This is my favorite time of year, when the wisteria sweeps onto the seasonal stage, full of fragrance and old-world charm.  Wisteria is the grande dame of flowers: rich, opulent, and unapologetic. Tenacious and bold, she is lovely to behold, but if left to her own devices, she will conquer everything, including the yard and house.  In some parts of the U.S., wisteria is considered an invasive and dangerous species, ranking up there with bamboo.  What sad places these must be.

Fortunately, in Japan, one can enjoy this beautiful tree in its natural habitat.  The Japanese celebrate wisteria almost to the same fevered pitch as the sakura, with Wisteria Festivals (藤まつり) in almost every prefecture. At the Wisteria Festival in Ashikagawa flower park, one can even try the wisteria ice cream.  Closer to home, the Kameido Tenjin Shrine  is known as the best place in Tokyo to view the wisteria.  

From mid-April until the first week of May when the wisteria begin to bloom, the shrine plays host to its own matsuri.  Vendors tout the usual festival foods--yakisoba, yakiniku, okonomiyaki, fried donuts, etc. beneath the iridescent flowers.  Today it rained, so the vendors were not there.  It was too bad because I was looking forward to buying candied kumquats (a household favorite). On the bright side, the shrine grounds were not so crowded and a few perfectly placed people snaps could be had.

The shrine grounds are beautifully maintained, complete with koi pond, red bridges, and of course, a turtle fountain.

Wishes and prayers are written on strips of paper and tied to lines on the temple grounds.

The blooms are just getting started. I imagine within the next week or two, they will be at their radiant heights.  The shrine is easy to get to from the Kameido station, just follow the purple wisteria flags.