The Hanashobu Festival has opened at Raiseki no Mori municipal park in Tonami City, Toyama Prefecture, featuring roughly 700,000 blooming Japanese irises [1].
The event marks the arrival of the rainy season in Japan, drawing visitors to view one of the region's most significant floral displays. These festivals serve as key cultural and tourism drivers for Toyama Prefecture during the early summer months.
The display consists of 600 different varieties of hanashobu [1]. According to reports, the festival began between June 12 [1] and June 13 [2], 2026, and is scheduled to run through June 21 [1].
Visitors expressed admiration for the scale and timing of the bloom. One visitor said, "I have come for the first time, and it is very enjoyable to see so many wide and beautiful hanashobu."
Another guest noted the specific colors of the flowers, saying, "I thought the mixture of white and light purple was beautiful."
Local attendees highlighted the synchronicity of the season. A visitor said, "I thought it was very beautiful because the flowers are very beautiful this year and bloomed all at once."
The festival organizers in Tonami City manage the extensive gardens at Raiseki no Mori to ensure the diverse varieties are showcased during their peak blooming window, a period that coincides with the traditional Japanese rainy season [1, 2].
“roughly 700,000 blooming Japanese irises”
The Hanashobu Festival underscores the importance of seasonal horticulture in Japanese regional tourism. By centering the event around the rainy season, Tonami City transforms a typically inclement weather period into a destination attraction, leveraging the specific biological needs of the iris to drive local economic activity.
