Omura Park Irises

Omura Park Irises

Large swaths of purple irises bloom in late spring to early summer in the moats of Kushima Castle.
The iris gardens were established in 1961 when Higo irises from Kumamoto Prefecture were planted in the Nagahori and Minamibori inner moats.
Two years later, Edo irises were transplanted from Tokyo, followed by Ise irises from Mie Prefecture.
Each year, around 300,000 irises bloom across an area of around 9,500 square meters in the largest display of purple irises in western Japan.
Kushima Castle was constructed in 1599 with inner and outer defensive moats.
After the end of the Tokugawa shogunate and the restoration of political power to the emperor in 1868, Japan began the process of modernization under the new Meiji government.
Symbols of the shogunate, including Kushima Castle, were demolished.
The outer moats were filled in to create parklands, and the inner moats on the north and east sides of the castle were planted with some 171 varieties of Japanese iris (Iris ensata).
The Omura Flower Festival is held in the park from late March until late June, showcasing the irises, which typically flower between late May and early June.