Yokosuka Iris Garden

Yes, it is June and time for the Iris to bloom again. With covid, we are limited to where and what we can do until it is under control. There are many outdoor events that only require masks, social distancing, and limited attendance.

The Yokosuka Shobuen Iris Garden is one of the largest in Japan, featuring 400 varieties and over 140,000 blooms on display covering 9.4 acres.

This is my eighth year to visit and I will say the most colorful so far. We arrived close to opening time and with only a handful of people essentially had the garden to ourselves.

We usually begin our tour at the boardwalks heading to the back and up to where the wisteria bloom in April. There are some excellent overhead views and if you continue along the walkway you will come to an observatory, great for taking pictures. Walk on down the steps to another Iris Garden with a working water wheel. All along the pathways are blue, purple, pink, red, and white hydrangea, giving the garden a bright picturesque manner.

On Sundays in June during the Iris festival you may be fortunate to witness a concert featuring the 13 string Koto, the national instrument of Japan.

We did visit back in April to see the Wisteria and they were not only beautiful, but their scent gave off a sweet aroma. There are 11 types with 250 plants and the Rhododendron were also starting to bloom.

Yokosuka Iris Garden is a short train/bus ride and a beautiful “sight for sore eyes”, during these trying times.

We always walk from Kinugasa Station for the exercise, but there is a bus that goes directly to the garden.