Peonies in the foreground, azaleas in the background! (Photo: 京浜にけ/CC By SA 3.0)

Yakyu Inari Shrine Spring Flower Festival

Peonies, azaleas, and wisteria to enjoy

Peonies in the foreground, azaleas in the background! (Photo: 京浜にけ/CC By SA 3.0)
Kim Bergström   - 1 min read

Each year from around mid April through until early May, Saitama's Yakyū Inari Shrine holds a spring flower festival that celebrates the trifecta of spring flowers - peonies, azaleas, and wisteria - that adorn the grounds here. If you're more a sports fan than a flower fan, there's another fun reason to visit this shrine - the ema (wooden plaques used to write prayers or wishes) are baseball-themed!

Admission to the event is free, although there is a donation box as you enter the shrine grounds. The funds donated are used to maintain the flowers, so feel free to drop a few coins in if you can spare some change.

Getting there

For those driving to the shrine, it's around 5 minutes from the Higashimatsuyama IC on the Kan-Etsu Expressway. Free parking is available on-site for up to 50 vehicles, but it does fill up quickly - particularly on weekends during the peak season.

For those utilizing public transport, the shrine is 3 minutes on foot from the west exit of Higashi Matsuyama Station, served by the Tobu Tojo Line.

Kim Bergström

Kim Bergström @kim.b

Almost 12 years living in Asia. Passionate about Japan's off-the-beaten-path spots, family-friendly travel, flower events (all of them!) and the amazing tea culture here.  🍵🌼🌸