Ogose Hydrangea Road – Ajisai Kaido

At Umesono, you can buy products made from Ogose's local specialties, ume (plum) and yuzu (Japanese citrus). The central location makes it a popular resting place for hikers and other travelers.

Ranked 16th in the 1988 Japan Big Trees Ranking, this giant camphor tree is certified 1st in the prefecture. The tree has a trunk circumference of 15m, a height of 30m, and is over 1,000 years old. The tree canopy is also a magnificent sight to see. It is designated a natural monument of the prefecture.

The Ogose plum grove dates back to the separation of Umezono Shrine from Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine. Named after Heian period scholar, poet, and politician, Sugawara no Michizane, this grove of trees is recognized as one of the three major plum groves in Kanto. The park covers an area of around 2 hectares and is home to about 1,000 plum trees such as Shirakaga, Kobai, Koseno-ume, and most notably an ancient plum tree called Kaisetsu, estimated to be 650 years old. The Mini SL steam locomotive train running through the park is also rare within Japan. Around 20,000 plum trees, including the surrounding area, are in full bloom during peak season.

Within Ogose Town in Iruma sits a scenic area where you can find the Three Waterfalls of Kuroyama (Kuroyama Santaki): Odaki, Medaki, and Tengu Taki. It has been selected as one of Japan's top 100 tourist destinations. During summer, the pure mist from the cascading waters and the rich greenery that surrounds the area provide a coolness that helps you forget the hustle and bustle of city life. It's an ideal summer retreat where you can heal from the fatigue of the everyday and refresh both mind and body. The area has also long been revered as a powerful sacred site for “shugendo” mountain asceticism practitioners. Many come here to experience the energy of nature with their whole being and to pray for better fortune. With beautiful fresh greenery in spring and stunning autumn colors, the Kuroyama Santaki area shows different faces throughout the seasons. Please consider visiting this remarkable place at least once!

This flower garden, dedicated to a variety of early-blooming azalea called Rhododendron dilatatum (mitsuba tsutsuji), was born from the cultivation of this piece of mountain forest over a span of 10 years. In early April, roughly 2500 flowers bloom creating a world of stunning floral beauty!