Fields of irises bloom at Chiba botanical garden

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:02 JST, June 17, 2022

Tourists enjoy purple and white Japanese irises in full bloom from a boat at Suigo Sawara Ayame Park in Katori, Chiba Prefecture, on Thursday. The 8-hectare botanical garden is home to about 1.5 million Japanese irises, or nearly 400 varieties. Visitors can enjoy the blossoms from a small boat christened “Sappa.” Due to an abundance of rain and a streak of cool days, the flowering season came a week later than usual this year, so visitors can enjoy the flowers until the end of next week, according to the park. A 68-year-old full-time homemaker and Chiba resident smiled as she said, “From Sappa, I was able to see the flowers up close and take many impressive photos.”