King of the Hundred Flowers

Although many people think of peonies as spring time flowers, there are a few varieties that are winter blooming.  No matter the season, I love the big blossoms.  They put a smile on my face that lasts for a very long time.

Today we headed out to Ueno Park to attend the Wintertime  Peony Blossom Festival at Ueno Toshogu Shrine.  I had previously seen signs for the event, but never at the right time of year.  My husband had the day off from work (it was a federal holiday - National Foundation Day), plus it was sunny, so it was the perfect day to go.

We bought our tickets at a window in the train station.  Although I thought it was strange, we ended up spending ¥100 less per ticket because they sell at the group ticket price, meaning our tickets were ¥600 ($5.50 USD) instead of ¥700.  It was a small price to pay for a lovely experience.  There was hardly anyone inside, so my family was able to leisurely walk up and down the paths gazing at the pink, white, and yellow flowers.

I made up a reason for the little straw "hats" and "skirts" for my son (but it seemed pretty legit to me) that they are to protect the blooms from the winter weather.  Sounded good to me and my son bought it.

It was a  beautiful afternoon.  I loved sitting on the benches placed throughout the garden.  While it wasn't exactly lush, the blooms were breathtaking.