Ueno Toshogu Shrine, located within Ueno Park in Taito City, Tokyo, and dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, Tokugawa Yoshimune, and Tokugawa Yoshinobu, will hold "Autumn Garden Woven With Dahlias," a special festival at its Peony Garden, from Saturday, September 19 to Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
The festival draws large crowds each year, with roughly 20,000 visitors attending last year.
The garden will display over 120 varieties and 200 plants of dahlias, including Akita Prefecture's original "NAMAHAGE Dahlia" series, with blooms varying in color, shape, and flowering style bringing color to the autumn garden. Early-blooming dahlias can be enjoyed from the start of the festival, and the garden's dahlias are expected to reach their peak in mid-October, as the summer heat eases.
Bloom updates will be shared daily on the garden's official Instagram.
Akita Prefecture's Original "NAMAHAGE Dahlia" Series
"NAMAHAGE Dahlia" is a dahlia variety series originally developed in Akita Prefecture, first introduced in 2012. New varieties are added every year, and more than 40 varieties now exist. The garden will display around 10 of these varieties.
NAMAHAGE Cheek
Dahlias in a Range of Forms
Dahlias are a bulbous plant of the daisy family native to Mexico, introduced to Japan during the Edo period. Because their blooms resemble peonies, they are also known in Japan by the name "tenjiku-botan."
Here are some of the varieties on display:
Ukigokoro (浮気心): A rare variety whose blooms mix deep red, pink, and white in a whimsical pattern.
Kokucho (黒蝶): A popular variety known for its deep red color tinged with black.
Mary Evelyn: A variety with evenly arranged petals, with smaller petals layered inside.
Also on display for the first time at the garden are:
- Oh-suisho (giant bloom, formal decorative type)
- Kisei (medium-to-large bloom, semi-cactus type)
- Moco Purple (small bloom, anemone type)
Note: Depending on growing conditions, some varieties may not be viewable.
Autumn Scenery Alongside the Dahlias
Visitors can view the dahlias amid the Peony Garden's distinctive scenery, including displays featuring Japanese umbrellas and views of the former Kan'ei-ji Five-Story Pagoda.
Last year's scene
Dahlias and the five-story pagoda
Photo Spots
Seasonal decorative displays, potted arrangements, and bonsai will be set up throughout the garden alongside the dahlias and other flowers, giving visitors the chance to take autumn-themed photos throughout the grounds.
Seasonal decorations
Autumn Flowers Blooming Alongside the Dahlias
In addition to dahlias, the garden will see flowers such as waremokou (burnet), fujibakama (boneset), and cosmos bloom in succession, letting visitors enjoy a range of autumn flowers alongside the dahlias.
Waremokou
Fujibakama
Cosmos
A Message From the Peony Garden's Director
In preparation for "Autumn Garden Woven With Dahlias," the garden's staff have been tending to the dahlias and other seasonal flowers.
This year, too, vividly colored dahlias will bloom in succession, each variety with its own distinct color and shape.
Visitors are invited to take their time enjoying the garden this season, amid the autumn flowers and the Edo-period atmosphere of the grounds.
— Shingo Ono, Director, Ueno Toshogu Peony Garden
Event Overview
- Event: Ueno Toshogu Peony Garden Special Festival: Autumn Garden Woven With Dahlias
- Dates: Saturday, September 19 to Tuesday, November 3, 2026 (open every day during the festival)
- Hours: 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM (last entry)
- Admission: Adults (junior high school age and up): ¥800; season pass: ¥2,000; elementary school age and under: free
- Organizer: Ueno Tourism Federation (a general incorporated association); support: Taito City
- Address: 9-88 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0007
- Phone: 03-3822-3575 (Peony Garden)
- Access: 5-minute walk from the Park Exit of JR Ueno Station; 5-minute walk from the Ikenohata Exit of Keisei Ueno Station (Keisei Electric Railway); 10-minute walk from Exit 2 of Nezu Station (Tokyo Metro)
About Ueno Toshogu Peony Garden
Ueno Toshogu Peony Garden is located within the grounds of Ueno Toshogu Shrine, dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, and opened in April 1980 to commemorate friendship between Japan and China. The circuit-style Japanese garden is planted with peonies, currently growing 110 varieties and 500 plants in spring and 40 varieties and 160 plants in winter. In autumn, the garden also displays around 120 varieties and 200 plants of dahlias (also known as tenjiku-botan), offering seasonal flowers throughout the year.
Located in central Tokyo yet surrounded by the greenery of Ueno, the garden invites visitors to enjoy its Edo-period atmosphere at a relaxed pace.
Official Website: https://uenobotanen.com/
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utbotanen_official/
