The people of the Edo period incorporated the abundant nature around them into their daily lives for fun and relaxation. Flower viewing, in particular, was one of their biggest pleasures. In addition to popular sites for cherry blossom viewing created by the shogun such as at the Kan’ei-ji temple and the Asukayama area, numerous flower gardens were created for commoners close enough to walk to and visit on a day trip to see Japanese apricots, tree peonies, azaleas, Japanese irises, chrysanthemums, and maples, including at shrines and temples and grounds owned by gardeners. Both those with a specific interest in horticulture and those without enjoyed flower viewing year round in Edo.
Today, when people think of flower viewing they think of cherry blossom viewing parties in spring, but the Edo custom of enjoying flowers throughout the year is almost unheard of in other nations and can be said to be a unique aspect of Japanese culture.
Spring Japanese flowering apricot, camellia, peach, higan cherry, cherry, Asian pear, kerria, Fuji dawn, primrose
Summer Wisteria, azalea, toad lily, tree peony, chinaberry, rabbitear iris, bridal wreath, Persian silk tree, lotus
Autumn Morning glory, the seven flowers of autumn, Japanese clover, chrysanthemum, autumn foliage
Winter Winter chrysanthemum, daffodil, winter flowering Japanese apricot, sasanqua, tea plant camellia, pine, etc.
Japanese apricot (Umeyashiki [Kameido, Kamata], Shin-umeyashiki [Mukojima-Hyakkaen Garden])
Cherry blossom (Kan’ei-ji temple, Asukayama/Sumida-zutsumi, Koganei-zutsumi)
Wisteria (Kameido Tenjin Shrine)
Azalea (the Gardener of Komagome [Ito Ihei], Gokoku-ji temple)
Japanese iris (Kodaka Garden, Horikiri Iris Garden)
