Beloved by ukiyo-e artists in the Edo era, and now sitting in the shadow of Tokyo Skytree, Horikiri Iris Garden is one of Tokyo’s best early summer destinations for flower lovers in Japan!

A Tokyo Flower Garden for May & June Travelers

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Enjoy Early Summer in Tokyo with a Stroll Through Katsushika

Tokyo’s Katsushika Ward has a reputation for… well… not much, and it’s probably one of the least touristy areas of Tokyo, but locals have probably been cultivating irises in the Horikiri neighborhood for a good half a millennium or more. Local legend tells us that people started growing irises in the area during Japan’s Muromachi period (1336-1573), and the origins of Horikiri Iris Garden definitely reach back more than a century. But no matter what year it was when the first irises were planted in Horikiri, there’s no denying that the neighborhood now has a reputation as a destination for anyone who can appreciate the beauty of an iris. Ever since the days of Hiroshige’s famous ukiyo-e work, people have been coming to Horikiri to see the irises bloom in early summer each year.

Before World War II, there were actually four famous iris gardens in Horikiri, including a sprawling garden named “Horikiriya Garden.” Unfortunately, much of Tokyo was destroyed by bombs and fires during the war, and only a chunk of Horikiriya Garden was preserved throughout the years. That little sliver of the former iris-filled wetlands is what continues on today as Horikiri Iris Garden.

Take Tokyo’s Keisei Line and get off at Horikirishobuen Station to visit the garden, which is a quick and pleasant walk of 500 meters or so from the station that borrows its name. The modern-day Horikiri Iris Garden is not a massive flower garden, and in fact the surrounding area is just a normal residential neighborhood, but that makes it feel a little like a secret garden hidden away in the city. At the peak of the Horikiri Iris Festival held during iris season each summer, the hustle and bustle of festival vendors adds a little extra energy to the area.

The garden contains 6,000 irises of 200 different varieties, which burst into color from May to June every year, blooming in white and every shade of purple you might imagine, from pinkish periwinkle to a deep violet. Each variety is carefully planted in its place and labeled with a small sign, so if you can read a little Japanese, you can also admire the romantic names given to the different irises cultivated over the years. Look around and you’ll find First Frost (初霜), Small-Town Maiden (小町娘), and Stone Bridge (石橋)!

During iris season, this summer garden is also full of verdant green, along with a handful of hydrangea bushes and a small water lily pond. It’s still worth stopping by during other times of the year if you’re already in the area, however, to see the plum blossoms, wisterias, winter cherry blossoms, and peonies!

The area between the train station and Horikiri Iris Garden only adds to the overall atmosphere. Wedged in alongside the paralell lines of the Ayase and Arakawa Rivers, the Horikiri area is the epitome of local Tokyo, where people live and shop and carry on with daily life without many signs of tourism. But since this is Japan, and Japan never has enough places to appreciate flowers, even a portion of the route leading to the garden is called “Hydrangea Road” (あじさい通り), so you can admire the big flower bushes along the path on your way to see the irises!

Irises and Skytree on the Arakawa River

Once you’re done with Horikiri Iris Garden, I recommend walking towards the Horikiri-Shobu Watergate and along to Horikiri Waterside Park, located on the narrow embankment squeezed between the Ayase and Arakawa Rivers. This park also has its own little bed of irises, and it has a clear view of Tokyo Skytree in the distance. During iris season, it almost looks like Skytree is just another of the lively green iris buds poking up out of the ground. It’s a great place to take some unique Tokyo pictures!

The Arakawa River embankment has always been one of my favorite places in Tokyo. Not only does it look like the broad riverside embankments that frequently serve as backdrops in Japanese dramas, but I’ve lived in this general area ever since I moved to Tokyo some years back. To me, this green riverbank is a symbol of Tokyo.

If you’re planning an early-summer trip to Tokyo and you want to enjoy Japan’s traditional flower viewing culture, a few hours enjoying the flowers in and around the Horikiri Iris Garden is the perfect way to spend a morning in late May or June. For the other half of the day, I recommend heading over to nearby Shibamata, a quaint shopping and entertainment district with a famous temple, and another of Katsushika Ward’s few noteworthy attractions. The retro atmosphere is so distinctive that fans of old Japanese films may even recognize the area as the setting for the popular movie series “Otoko wa Tsurai yo” (男はつらいよ)! If you do want to spend your day in the area, I recommend picking up a Shitamachi Biyori Ticket (下町日和きっぷ) from Keisei Railways for 510 yen, for a much better deal on local travel.

2024 Katsushika Iris Festival (葛飾菖蒲まつり)
Event Dates: May 27 ~ June 16
Horikiri Iris Garden Admission: Free!
Horikiri Iris Garden Special Event Hours: 8:00 – 18:00
Horikiri Iris Garden Evening Light Display: June 7~8, 19:00 – 21:00
*The garden will be closed from 18:00 to 19:00 for light show preparations.
Official Website (jp)
▶︎ More Katsushika Iris Festival event details in English.