The Romantic Tale of Wisteria: A Colorful Spring Visit to Ashikaga Flower Park

Written/Compiled and Reported by the Editorial Department of MOOK Scenic Spots Travel Life Network

With the arrival of spring, the annual wisteria feast also kicks off in April. At that time, Ashikaga Wisteria Park, known as the “village of floral art,” features three wisteria trellises covering an area of 300 tsubo each, as well as one 300-tsubo eight-layered wisteria trellis. In addition, there’s an 80-meter-long white wisteria tunnel and a yellow wisteria tunnel, all adorned in a spectrum of dreamy hues to celebrate spring with visitors.

Ashikaga Wisteria Park spans a vast area of 82,000 square meters, where different flowers can be enjoyed in bloom all year round. Among them, wisteria is the most iconic flower in the park. Its blooming season runs from mid-April to mid-May each year. During its peak, the abundant blossoms form a dreamlike purple waterfall that is truly breathtaking, and is considered one of the most beautiful wisteria sights in the world. The most notable varieties include the “Great Long Wisteria,” the “White Wisteria Tunnel,” and the “Eight-Layered Black Dragon Wisteria.”

The “Great Long Wisteria” is a large trellis with purple wisteria flowers arranged flatly from top to bottom. Each wisteria vine is 1.7 meters long, welcoming guests at the park’s west entrance. The “Noda’s Nine-Foot Wisteria” (also known as the Great Wisteria), with a tree age of over 145 years, boasts a wisteria trellis spanning more than 300 tsubo, making it a spectacular sight. During the great wisteria season, there is a nighttime light show that allows visitors to enjoy the beauty of the wisteria flowers after dark. Additionally, there is the “Eight-Layered Black Dragon Wisteria,” formed by the rare eight-layered wisteria variety. Though its vines are shorter, they bloom densely, resembling clusters of grapes, creating a dreamy purple canopy that visitors adore. Wisteria has even been designated as a natural monument of Tochigi Prefecture.