early March. Among the wide variety of plums, the Japanese plum is the first to start blooming around mid-January. The English name is [Winter sweet]. You can also smell the sweet scent near the plum grove and Tsurusha.

During the plum blossom season, there are three events in the park that you won't want to miss.

① Lawn burning... around the first day of spring. The winter-dead lawn is enveloped in bright red flames and smoke, transforming the world into a completely black world.

②Matsu no Komoyaki …In front of Keishu. Remove the pine tree komo that was wrapped around it in the fall and burn it off along with any overwintering pests.

③Opening anniversary...March 2nd every year is the day when the ceremony is held when Okayama Korakuen was transferred from the Ikeda family. On this day, admission is free and various events will be held to commemorate the opening of the park.

March/Somei Yoshino

Okayama Korakuen is a well-known cherry blossom viewing spot. During the season (late March to early April), pale pink cherry blossoms are in full bloom not only in the cherry blossom grove but also in areas such as the Baba and in front of the south gate. Flower rafts in a blizzard of flowers. Even when the cherry blossoms are just starting to fall, you can enjoy the cherry blossom-colored scenery to the fullest. Please enjoy it in conjunction with the "Sakura Carnival" held every year along the Asahi River on the east side of Okayama Korakuen.

March/Yaebenishidare

Yaebenishidare blooms a little later than Someiyoshino (early April to mid-April) on the banks of the pond of flowers and leaves. Look up and down at the double deep red flowers. The top of Itabashi Bridge and Eishobashi Bridge with railings is a good photo spot. Many tourists come and go. The small flowers look beautiful against the blue sky. Enjoy the view as if you were a lord.

March/April/Niwaume

Niwaume is a plant in the rose family that has pretty pink flowers all over its branches. It is a fruit tree that blooms plum-like flowers from March to April, and bears red apple-like fruits from June to July. Although it is small, it is very bright and you can enjoy the lively branches. Along with Niwazakura, a variety of Niwaume, they are lined up near Yatsuhashi.

March/April/Azalea

When you open the shoji doors, you can see a panoramic view of the stream pond at Kansui Saikyoken. The azalea, a species endemic to Japan, can be seen near the small building from March to April. It blooms reddish-purple flowers and grows in clusters here and there in Okayama and the Setouchi region, but it is actually the azalea that is most commonly seen in the Setouchi region and western Japan.

April/Hirado Azalea

Hirado azalea blooms after the bright red Kirishima azalea. From late April to early May, the slopes of Mt. Yuishin are colored in white and pink. Admire the gardener's pruning skills. It's a spectacular location. From April to May, you can enjoy not only the azalea relay, but also the astragalus of Ida and the wisteria flowers on the wisteria trellis.

April/Karin

The pale pink flowers bloom on the beautiful mottled bark of the trees, blending in with the bamboo grove in the flower pond. The flowering season is from April to May. It produces large yellow fruits that are said to have medicinal properties from October to November. One of the charms of quince is that you can enjoy its completely different appearance in spring and autumn. It is said to be good for financial luck, as it is said to be ``money karin'' (borrowing).

May/June/Satsuki

Enyo-tei, which is said to have been used as a relaxing living room by the feudal lord, is adorned with brightly colored satsuki. The reflection on the water surface is truly beautiful. The best time to see the flowers is from late May to early June. Satsuki, which has pink and vermilion flowers, blooms vividly in three-dimensional form even on Mt. Yuishin, an artificial mountain built to look like a mountain.

May/Deutsche

Utsugi wrote "Soragi". Also known as Unohana, it is a flower that blooms at the beginning of summer (around May to June) and has appeared in manyoshu and other works since ancient times. A pretty white flower blooms at the tip of a growing branch. It blooms quietly in the bushes near the waterwheel in front of Tsurusha, and it has a somewhat ephemeral appearance, and it has become one of my favorite flowers.

May/Peony

Peonies, which have large flowers at the tips of their stems, bloom in the Ida area in front of the tea fields. The best time to see the flowers is from mid-May to late May. Please enjoy the elegant appearance. In Ida, you can also see lovely lotus flowers (early April), gorgeous peonies (late April to early May), and the rare Oga lotus (around June to July).

June/Iris

Leaves that grow straight. Bright blue-purple. In the irises field in front of the store, the irises start blooming a little earlier than the irises. The best time to see the flowers is from May to June. The contrast between the colorful white and pink azaleas and the blue sky before summer is definitely worth seeing. From early to late June, you can also enjoy the 3,000 irises.

June/Hydrangea

Near the wisteria trellis, you can see beautiful gradation of hydrangeas on the banks of the curved water that leads to Hanaba no Pond. The best time to see the flowers is from early to late June. It is a representative flower of the rainy season and looks great even in the rain. purple, pink, white or blue. Let's be healed by the round and cute form with rich flower colors.

Enjoy Okayama Korakuen at a great price! annual passport

A great value Annual Passport that allows you to enter the park as many times as you want for a year is sold at the admission ticket office. Admission fees are scheduled to rise from July 2024, but annual passes will now be available for an even cheaper price of 2,000 yen (adults)!

●Click here for details on admission fees ⇒ Okayama Korakuen Admission information Just a short walk. Take a little break on the bench. I really enjoyed this past year. Please visit in the spring, summer, fall, and winter to enjoy Okayama's best flower spot to the fullest.

Click here for details