A festival to enjoy 600,000 Japanese irises and weekend events in Minamikata
Minamikata Hanashobu Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Mid-June to early July / Every year
- Location
- Minamikata Hanashobu no Sato Park
- Area
- Miyagi Prefecture・Tome City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 30 min–2 h · bullet train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Free
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A festival celebrating Japanese irises that brighten Minamikata Hanashobu no Sato Park. A wide variety of irises bloom across approximately 5 hectares of park grounds, with stage events, outdoor tea ceremonies, and exhibit areas also held on weekends.
About Minamikata Hanashobu Festival
The Minamikata Hanashobu Festival is a Japanese iris festival held at Minamikata Hanashobu no Sato Park in Minamikata, Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture.
Some 600,000 Japanese irises of 250 varieties bloom across approximately 5 hectares of planted grounds.
A highlight is Hanazumi, a six-petaled flower said to be a legendary variety mentioned in the early Heian-period Kokinshu poetry anthology.
Local cultural associations and the chamber of commerce also take part in activities during the festival.
Source: みなみかた花菖蒲まつり - Wikipedia
Festival highlights
The main attraction is the wide variety of Japanese irises blooming throughout the spacious park.
Visitors can appreciate not only the usual Japanese irises but also the range of varieties, including the six-petaled Hanazumi.
Stage events, outdoor tea ceremonies, and exhibit areas hosted by the chamber of commerce are held on Saturdays and Sundays, offering a chance to enjoy both the flowers and local activities.
A photography contest featuring the park scenery, flowers, and outdoor sculptures is also a related event.
A festival to enjoy 600,000 Japanese irises and weekend events in Minamikata
What to expect
Visitors can stroll through the park and admire Japanese irises spread across approximately 5 hectares.
Stage events and outdoor tea ceremonies organized by the Minamikata Cultural Association, as well as exhibit areas hosted by the chamber of commerce, are held on Saturdays and Sundays during the festival.
Related activities also include a photography event featuring the park scenery and outdoor sculptures, as well as the flowers.
During the festival, visitors generally spend their time exploring the park in step with the flowers’ blooming conditions.
How to take part
Visitors can enjoy viewing the Japanese irises and events in the garden.
土曜日と日曜日にはステージイベント、野点、商工会の出展コーナーが行われます。
A photography contest is listed as a related event; check the information for each edition for application procedures and eligibility.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Minamikata Hanashobu no Sato Park (70 Yokusawa, Minamikata-machi, Tome City)
- Train and bus
From Semine Station on the JR East Tohoku Main Line, take a bus bound for Sanuma for about 15 minutes, get off at “Takaishi,” then walk for about 15 minutes.
- By car
About 20 minutes from Tsukidate IC on the Tohoku Expressway.
- Parking
Available.
About 100 spaces, free of charge.
Address 70 Yokusawa, Minamikata-machi, Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
Mid-June to early July
- Frequency
Every year
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Miyagi Prefecture / Tome City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
Some areas of the park were damaged in the earthquake, and access to certain sections is restricted.
Flowering times vary from year to year, so the extent of the bloom may differ depending on when you visit.
Stage events and outdoor tea ceremonies are held on Saturdays and Sundays.
If you’re driving, you can use the free parking lot, which has about 100 spaces.
Nearby attractions
旧登米高等尋常小学校校舎
宮城県登米市にある歴史的建造物
写真：Kumamushi / CC BY 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
登米懐古館
宮城県登米市にある博物館
三陸復興国立公園
東北地方の三陸沿岸を区域とする国立公園
写真：Junpei Satoh / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Official information
Tome City’s official tourism information refers to the iris festival as Hanashobu Matsuri (Japanese irises festival).
Source: Tourist Information[Festivals and events in Spring] - City of Tome(Miyagi,Japan)
Minamikata Hanashobu Festival at a Glance
The Minamikata Hanashobu Festival is a festival where visitors can admire a wide variety of Japanese irises at Minamikata Hanashobu no Sato Park.
In addition to around 250 varieties and 600,000 Japanese irises, including the six-petaled Hanazumi, visitors can enjoy weekend stage events, outdoor tea ceremonies, and exhibits by the chamber of commerce.
The specific dates for 2026 are currently being confirmed, but the festival is usually held from mid-June to early July.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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