Kairakuen Park
Plum pleasure.
- Mito Plum Blossom Festival Dates: Feb. 15 to March 29, 2020
- 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Nighttime Illumination 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on March 14)
Everyone goes crazy over cherry blossoms but the plum blossoms at Kairakuen are more peaceful.
The ninth feudal lord of the Mito clan, Nariaki Tokugawa, who ruled the region that is now present-day Ibaraki, was inspired by a phrase from the Confucian Classic: The Book of Rites. The phrase stressed the balance between tension and relaxation, thus sparking the construction of a public park to relax both the body and mind after a strenuous day of military training.
They smell soooo good.
And since Nariaki appreciated not only the aesthetic of plum blossoms, but also their practicality (with pickled plums serving as a survival food during military operations), his floral choice was an easy pick.
Even with no plum blossoms, the garden is still scenic.
While the acres of plum trees were planted back in 1842, Kairakuen currently boasts 3,000 blooming ume trees in over 100 varieties.
The Mito Plum Blossom Festival, held annually from mid February to March 31st, is a celebration of the coming of spring. On Saturdays and Sundays a host of events, ranging from live traditional music performances to open-air tea ceremonies – are as fun as Nariaki would have intended.
