🏮 Mito no Ume Matsuri

水戸の梅まつり

Mito, Ibaraki (偕楽園・弘道館) · Every year in mid February

154 days to go
Rooms around Mito, Ibaraki fill up while the festival is on.

The Mito Plum Festival is a spring tradition held every year from mid-February to late March at Kairakuen and Kodokan in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture. With a history of over 120 years, Kairakuen, one of Japan's three great gardens, is planted with about 3,000 plum trees of around 100 varieties, and Kodokan with about 800 trees of around 60 varieties, so plum viewing can be enjoyed over a long period, from early-blooming to late-blooming trees. During the festival, events such as the atmospheric nighttime plum viewing "Yoru-Ume-Matsuri," the "National Plum Wine Festival" gathering plum wines from across Japan, and outdoor tea ceremonies are held. At Kairakuen, a walking route that conveys the garden's design concept of "yin and yang" is a highlight, while at Kodokan the buildings, designated National Important Cultural Properties, are a highlight. Volunteer guides also provide tours, allowing visitors to deeply appreciate the history and nature.

Getting there

From the north exit of Mito Station on the JR Joban Line, take an Ibaraki Kotsu bus and get off at "Kairakuen Iriguchi" or "Tokiwa Shrine Mae," then walk 5 minutes. Alternatively, get off at the terminus of the bus bound for "Kairakuen," which is right there. By car, about 20 minutes from Mito IC on the Joban Expressway; use nearby parking lots.