Hello, fellow travel lovers!
This time, I visited a hidden wisteria spot in Saitama—Chōsenji Temple (Kotsuhata no Fuji).
To be honest… it was my first time really taking my time to admire wisteria 🤣
When I searched “I want to see wisteria properly,” the two places that came up were Ashikaga Flower Park and here.
So this time, I chose the one I hadn’t been to yet.
No crowds, and I could enjoy it at a relaxed pace—perfect! 👍
🌿 Excitement starts even before entering the temple!
A wisteria trellis welcomes you right at the entrance 💜
The little Jizō statues with red hats and the blooming satsuki flowers are just too cute…!
By the way, the entrance fee varies depending on the season— it was 600 yen during peak bloom.
🌸 The scent of wisteria… and that buzzing sound
The first thing that surprised me… the fragrance!
Much stronger than expected—not just a soft hint, but a bold, noticeable presence.
And then, another main character appears…
👉 BUZZZZ!!
Large black creatures hovering with a loud sound…
… and quite a lot of them 💦
At first, I thought, “Are those flying black cashew nuts!? 😱” (lol)
But when I looked closely, they were completely focused on collecting nectar and showed no interest in attacking.
Later, I found out they were carpenter bees! 🐝
👉 Conclusion: They’re harder workers than humans 🤣
🌼 Stunning! 650-year-old wisteria and white wisteria
The highlight here is definitely…
👉👉 The 650-year-old “Kotsuhata no Fuji”
Super long, and hanging low—that’s its signature look.
Some strands can grow up to 1.5 meters!
Since it wasn’t full bloom yet, I didn’t have to crouch too much this time (lol)
It really feels like a “wisteria curtain” ✨
Plus…
👉👉 The 270-year-old white wisteria is elegant and beautiful!も上品で美しい！
Best viewing time is around Golden Week 🌸
🐸 Too many healing spots!
・Seven Lucky Frogs + koi pond
・Tanuki statues (why are they holding travel permits!?😍 )
・Benzaiten playing a biwa—feels like you can hear the music 🎶
・Adorable Jizō statues
・The peaceful countryside temple scenery
👉 So many relaxing spots, I couldn’t move forward (lol)
🌸 Wait… is this also wisteria? → Nope, it’s paulownia!
I thought, “Is this another kind of wisteria?”
👉 Turns out, it’s a paulownia flower!
I only knew it from traditional hanafuda cards 🤣
And wow… completely different from what I imagined!
A real-life first encounter.
⛩ A whole different world from above
Climb up to the temple gate, and…
👉 You get a breathtaking view looking down on the wisteria ✨
It’s beautiful from below, but you definitely shouldn’t miss the view from above!
🌿 Summary｜My first wisteria experience—absolutely worth it!
・The power of 650-year-old trees
・That unforgettable fragrance
・Peaceful coexistence with busy bees 🤣
・Wisteria + satsuki + spring flowers all together
👉 A full course of pure relaxation ✨
It really makes you think,
“Wisteria can be THIS amazing!?”
It’s a hidden gem where you can take your time and enjoy everything at your own pace 👍
The journey continues... Wishing you all a wonderful trip!
＊＊TabiJun＊＊
