Irises, hydrangeas, and even lotus! Futami Shobu Romantic Forest is in full bloom this coming season.
掲載日：2024.05.29
Matsushita Shrine in Futami-cho, IseCity is a shrine where the myth of Somin Shorai, a god of warding off evil, remains.
In the Ise-Shima region, the custom of displaying a shimenawa with a wooden tag bearing the words "Somin Shorai Descendants Family Mon" at the entrance of the house all year round is still practiced today.
The Futami Iris Romantic Forest, which spreads out next to the Matsushita Shrine, will be in full bloom in the coming season.
So, we'll introduce you to some highlights and recommended spots to see the flowers!
The irises are in full bloom from early June
The approximately 1.1 hectare site is crisscrossed with walking paths, and around 40,000 irises of over 100 varieties bloom one after another.
The best time to see the irises is from early to mid-June, and the best time to see them is in the morning.
There are wooden plaques with the names of the flowers written on them next to the irises, so you can have fun finding your favorite variety.
Take your time to enjoy the vivid colors, such as purple, white, pink, and yellow, the delicate patterns, and the differences in the size and thickness of the petals.
There is also a gazebo, so please feel free to use it to take a break during your walk.
Hydrangeas also bloom at the same time as the irises.
Hydrangeas also bloom at the same time as the irises.
Many hydrangeas are planted along the waterways that run through the park.
Hydrangeas come in a variety of vibrant colours, from purple to blue, white and pink, and the sepals (what you think are petals are actually the sepals!) vary in size and shape, so you'll never get bored of looking at them.
If you go after the rain, the flowers look even more vibrant, so it's actually recommended to go on a cool day.
Lotus flowers start blooming in late June
From late June, after the best viewing time for irises and hydrangeas has passed, the lotus flowers begin to bloom.
The "Oga lotus," known as an ancient lotus, is a particular specialty, and its bright pink flowers catch the eye of all who see them.
The lotus flowers only bloom from early morning until mid-morning, so make sure you get up early to see them.
You can also see fireflies at the same time.
We all want to protect the beautiful environment in which fireflies dance.
Get local specialties at the farm store "Minwa no Eki Somin"
After viewing the flowers, we recommend you visit the neighboring Folktale Station Somin.
This is a facility beloved by locals as a direct sales center selling agricultural and marine products from Futami Town and the surrounding area.
Among these, extremely fresh seafood such as fish, shellfish, and seaweed are particularly popular, and whole fish that you won't find in supermarkets are sold here.
The rice cakes made in the processing plant on the premises are also popular, with sweet bean paste rice cakes, kinako rice cakes, red rice, and steamed rice being produced every day.
Mochi is a very popular item that sells out almost every day, so if you want to get some, be sure to come early.
Even if you just want to look at the flowers, you can use the parking lot and toilets.
●Futami Shobu Romantic Forest
■Place
1163 Matsushita, Futami-cho IseCity
■ Admission fee
free
■Access
[Private car]
Approximately 4 minutes by car from "Futami IC" on the Ise Futami Toba Line
【public transport】
Approximately 7 minutes walk from JR Matsushita Station