Kawachi Wisteria Garden

The garden is private, opened in 1977 by one family on a hillside above Kitakyushu, and it is built around two tunnels of trained wisteria - about 80 and 110 metres long - in which the racemes hang down through the frame overhead in graded colours from white through pink to deep violet. There is also a dome of wisteria and a viewing platform above the whole planting. It was a local place until photographs of the tunnels circulated internationally, after which the numbers became unmanageable for a family operation on a narrow lane; the response was a strict advance ticket system with dated, timed entry, sold before travel and not available at the gate in season. Prices vary with how far the bloom has come. The garden also opens for maples in late November on the same terms. Going without a ticket means being turned away.

What's there

• Two trained tunnels - about 80 and 110 metres, racemes hanging through the frame.
• Graded colours - white through pink to deep violet along the length.
• A private family planting - opened in 1977 on a hillside above the city.
• Advance-only entry - dated timed tickets bought before travel, none sold at the gate.

When to go

Late April to early May for wisteria; late November for maples. Two hours.

Things to know

Tickets must be bought in advance and sell out - arriving without one means no entry. Bloom timing shifts and a ticket bought weeks ahead may fall outside the peak. The lane up is narrow with very limited parking. It is a short visit for a considerable effort.

Nearby

Kitakyushu is north; Mojiko Retro is beyond it on the strait.

Key facts