Hana-Shobu Japanese irises, which have been improved since the Edo period, are also known as Ayame.

Hana-Shobu coming into flower in the rainy season in June, is loved as a representative flower of Japan together with cherry blossoms and chrysanthemums. Based on the native species in the Tohoku Region, they strived to improved them in Edo, present Tokyo, in the 17th -19th century.\, and the improvement is still ongoing. Consequently, there are about 5,000 varieties from four different groups, such as Edo group (Tokyo), Ise group(Mie), Higo group(Kumamoto) and Nagai native species(Yamagata). They, nowadays, are tackling the improvement with non-Japanese species. There are more than 60 shobuen iris gardens in Japan, which are packed with many visitors in the rainy season. The beautiful hana-shobu Japanese irises are found in Horikiri Shobuen garden in Tokyo, which has appeared frequently in ukiyo-e woodblock printing and a variety of writings since the Edo period.

Licensed tour guide, travel consultant,

Masahisa Takaki.

全国通訳案内士　高木聖久。