Wisteria flowers are considered one of Japan’s most iconic blooms, along with sakura in early Spring, and ajisai in early summer. Recently gaining even more popularity due to the role it plays in the popular anime series Kimetsu no Yaiba, both locals and tourists alike are searching for quaint, beautiful wisteria viewing spots.
If you’re in Fukuoka and to experience wisteria while staying within the city center, I’d highly recommend a relatively less-traversed spot found right next to the popular Ohori Park: Maizuru Park.
Maizuru Park
Located at the base of the Fukuoka Castle Ruins is a small area in Maizuru Park dedicated to wisteria blooms. Despite only spanning the size of two to three classrooms, the open area is home to perhaps hundreds of small wisteria flowers.
As a gentle spring breeze flows through the small, man-made passages and brick columns, the sha, sha of wisteria flowers brushing against each other and the flurry of swirling lavender petals assault your senses. Multiple benches are interspersed throughout the small area, with the wisteria blooms providing the perfect amount of shade for you to sit and take in the sight, sounds, and smell of fresh wisteria flowers while basking in the spring sun.
Though perhaps less impressive than other wisteria viewing spots in the Kyushu region in terms of its size and number of flowers, this small area in Maizuru Park is undoubtedly relatively more quaint and less visited. It makes for the perfect atmosphere to truly immerse yourself in the beautiful scenery that these blooms make, whilst perhaps chatting over a cup of coffee or enjoying a picnic with friends.
