Blue skies stretched out beyond the people admiring the plum blossoms on the slope

Silhouettes of people looking at plum blossoms at Ikegami Plum Garden — People viewing plum blossoms at Ikegami Plum Garden

When one thinks of going out of one's way to admire flowers, cherry blossoms are the first thing that comes to mind, but the Japanese have a custom of admiring a variety of plants and trees in addition to cherry blossoms. Many people go to plum groves to see the ume (plum blossoms) before the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, or look forward to the azalea festival that comes after the cherry blossoms. On the day of my visit to Ikegami Plum Garden, many people were there to enjoy the plum blossoms. This place used to be the home and studio of Japanese-style painter Ito Shinsui before World War II. Many people may not know who Ito Shinsui is. I didn't know him either. But if you hear that he is the father of Asaoka Yukiji, you may feel a little familiar with him.

In this garden, you can enjoy not only plum blossoms but also peony and azalea blossoms, and a variety of flowers and plants throughout the four seasons. It is truly a garden that fits the Japanese custom of appreciating plants and trees. Then it occurred to me. The custom of appreciating nature is not unique to Japan, but must exist in many other countries. However, I do not know much about it. I realized that I do not know how to appreciate plants and trees in deserts and other places where there are few plants and trees.

Comment via

日本語