Photography and Flowers on the Katsushika Waterside

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Updated: January 9, 2024

This walking route in Katsushika City is centered around flower tourism. It includes various spots where you can take photos with beautiful flowers, the waterfront, and TOKYO SKYTREE in the background. Lovers of flowers and fans of photography will enjoy getting to know the Katsushika area while connecting with the natural environment.
Start your walk at Horikiri Iris Garden, which is a 10-minute walk from Horikiri Shobuen Station on the Keisei Electric Railway Main Line.

General Tips

Take a photo of the beautiful irises, the symbolic flower of Katsushika City, with TOKYO SKYTREE in the background
Admire a panoramic view of the Nakagawa River from the Nakagawa Okudo Observation Deck
Enjoy a cup of green tea while looking out over the traditional garden of Yamamoto-tei

Map Legend

Walking
Taxi
Bus
Train
Water Bus
Bike

Horikiri Shobuen Iris Garden

The symbolic flower of Katsushika City is the hanashobu iris, which has been associated with Horikiri since the Edo period when they were planted by local farmers. They have also been the subject of popular woodblock prints by artists Hiroshige and Toyokuni.
At the Horikiri Iris Garden you can see around 6,000 beautiful Edo irises of some 200 different varieties in a vast garden that is approximately 8,700 square meters. There are also a number of rare varieties which will please flower enthusiasts. The best time to see the flowers is from late May to mid-June, and the annual Katsushika Iris Festival is also held at this time. In addition to irises, the garden has many other seasonal flowers, including plums, wisteria, winter cherry blossoms, and peonies. The garden opens at 9 a.m. and admission is free.

15 mins

Horikiri Waterside Park

Horikiri Waterside Park is found on the bank of the Arakawa River. You’ll find a small flower garden next to the Horikiri Shobuen boat launch, made of locally-managed flower beds. The irises here can be enjoyed from the end of May to mid-June every year. It’s a great spot to take photos of the flowers with both the distinctive TOKYO SKYTREE and the Arakawa River in the background.

50 mins to Nakagawa Okudo Observation Deck

Nakagawa Okudo Observation Deck

The Nakagawa River meanders through the center of Katsushika City. The “Nakagawa Shinsui Terrace” is a walking route which follows the riverside for around 8.8 kilometers, popular with people taking their dog for a walk or going for a jog. Along the way there are a variety of hedges and flower beds, some with wild flowers. You may see ducks and other birds, as well as carp and eel in the river itself.
Take a relaxing walk along the Nakagawa Shinsui Terrace promenade to the Nakagawa Okudo Observation Deck, which provides the best views of the river spreading out in front of you, as well as the Harp Bridge and TOKYO SKYTREE to the southwest.

25 mins

Okudo Rose Garden

Okudo Rose Garden, which reopened in 2021, is designed to resemble an English garden. It’s a spot where you can admire a variety of fragrant and vibrant roses, which start blooming around mid-May. You’ll find roses named after the Japanese imperial family and overseas royal families, roses to commemorate the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, and even climbing roses tied around arches and trellises. There are other seasonal flowers, and trees with beautiful autumn leaves here as well. You can take a break on a bench inside one of the gazebos. Admission is free, and there are also restroom facilities.

40 mins

Yamamoto-tei

At the end of your trip, take a well-deserved rest at Yamamoto-tei. Yamamoto-tei was the home of Einosuke Yamamoto, the founder of a local company which manufactured camera parts. The home was acquired by Katsushika City in 1988 and later opened to the public in April 1991. With its combination of traditional Japanese architecture as well as Western-style architecture unique to the early Showa era (1920s), the building has been designated a Tangible Cultural Property.
The shoin style garden has a pond, an artificial hill, and a waterfall. In 2019 the garden was ranked 4th in a survey of Japanese gardens conducted by an American magazine. It has remained in the top 7 since 2003.
At the cafe you can enjoy a relaxing moment with a cup of matcha green tea, coffee, or a bottle of ramune soda, while looking out at the beautiful garden. The cafe also has seasonal menus.
You can also purchase original souvenirs made by skilled artisans from Katsushika City using traditional techniques passed down from the Edo period.
Finish your walk at Shibamata Station on the Keisei-Kanamachi Line (about 8 minutes’ walk).