Kanto’s Largest Light Festival – The Ashikaga Flower Tunnel

Text by / MOOK Scenic Spots Home Travel Life Network Editorial Department
 

As summer and spring fade away and autumn and winter quietly arrive, not only can you enjoy the beautiful maple leaves and ginkgo trees during the day, but at night, you’ll be greeted by romantic string lights that transform the scenery into a dreamy kingdom of light. Located in Tochigi Prefecture, Ashikaga Flower Park not only boasts the world’s largest wisteria tunnel, but its “Garden of Light Flowers” is also one of the three major light festivals in the Kanto region, making it an absolute must-see light festival when visiting Japan.

Ashikaga Flower Park features three wisteria trellises covering a total area of 300 tsubo, as well as an eight-layered large wisteria trellis also spanning 300 tsubo, in addition to an 80-meter-long white wisteria tunnel and a yellow wisteria tunnel—making it a rare wisteria-themed park in the world. Every winter, the park uses up to 2.1 million bulbs to create the “Glowing Flower Garden (光るの花の庭)” that recreates the splendor of blooming flowers, embellished with colorful lights to present a fantastical dreamlike world. It is not only the largest light exhibition venue in the Kanto region but was also ranked second in all of Japan in Yahoo! Japan’s light festival rankings. The Glowing Flower Garden is held annually from late October to early February the following year—don’t miss it.