A Perfect Day at Ikegami Plum Garden in 2022

Close-up of white plum blossoms at Ikegami Plum Garden with a vivid blue and magenta bokeh background.

I got back to Ikegami Plum Garden in 2022, after a two-year break. The train ride was a little long, about forty minutes but it was good to go there again. Nothing had changed which meant the plum blossoms were great, as was the weather. So, yes, it was a perfect day. The bonus was getting some good pictures.

Visitors admire pink and white plum blossoms from a hillside path at Ikegami Plum Garden on a sunny day.

Photographing the Ikegami’s plum blossoms

Ikegami Plum Garden reminds me of Keio Mogusaen in one regard. It’s on the side of a hill but this one is smaller. It’s not that high, and there were stairs. Getting to the top wasn’t a problem.

Close-up of a pink plum blossom in bloom against a dark, bokeh background at Ikegami Plum Garden.

That’s where the similarities with Mogusaen ended. There was no Mount Fuji to enjoy, no stunning vista. I could only see suburban Tokyo, houses, and apartment buildings from the hill.

Visitors on a wooden walkway overlooking a hillside of pink and white plum blossoms at Ikegami Plum Garden.

Anyway, that wasn’t important. The plum blossoms were the stars. Everyone concentrated on them. They were in full bloom and looked exceptional.

White plum blossoms in sharp focus against a bokeh of pink flowers at Ikegami Plum Garden.

Fortunately, the day was calm which made photography easy. I appreciated it as I like to do handheld bracketing. With the flowers hardly moving, my pictures turned out rather well.

Close-up of vibrant pink plum blossoms on a branch against a soft bokeh background at Ikegami Plum Garden.

My photography gear for this shoot

  • Camera body: Fujifilm X-T3
  • Lenses:
    • Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR and
    • Fujifilm XF 55-200 mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS

The XF55-200mm got the most time on my camera. It’s not an expensive lens, but it produces beautiful bokeh and that’s what the plum blossoms needed.

White plum blossoms against a bright blue sky with fluffy clouds at Ikegami Plum Garden.

Where is Ikegami Plum Garden?

  • Address: 2-2-13 Ikegami, Ota City, Tokyo
  • Closest Station: Nishi-Magome Station on the Toei-Asakusa Line.

Click the image below to see the park on Google Maps:

Ikegami Plum Garden map
Map data: Google, Zenrin

Opening hours

  • 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m (with last entry at 4 p.m.)
  • The garden is closed on Mondays, unless it is a holiday then it will be closed the following day.
  • The garden is open every day in February and March

Admission costs

¥100.

For the most up-to-date information, consult the official Ikegami Plum Garden website.

A sunny hillside of blooming pink and white plum trees beneath a blue sky at Ikegami Plum Garden.

Is Ikegami Plum Garden worth it?

Ikegami Plum Garden is as good as any other plum blossom garden in the Tokyo Metropolitan area. The only problem is the view from the hill, but that won’t change! I’m sure flower photographers will ignore the houses and focus on the flowers, they are awesome. Another good thing is that Ikegami-Honmonji Temple is only a short walk away. That is also worth a visit with a camera.

Picture of Rohan Gillett
Rohan Gillett

Rohan has photographed Tokyo since 2011. He shoots it with his Canon EOS R5 these days. The project will take more than one lifetime to complete.

You might also like