Sankeien is a Japanese garden that has a history over 110 years. It is located in the Honmoku area, in the suburbs of Yokohama City’s Naka Ward.

It is a space full of nature and surrounded by hills, and it houses 17 historical buildings, gathered from places such as Kyoto and Kamakura, giving the place an ancient city feel. The seasonal flowers are also one of the garden’s attractions, and now is precisely the time that Japanese Irises are reaching their peak.

Sankeien’s Japanese irises are planted in the green surrounding a big pond, and bloom as if decorating the pond onto which the three storey pagoda on the hill is reflected. At the beginning of June, the blooms are predominantly deep purple, while towards the middle of June, light purple, pink, and white flowers start to bloom.

From Monday 10th - Sunday 16th June, the Japanese Iris Exhibition will be held in the outdoor exhibition cabin. Visitors will be able to see potted irises nurtured by amateur growers.

The Japanese iris is an iridaceous plant that is well known abroad too. It comes in lots of horticultural varieties, and in Japan, many species were created in around 1850, in the latter half of the Edo Period. At Sankeien’s Japanese Iris Exhibition, there are precious species that have been passed down from olden times, as well as new creations resulting from modifications in recent years. The flowers bloom for just 1-2 days, so during the exhibition, the irises are swapped out daily so that 40-50 carefully selected flowers are displayed.

Please don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy the traditional Japanese flower at Sankeien, the Japanese Garden that represents Yokohama.

The Japanese Iris Exhibition will run from Monday 10th - Sunday 16th June. Sankeien opens at 9am, but opening hours for the Japanese Iris Exhibition are from 10am - 4pm.

For enquiries, call Sankeien on 045-621-0635.