Mito Plum Festival 水戸梅まつり

Long-range plum trees

The Mito Plum Blossom Festival has been celebrated for 120 years in one of Japan's three most beautiful gardens, Kairaku-en. The other two are Kanazawa's Kenroku-en and Okayama's Koraku-en.

Kairaku-en was designed in 1841 at the request of the Grand Daimyo of Mito, Tokugawa Nariaki, and later opened as a place of relaxation and contemplation for the population.

• To read: The Kairaku-en garden

This garden is especially known for its plum trees, which announce the arrival of spring with their blooms. 3,000 trees dot the park of more than 100 different varieties, with flowers of various colors and shapes which open from January at the earliest and which survive until April.

These peculiarities make it possible to savor these natural wonders throughout the winter and part of the spring when the cherry trees just sneak past.

• Discover: Plum blossoms in Tokyo

For the year 2019, the plum blossom festival will run from February 26 to March 31.

In connection with these blooms, here is a list of events not to be missed this year:

• Sunday, March 3 is Hina-matsuri. On the occasion of the girls' party, the Kairaku-en invites everyone to come in kimono to walk the flowery paths of the park. It is possible to rent one on-site (paying service) to see beautiful flowers everywhere.
• Saturday, March 9, from 6 pm to 9 pm, place lights with the art of the candle, illuminations in the garden, a night tea ceremony, and a large fireworks display.
• Every Sunday during the Kairaku-en plum blossom festival, tea ceremonies are offered outdoors to mix the scents of the flowers and this delicate beverage. There will also be taiko concerts and traditional Japanese percussion.
• For the big weekend of March 1, 2, and 3, the Tokiwa-jinja, a Shinto shrine right next to the garden, organizes the umeshu festival (plum-based alcohol). 140 different kinds of umeshu from all over Japan will be on offer, in moderation of course. You can even discover plum-flavored beer! From 10 am to 6 pm and 800 yen entry.
• Saturday, March 16, an international competition of natto eaters will take place before your eyes. Since natto is a Mito specialty, it's happening here. You have to love this very Japanese specialty and be able to swallow a good quantity as quickly as possible.

You can simply come by train to Mito, knowing that during the plum festival weekends, Kairaku-en station opens exceptionally, and that special "Joyful" trains are chartered from the center of Tokyo.

The 10 differences between plum trees and cherry trees.