Spring in Mito starts with plum blossoms! The 130th Anniversary Mito Plum Blossom Festival: Mito, Japan

  • Ibaraki
  • Sightseeing
Mito's plum blossoms herald the arrival of spring
From February 11 (Wed., national holiday) to March 22 (Sun.), 2026, the "130th Anniversary Mito Plum Blossom Festival" will be held at Kairakuen Garden and Koudoukan in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture. This historic plum festival will be held at Kairakuen, where 3,000 plum trees of about 100 varieties are planted in the vast garden, and at Koudoukan, a national important cultural property with 800 plum trees of about 60 varieties. Since there are various varieties of ume in Kairakuen, visitors can enjoy viewing the ume over a long period of time as "early bloomers," "mid-bloomers," and "late bloomers.

Kairakuen is one of the three most famous gardens in Japan, along with Kanazawa's Kenrokuen Garden and Okayama's Korakuen Garden.

Kairakuen was built in July 1842 by Nariaki Tokugawa, the 9th lord of the Mito Domain. The name "Kairakuen" is derived from a passage in the Chinese classic "Mencius," which states, "Ancient people enjoyed themselves with their own people, and therefore enjoyed themselves very much. In creating the garden, Nariaki designed the Kairakuen as a pair of educational facilities, with Koudoukan, the domain school, as a place for study and training, and Kairakuen as a place for rest. The "Kobun-tei" in Kairakuen is said to have been designed by Nariaki himself, from its location to its design.
Starting with the "Mito Plum Festival" from mid-February to March, cherry blossoms, azaleas, hagi in the fall, and cherry blossoms in two seasons in early winter bring the seasons to life.
Kairakuen Garden
Mito Ume Festival Information [Mito Convention & Visitors Association]

Koudoukan, one of Japan's largest former domain schools

Kodokan was founded in August 1841 by Nariaki Tokugawa, the 9th lord of the Mito Domain, as a domain school of the Mito Domain, and was the largest domain school in Japan at the time. In order to train feudal warriors in both the literary and military arts, the school adopted a wide range of studies, including Confucianism, history, martial arts, medicine, astronomy, and Dutch studies, making it what could be called a university. The 15th Tokugawa Shogun, Yoshinobu Tokugawa, also followed his father Nariaki's strict educational policy and was educated at Koudoukan from the age of five. The Shizen-do Hall, where he was confined to house arrest after the restoration of the Taiseihokan in 1867, still remains today. Koudoukan is designated as a special national historic site, and three parts of the building, the main building, Shizen-do, and the main gate, which have survived many battles, are designated as important cultural properties. The main hall, Shocho, Shizen-do, and the main gate are designated as Important Cultural Properties. 800 plum trees of about 60 varieties are planted here, and together with Kairakuen, it is a famous place for plum blossoms.

Koudoukan

Light-up events are held at Kairakuen! Kairakuen UME The Lights 2026

At Kairakuen UME The Lights 2026, visitors can enjoy the "world view of yin and yang" that the founder of Kairakuen, Nariaki Tokugawa, the 9th lord of the Mito Domain, had in mind for Kairakuen, through a fantastic production. Gourmet foods using ume (Japanese apricot), which can only be enjoyed here, are also a night event unique to the ume viewing season. The Kodokan will also host "Night, Ume, Festival 2026 - Mito Castle," where visitors can enjoy a fantastic nighttime ume viewing experience. Many other events will also be held, including an outdoor tea ceremony and the "National Umeshu Festival in Mito 2026," a plum wine festival that will bring together plum wine from all over Japan. Volunteer guides are available at Kairakuen Garden and Koudoukan to show visitors the sights in an easy-to-understand manner.
Night, Ume, Festival 2026 - Mito Castle
[Date] Saturday, March 7
[Time] 17:00 - 20:00
[Location] Kodokan, Ruins of Mito Castle
Kairakuen UME The Lights2026
[Date] Friday, February 13 to Sunday, March 15 (Fri. - Sun.) (Saturday, Sunday and national holidays only)
[Time] 18:00 - 20:30 (last admission 20:00)
[Venue] Kairakuen Garden Main Park
For more information about "Kairakuen UME The Lights (Ume The Lights) 2026"

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