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In early summer 2022, I saw my first Japanese Irises of the season. They were at Horikiri Shobuen. I was happy I went. It was another place I had wanted to go to for quite a few years. Finally, I ticked it off my flower photography bucket list.
I’ve been a fan of these flowers for a long time. The first time I saw them was at Koishikawa Korakuen many years ago. That garden isn’t so big, but they are lovely. Purple is a beautiful color. Of course, other places in Tokyo have them, but this was their biggest garden I’ve seen to date.
It was a warm day for my visit. I checked my phone, and it said 24°c. Yes, summer had arrived. And there was some cloud cover. So, the conditions for flower photography weren’t great, but not bad. It was quite bright.
As you can see in the pictures, many people attended the event. There must have been several hundred people there. Most were there for the morning. After lunch numbers dropped off fairly quickly.
The grounds of Horikiri Shobuen are very good. They are spacious, which some ponds and small canals. On a bright day in June, they look great.
For my first visit, the Japanese irises looked good. They weren’t perfect, but close. I enjoyed photographing them. These darker flowers reflect less light, which gives photographers fewer problems.
Since most people were photographing, they moved very slowly. That allowed me to do handheld bracketing. I could balance the bright clouds against the darker flowers.
The surprising thing about the park is the expressway next to it. That is something different! Luckily, the sound from it was muted. After a while, I didn’t even notice it.
Seikantei is the name of the restaurant and cafe on the grounds. The first floor has drinks and some simple Japanese dishes. Upstairs specializes in course meals. Japanese-style rooms are also available (at a fee).
Horikiri Shobuen is near Horikiri Shobuen station (堀切菖蒲園駅).
See it here on Google Maps.
Free
9:00-5:00 Sunday to Saturday
June! That is when the Japanese irises bloom.
You can use them, but not on bridges and designated areas.
The park is not close to anything I have visited. But, places you could go to by train from there are:
Wrapping up
Horikiri Shobuen impressed me on my first visit. It’s not big, but it is beautiful. And its Japanese irises are superb. The only places that come close are Meiji Shrine and Mizumoto park. They have high-quality gardens filled with them too.
If you are a flower lover, you put this place on your bucket list. And best of all, it is free!
To see places mentioned in this article, look at:
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