ASHIKAGA, Japan - AussieJournal -- Move over cherry blossoms! Ashikaga Flower Park, located about two hours north of Tokyo by Tobu Railway, will hold its Great Wisteria Festival or Ofuji Matsuri (https://www.ashikaga.co.jp/fujinohana_special2026/en/) from Saturday, April 11 to Wednesday, May 20. The event, now in its 29^th year, features 350 wisteria trees including pink, white, yellow, and those with massive purple trellises. The highlight is the blooming of the park's enormous, 160-year-old, purple wisteria tree. Boasting a size of 10,763 square feet, its trellis is a symbol of the park itself. There is also a 263-foot-long white wisteria arch or "tunnel," designated as a prefectural natural monument. The wisteria bloom in color order: pink, purple, white, and yellow, and unlike Japan's fleeting pale-pink cherry blossoms – in full bloom for just four or five days – the Wisteria blossoms can be enjoyed for a little over a month.

During the festival period, the wisteria trees are illuminated at night, allowing visitors to experience their beauty in an even more dramatic way. Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaXPeN1nv9s



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At the same time as the wisteria, more than 5,000 azaleas are in full bloom at Ashikaga Flower Park. Then, in succession after the wisteria and azaleas, roses, irises, hydrangeas, and water lilies come alive in bloom. (Roses bloom from May through early June.)

Ashikaga Flower Park spans 24 acres. It's one of Japan's premier attractions, welcoming over 1.5 million visitors annually. In 2014 it was recognized by CNN as one of its world "Dream Destinations," and today, a great number of visitors come from abroad.

The Great Wisteria Festival 2026 Opening hours:

(1) April 11 (Sat) - April 17 (Fri): 9:00am - 6:00pm

(2) April 18 (Sat)- May 20 (Wed): 8:00am - 8:30pm (Light-up Period)

Admission:

One-day Admission: Adults 1,200 yen - 2,300 yen / Children 600 yen - 1,200 yen

Evening Admission: Adults 1,000 – 1,200 yen / Children 500 – 1,100 yen

​​***Admission fees are subject to change depending on the condition of wisteria blooming.

***Evening tickets are sold from 17:30. Daytime visitors do not need to leave for the evening session.

Access:

Take the Tobu Skytree Line (Tobu Isesaki Line) to Ashikaga-shi Station, then take a taxi for about 20 minutes. The taxi will be about 3,600 yen (currently about $24).

FURATTO RYOMO TOBU FREE PASS:

This pass includes a roundtrip ticket between Asakusa station and Ashikaga station and unlimited bus rides in the Ashikaga area It is valid for 3 days and can be used to visit the entire Ryomo area.

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***The Ryomo area is a region spanning southwestern Tochigi prefecture to southern Gunma prefecture north of Tokyo, centered around cities connected by the Tobu Railway and JR Ryomo Line, including Tatebayashi, Sano, Ashikaga, Ota, Kiryu, and Isesaki.

More information: https://www.tobu.co.jp/en/ticket/ryomo/

About Tobu Railway Group:

TOBU Railway Co., Ltd. is a major Japanese corporation consisting of nearly 70 companies. The Tobu Railway covers the longest operating distance in Metropolitan Tokyo, leading to numerous tourist attractions including: Asakusa and TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN in Tokyo; Nikko and Kinugawa-Onsen, famous for its world heritage sites and hot springs; the Tatebayashi and Ashikaga areas, known for their blooming flower fields; and Kawagoe and Tochigi City, where the atmosphere of the old Edo era lives on. Tobu is also invested in a portfolio of hotels, including the Ritz-Carlton Nikko, FUFU Nikko Onsen Resort, the Nikko Kanaya – the oldest Western-style hotel in Japan, and in Tokyo - the AC Marriott Ginza and family-oriented Tobu Asakusa hotel, among others.

More information: https://www.tobu.co.jp/en/sightseeing/recommend/tourism/