Early summer in the waterside region: admire 1.5 million irises of 400 varieties from a boat
Suigo Sawara Ayame Festival
The 2026 edition of Suigo Sawara Ayame Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/05/23 〜 2026/06/21Ended
- Season / frequency
- Late May to late June / Every year
- Location
- Suigo Sawara Ayame Park
- Area
- Chiba Prefecture・Katori City(From Tokyo: approx. 40 min–1 h · 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
- Admission: Adults ¥800; ages 65 and over ¥700; elementary and junior high school students ¥400. Sappa boat rides: ¥500 for junior high school students and older; ¥200 for children ages 3 through elementary school age.
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Set at Suigo Sawara Ayame Park, this festival offers colorful irises and rides on sappa boats along the canals. Events characteristic of the waterside region, such as Sawara Bayashi performances and a bridal boat procession, are also held.
About Suigo Sawara Ayame Festival
The Suigo Sawara Ayame Festival is a seasonal festival celebrating irises at Suigo Sawara Ayame Park.
The park grows 1.5 million irises of about 400 varieties, including Edo, Ise, and Higo varieties. Purple, white, pink, and blue flowers color the waterside.
Taking a small boat called a “sappa boat” along the park’s canals is another distinctive pleasure of the festival.
Source: 水郷佐原あやめ祭り - Wikipedia
Festival highlights
One of the highlights is being able to compare the different colors and shapes of irises from various varieties across the expansive grounds.
On a sappa boat traveling along the canals, you can view the flowers from the water, a perspective quite different from land.
During the festival, you may also see female boat operators steering the boats while wearing kasuri kimono, red aprons, and triangular woven hats—a scene that evokes Sawara’s characteristic waterside landscape.
Source: 水郷佐原あやめ祭り／水郷佐原あやめパーク｜イベント｜千葉県公式観光サイト ちば観光ナビ
Early summer in the waterside region: admire 1.5 million irises of 400 varieties from a boat
What to expect
Visitors can stroll through the park to see the irises, and those who wish can take a paid sappa boat ride along the canals.
The boat trip takes about 10 minutes, offering views of the flowers from the water.
Depending on the day, events may include Sawara Bayashi performances, local performing arts, a bridal boat procession, and open-air tea ceremonies. In 2026, an interactive bridal boat experience was also announced.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the event.
参加費：入園料：大人800円、65歳以上700円、小・中学生400円。
Sappa boat rides: ¥500 for junior high school students and older; ¥200 for children ages 3 through elementary school age.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Suigo Sawara Ayame Park (1837-2 Ogi-shima, Katori City, Chiba Prefecture)
- Train and bus
About 25 minutes by shuttle bus from JR Narita Line Sawara Station during the festival period.
About a 40-minute walk from Junikyo Station on the JR Kashima Line.
Take an express bus from Tokyo Station and get off at the Suigo Sawara Ayame Park Entrance bus stop.
- By car
About 30 minutes from the Sawara-Katori or Daiei interchanges on the Higashi-Kanto Expressway, and about 25 minutes from the Kanzaki interchange on the Ken-O Expressway.
- Parking
Free parking is available.
500 standard cars and 30 large vehicles.
Source: 水郷佐原あやめ祭り / 千葉県 -【JAPAN 47 GO】
Address 1837-2 Ogi-shima, Katori City, Chiba Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
The event was scheduled to run from May 23 (Saturday) to June 21 (Sunday) in 2026.
The park was scheduled to be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with daily events during the festival period, including a bridal boat procession and an interactive bridal boat experience.
The 2026 event period has ended.
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 Chiba Prefecture / Katori City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The 2026 information stated that visitors should enter by 5 p.m.
Admission is ¥800 for adults, ¥700 for ages 65 and over, and ¥400 for elementary and junior high school students. An additional fee is required to ride a sappa boat.
Wedding Boat and Hands-on Wedding Boat events are canceled in rainy weather, so be sure to check the weather if there is an event you particularly want to see.
Nearby attractions
Near the venue, you can enjoy a walk through Sawara’s historic streetscape.
Nearby attractions include the Ino Tadataka Museum, Ino Tadataka’s Former Residence, the Suigo Sawara Kaikan, Kofukuji Temple, and Katori Jingu Shrine.
You can plan an itinerary that combines viewing the irises with learning about the history and culture of Suigo Sawara.
Suigo Sawara Ayame Park
千葉県香取市にある植物園
Katori Jingu
千葉県香取市にある神社
Origins and History of Suigo Sawara Ayame Festival
The origins and year of establishment of the Suigo Sawara Ayame Festival have not been established.
The venue, Suigo Sawara Ayame Park, is a facility within Suigo-Tsukuba Quasi-National Park that opened in 1969 (Showa 44).
The park covers about 6 hectares and is planted with waterside flora, including lotus, with irises as its main attraction.
Official information
The venue’s official website is Suigo Sawara Ayame Park.
Check the official website for facility information and the latest event updates.
For inquiries, call Suigo Sawara Ayame Park at 0478-56-0411 or the Suigo Sawara Tourism Association at 0478-52-6675.
Suigo Sawara Ayame Festival at a Glance
The Suigo Sawara Ayame Festival is a festival where you can enjoy 1.5 million irises of about 400 varieties amid the waterside scenery.
The park’s sappa boats offer a distinctive experience: viewing the flowers from the canals.
The 2026 event was held from May 23 to June 21, with events such as Sawara Bayashi performances and a bridal boat procession also announced.
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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