Mito: Gardens, Tradition and Spring Blossoms

Throughout Japan, the blossoms of the ume plum trees signal the end of winter and herald the beginning of spring. The Kairakuen Garden in Mito, long considered one of the Japan's three greatest gardens, is famous for its many ume trees — about 3,000 in all, of 100 different varieties. The garden was laid out in 1842 by Tokugawa Nariaki, the head of the Mito Clan. A dark forest road leads to spacious groves of ume trees: this contrast reflects the traditional concepts of yin and yang. The Mito Lord was particularly fond of ume blossoms, as they withstand the cold of mid-winter and act as a harbinger of spring. The Hitachi Seaside Park, not far from Mito, is another place that is famous for its flowers. Here you can find many different kinds of plants in bloom, year-round.