Stunning red azalea forest oasis
A vibrant, enchanting forest oasis adorned with a stunning carpet of red azalea blooms.

Kinchakuda’s Spider Lilies

For a few days in early autumn, a sea of scarlet-red flowers stretches as far as the eye can see. Welcome to Kinchakuda Park!

Kinchakuda Manjushage Park
Kinchakuda Manjushage Park

Kinchakuda Park

Kinchakuda Manjushage Park is in Saitama prefecture, close to Tokyo. Its 22 hectares are covered with fields of rapeseed flowers, cosmos and the famous red spider lilies in their scarlet robes, known locally as manjushage.

The park’s name comes from its unusual “U” shape that suggests the kinchaku: a traditional drawstring bag for carrying around loose change.

Kinchakuda Manjushage Park
Kinchakuda Manjushage Park

In the 700s refugees from the Korean kingdom of Goguryeo settled in the peninsula. The fertile, flat land on the banks of the Koma River was perfect for growing rice.

These crops have gradually been abandoned in modern times, but spider lilies (common name higanbana, after autumnal Buddhist holiday) began to emerge in the 1960s. The flowers are treasured by local people, and a park was opened for the benefit of the general public.

Kinchakuda Manjushage Park
Kinchakuda Manjushage Park

With its 5 million flowers, Kinchakuda Manjushage Park now has the largest collection of red spider lilies in Japan.

In 2017 the park even had a visit from their majesties the Japanese Emperor and Empress, who made a private trip to admire the red flowers. Such is the popularity of the place!

Red spider lilies

Red spider lilies, scientific name Lycoris radiata, bloom from mid-September to early October. Their flowering coincides with the beginning of autumn and the start of the hunt for Momiji (autumn foliage of red maple tree).

Kinchakuda Manjushage Park
Kinchakuda Manjushage Park

They are distinguished by their peculiar silhouette that looks like an upside-down spider. Not recommended for arachnophobes! But this is above all a toxic plant, sometimes called “death flower” because of its poisonous bulbs.

This toxicity is also partly why higanbana is closely associated with death in the cultures of Japan and other Asian countries. As a Buddhist metaphor for death, the lily is often found in cemeteries and at funerals.

Kinchakuda Manjushage Park
Kinchakuda Manjushage Park

Pop culture also uses it as a metaphor. In manga and anime, the appearance of a red lily often signals the forthcoming end of a character!

Kinchakuda Red Lily Festival

In correlation with the flowering of red Lycoris, Hidaka city organizes a festival from mid to late September. After two years pause due to Covid, the festival relaunched in 2022.

Features include food stalls, local products and crafters installed among the spider lilies. There’s also the occasional traditional Japanese monkey performance: saruwamashi 

Kinchakuda Manjushage Park
Kinchakuda Manjushage Park

And for more awesome content about Japan, follow Jordy Meow on Instagram ! 🎵

Who Am I

Jordy Meow
This is me!

I am Jordy Meow, a French photographer based in Tokyo. I explore offbeat places in Japan.

Instagram

Turquoise whispers, Snow embraces sandy shore — Winter's canvas speaks.ターコイズの囁き、 雪が砂浜を包む — 冬のキャンバスが語る。#tottorisanddunes #winterbeach #uniquescenes #japaneselandscape #offbeatjapan #japan #travelphotography #serenitynow
Turquoise waves clash with gray sentinels of concrete— nature's dance with man. 青波が 灰色の守り手と舞う— 自然と人の踊り。#oceanview #tetrapods #seawall #coastaldefense #offbeatjapan #japan #natureandman #aerialphotography
Torii floats on dreams, Lily pads whisper secrets, Sky meets sacred calm. 鳥居は夢に浮かび、 蓮の葉が囁く秘密、 空は神聖な静けさと出会う。 #ToriiReflections #WaterWhispers #SacredCalm #EtherealNature #JapanScenes #OffbeatJapan #Japan
Under soft light's glow, Textures whisper stories here— Night swallows the day. 光の下、 話す質感、夜— 昼を飲み込む。 #yokocho #urbanjapan #moodyvibes #japanstreets #nightscapes #offbeatjapan #japan
Cherry blooms whisper On the island of stillness, Mist holds nature's breath. 桜が囁く 静けさの島で 霧が息を呑む #offbeatjapan #japan #sakura #cherryblossom #naturelovers #serenity #reflections #dreamscape
Cool blue pool of dreams Framed by fiery autumn hues, Silent whispers merge. 静かな青い夢のプール 燃える秋色に縁取られ、 静かなささやきが交わる。 #offbeatjapan #japan #haiku #abandonedbeauty #autumnvibes #hiddenarchitectures #naturecontrast
Blue night whispers here, Red lights dance with signs aglow, Takoyaki dreams.  青い夜ささやく 赤い光舞う 看板は輝く たこ焼きの夢  #offbeatjapan #japan #takoyaki #japanstreetnight #urbanserenity #neonnights #suburbansoil #quietstreets
Worn stones tell stories, Ancient gate meets cityscape— Tradition whispers. 石畳 古門で都市会う 伝統囁く #offbeatjapan #japan #traditionandmodernity #cityscape #serenity #ancientarchitecture #urbanblend