51st Mito Hydrangea Festival, Mito, Ibaraki
From June 7 (Sat.) to 29 (Sun.), hydrangeas will color Mito’s early summer at Houwaen, a garden famous for its hydrangeas, and other nearby historical sites such as Mito Hachimangu Shrine, Keiganji Temple, Atago Shrine, Atagoyama Tumulus, and Gionji Temple. The Howa-en Garden will be a lively event with special photo spots, live performances, hydrangea lighting, food and beverage booths, and even a marché.
| Holding period | Saturday, June 7 – Sunday, June 29, 2025 |
| Opening Hours | all day |
| admission fee | free |
| Location | Houwaen 13-19 Matsumoto-cho, Mito, Ibaraki Mito Hachimangu Shrine 8-54 Hachiman-cho, Mito, Ibaraki Keiganji Temple *Adjacent to Houwaen Atago Shrine and Atagoyama Tomb 10-5 Atago-cho, Mito, Ibaraki Gionji Temple 11-69 Hachiman-cho, Mito, Ibaraki |
| Access | *Access to Houwaen 【Train/Bus】 JR “Mito Station” North Exit, platform 7 → Bus bound for Ibaradai/Watari via Sakae-machi, approx. 15 minutes → “Houwaen Iriguchi” stop, approx. 3 minutes walk 【Car】 |
Outline of the 51st Mito Hydrangea Festival
The “Mito Hydrangea Festival” is a festival held at the Houwa-en Garden and surrounding historic sites located in the “Romantic Zone,” an area of historical sites and beauty in the northwestern part of the city. The Hohwa-en Garden, named Hohwa-en by Mitsukuni Tokugawa, a.k.a. Mito Komon, is a purely Japanese garden with 6,000 hydrangeas of 100 varieties, including Western hydrangeas and Gaku hydrangeas, decorating the garden.
At Mito Hachimangu Shrine, about 60 varieties and 5,000 plants, ranging from Hanagasa and Shirofuji varieties, which are at their best in late May, to Mizunazuki, which blooms through August, will be in full bloom for a long time against the backdrop of the main shrine, a nationally designated Important Cultural Property.
In addition, visitors can enjoy an early-summer stroll through history at Keiganji Temple near Howaen, Atago Shrine including the Atagoyama burial mound, and Gionji Temple, which is associated with Mitsukuni Tokugawa. The Houwa-en area will also be the site of a variety of events, including live music, a marché, food and drink booths, a photo contest, a corner for growing hydrangeas, and the sale of sweets made in collaboration with local high school students and a nearby Japanese confectionery store. On Saturdays and Sundays from 19:00 to 21:00, the Houwa-en Garden will be illuminated to create a fantastic night view. This is an early summer festival where you can fully enjoy flowers, history, and a variety of events.
- Purely Japanese garden in Houwaen. A garden loved by Mitsukuni Tokugawa. About 6,000 Western and Gaku hydrangeas of about 100 varieties are in full bloom. On weekends, the garden is illuminated!
- Mito Hachimangu Shrine, one of Ibaraki’s 100 most scenic spots, is a must-see hydrangea viewing spot, as is the main shrine, an important cultural property designated by the national government.
- Keiganji Temple, Atago Shrine (ancient burial mound) and Gionji Temple adjacent to Houwaen also have beautiful hydrangeas. Let’s enjoy the history of Mito and early summer by visiting all of them at once.
- Don’t forget to stay hydrated. Comfortable clothing is also important, especially when visiting historical sites, as you will be walking.
- Houwaen has a lot of mosquitoes, so it is a good idea to bring insect repellant.
Contents may be suspended or changed due to weather or other reasons.
Please check the official website and official X for the latest information before visiting.
For more information, please visit the official website