Kairakuen is one of Japan’s three most famous gardens. In 1842, it was opened to the general public as a place to rest and relax. Currently, Kairakuen Garden is home to around 3,000 plum trees of about 100 different varieties, and the sight of the blossoms is a treat for visitors to the garden in late winter and early spring. Beginning with the Plum Flower Festival that lasts from late February to late March, visitors can experience the changing of seasons with lovely spring flowers such as cherry blossoms and azaleas. When autumn rolls around, delicate bush clovers add a pretty pink tint to the garden, and the beginning of winter brings the sight of winter cherry blossoms―the cherry trees in the garden are a special type that produce blossoms twice a year.