Kumamoto

Wisteria Garden in Yamaga

Hidden garden awash with shades of purple

Mandy Bartok Apr 24, 2015 - 1 min read

<p>A wisteria trellis near the end of the park</p>

<p>The garden has at least five distinct varieties of wisteria</p>

<p>Four out of the five major trellises are currently in bloom (late April)</p>

<p>The dark purple variety - also one of the rarer varieties - was the most impressive</p>

<p>This color of wisteria is only found in a few places in Japan</p>

<p>The trellis closest to the entrance really sets the scene for what's to come</p>

While most visitors flock to Japan's major wisteria gardens (like Ashikaga) in late April, a similar scene can be had for a fraction of the crowds at the lovely wisteria garden just next to the Museum of Ancient Burial Mounds in Yamaga. The park consists of a gentle walking path that passes under five trellises, each one graced with a different variety of wisteria. The colors range from white to dark pink to different hues of purple; some of the varieties are actual quite rare in Japan. There is parking on-site for about two dozen vehicles and a restaurant nearby that serves an affordable set lunch. It's best to bring your own food, however, and picnic on the benches beneath the blooms.