Wisteria in Ushijima, Special Natural Monument in Kasukabe, Japan
Wisteria in Ushijima is a giant wisteria plant in Kasukabe, Japan, growing over a series of wooden support frames that spread across a wide area of the garden. Its long flower clusters hang downward from the frames, creating a canopy of blue-purple blooms in late spring.
The plant was established on the grounds of a temple during the late Edo period and has grown on the same site ever since. It was designated a Special Natural Monument in 1955, giving it formal protection under Japanese law.
The wisteria has long been associated with healing in local belief, and this feeling is still present when you walk through the grounds. The site retains the mood of a temple garden, and many visitors come as much for the setting as for the flowers themselves.
The site is about a 10-minute walk from Fujino-ushijima Station and can also be reached by car. The best time to visit is from late April to early May, when the flowers are in full bloom.
The trunk has a circumference of around 9 meters, which is striking even by the standards of old trees. The plant is estimated to be over 1,200 years old, placing it among the oldest known wisteria plants in the world.
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