Plum Blossoms: The Best Early Spring Flower

Plum blossoms in Japan are truly beautiful. If you are considering a trip to Japan during the late-April cherry blossom season, you may want to think about visiting in mid-February instead for Ume Matsuri, the traditional plum blossom festival. Choosing this earlier season can allow you to experience Japan with fewer crowds and potentially avoid the high prices associated with peak cherry blossom travel. Hanami, the traditional Japanese practice of viewing seasonal flowers, includes both plum and cherry blossoms.

Ume flowers can appear in shades of white, pink, and deep red, and they generally have a stronger fragrance than cherry blossoms. Plum trees flower before cherry trees, making their blossoms one of the early signs that spring is approaching. During Ume Matsuri, visitors can experience elements of Japanese culture such as tea ceremonies and musical performances.

Quiet plum groves, parks, and temple grounds decorated with flowering ume trees can also provide a peaceful setting for enjoying the season. Although plum blossoms receive less international attention than cherry blossoms, they create a distinctive and equally memorable experience that is worth considering when planning a trip to Japan.

What Are Plum Blossoms?

It may be surprising to learn that hanami, as it is widely practiced today, is a relatively recent tradition. During Japan’s Heian period, which lasted from 794 to 1185 CE, cherry trees gradually became accessible to ordinary people. Before then, these highly prized trees and their pale pink flowers were regarded as a luxury enjoyed primarily by the nobility. The upper classes deliberately maintained exclusive access to them, limiting their appreciation to members of elite society.

This does not mean that seasonal flower viewing was restricted entirely to the aristocracy before the Heian period or before cherry trees became widespread. The flowering of ume trees was already an important indication that spring had arrived. Plum trees were introduced to Japan from China during the Nara period, which lasted from 710 to 784 CE. Their richly colored flowers eventually inspired the development of ume matsuri, or plum blossom festivals.

The two flowering trees differ not only in their historical associations but also in the timing and appearance of their blooms. Cherry trees generally flower in late April, producing clusters of soft pink blossoms that emerge along the main branches.

Plum trees, by contrast, produce darker pink flowers that grow individually from sections directly along the branches. Their blossoms can begin appearing as early as February. Because they emerge so early in the year, plum flowers have come to represent the beginning of spring and, in a more symbolic sense, hope and determination in the face of difficult circumstances.

Symbolism

The meaning associated with plum blossoms carries a deeply respected place in Japanese culture and has played an important role in traditional poetry and art. Before Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar, the word ume was associated with the early spring season and appeared frequently in traditional artistic forms, including haiku and other types of poetry.

The importance of plum blossoms extends well beyond poetic imagery. Ume flowers appear in traditional Japanese paintings, feature prominently as decorative patterns on kimonos, and even form an entire suit in the Japanese card game Hanafuda, which dates to the 19th century.

Plum Blossom Viewing in Contemporary Japan

With the history of ume matsuri in mind and an understanding of when Japanese plum trees reach full bloom, the next question is where to experience them. Fortunately, visitors have numerous choices throughout Japan, ranging from historic gardens in major cities to more distant cultural sites.

In Tokyo, one well-known urban destination for Ume Matsuri is the Japanese Garden at Koishikawa Korakuen. The garden is less than 20 minutes by train from the Imperial Palace and contains approximately 150 ume trees. Dating back to Japan’s Edo Period, from 1603 to 1868 CE, the garden has long provided a peaceful place to enjoy plum blossoms away from the activity of the surrounding city.

For travelers who are willing to venture farther from Tokyo and are interested in experiencing Japan through its historical landscapes, Kairakuen Gardens in Ibaraki Prefecture are another notable destination. The gardens can be reached in roughly two hours by train from Tokyo Station. More than 3,000 ume trees grow there, and Kairakuen is recognized as one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan.

For visitors looking for a more adventurous and less conventional experience, Fukuoka Prefecture is home to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine. The Shinto shrine was established in 905 CE, and its grounds contain more than 6,000 ume trees representing 167 different varieties. For those interested in both plum blossoms and Japanese historical traditions, this destination offers an especially immersive Ume Matsuri experience.

Many people who dream of traveling to Japan are already familiar with cherry blossoms and the traditions surrounding them. Exploring the less celebrated world of ume blossoms, however, reveals an earlier spring season filled with beautiful flowers and centuries of cultural meaning.