The area around the Bikan Historical Area gets crowded with tourists during Golden Week.
And when it comes to major events in the Bikan Historical Area during Golden Week, Heartland Kurashiki is well known.
However, spending a long time in a crowd can leave you tired before you have a chance to enjoy yourself.
If you’re with small children or are a senior, you may want to take your time enjoying the sights and events.
An event we recommend for times like these is “Fujimi no Kai.”
“Fujimi no Kai” is an event held every year during Golden Week alongside Heartland Kurashiki at Achi Shrine, north of the Bikan Historical Area.
Fujimi no Kai was formerly called the “Wisteria Festival.”
The event celebrates the flowers of “Achi Wisteria,” located on the north side of Achi Shrine’s grounds, and features a variety of activities.
Compared with the streets of the Bikan Historical Area, Achi Shrine, where Fujimi no Kai is held, sees fewer visitors. One of the event’s highlights is that you can enjoy it at a leisurely pace.
What’s more, events for children are also held on May 5, Children’s Day, making this an appealing event for the whole family.
In fact, Achi Wisteria has been undergoing treatment to restore its vigor since 2018, and the wisteria was not expected to bloom in 2019.
However, when we visited, to our surprise, about a quarter to a third of the flowers were in bloom!
Here’s a look at Fujimi no Kai, held in 2019, which we covered on May 5.
The information provided was current when this article was published in May 2019. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is Fujimi no Kai? An event celebrating the flowers of “Achi Wisteria,” Japan’s largest wisteria
Fujimi no Kai is an event celebrating the wisteria flowers of “Achi Wisteria,” located on the north side of Achi Shrine’s grounds.
In 2019, its name was changed from Wisteria Festival to Fujimi no Kai.
Held every year during the May holidays, it is known as one of the Bikan Historical Area’s signature May events, alongside Heartland Kurashiki, and attracts many tourists.
Fujimi no Kai features a variety of activities around the wisteria trellis and on the shrine grounds over three days.
Participation and admission are free, so you can easily drop by.
▼Since Fujimi no Kai is held at Achi Shrine, be sure to visit the shrine’s worship hall and pay your respects.
What is Achi Wisteria? A natural monument and Japan’s largest Akebono wisteria. Best viewed from late April to early May
Achi Wisteria is a wisteria trellis on the north side of Achi Shrine’s grounds.
It is a variety called Akebono wisteria.
Its estimated age is an astonishing 300–500 years!
What’s more, the wisteria tree’s trunk is about 1.5 meters around, and its base measures about 2.2 meters around.
Achi Wisteria is the oldest and largest Akebono wisteria tree in Japan.
For this reason, Okayama Prefecture designated Achi Wisteria a natural monument.
The wisteria also inspired Kurashiki City to choose wisteria as its city flower.
▼A close look at Achi Wisteria reveals that it is quite an old tree. Many trunks extend out like the legs of a giant squid.
Achi Wisteria is at its best from late April to early May each year.
You can enjoy the beautiful sight of many flower clusters lining the trellis.
Achi Wisteria is undergoing treatment to restore its vigor under a three-year plan running from 2018 to 2020.
For this reason, the wisteria was not expected to bloom during the treatment period.
Achi Shrine said that the treatment might result in some flowering.
▼However, in 2019, Achi Wisteria defied expectations, with about a quarter to a third of the wisteria blooming.
What happens at Fujimi no Kai? Children’s Day events are also held on May 5
Fujimi no Kai is held over three days.
In 2019, Fujimi no Kai was held from May 3 to May 5.
Some Fujimi no Kai events take place on all three days, while others are held on just one day.
Please note that some activities have set start times.
Children’s Day events are held every year on May 5.
The Children’s Day events in 2019 were as follows:
- Parent-child traditional games
- Iris, mugwort, and iris sake service
- Kurashiki Kobudo Festival
Fujimi no Kai itself is free, but some activities charge a fee, so check in advance.
For details about the 2019 Fujimi no Kai program, please see the page below.
Achi Wisteria bloom status
First, here’s a look at the wisteria trellis of Achi Wisteria, the star of Fujimi no Kai.
As mentioned earlier, Achi Wisteria was undergoing treatment, so it was expected not to bloom, or to produce only a few flowers.
▼However, it bloomed more than expected, with flower clusters hanging from about a quarter to a third of the wisteria.
I knew in advance that the wisteria was not expected to bloom, but when I visited, far more flowers were in bloom than I had expected, and I found myself eagerly snapping away with my camera.
▼The beautiful pale reddish-purple flowers have an almost dreamlike beauty.
Gagaku performance and tea service beneath the wisteria trellis
Gagaku is performed beneath the wisteria trellis at Achi Shrine.
▼Listening to gagaku surrounded by wisteria flowers made the atmosphere feel even more dreamlike.
▼What’s more, matcha and wagashi are served.
▼ On the day of the visit, Kurashiki’s famous Fujito Manju was served.
The Japanese sweets served may sometimes be something other than Fujito Manju.
To enjoy matcha and sweets, please also offer a 300-yen first-fruits offering.
▼ Seating was available, and many people were enjoying the Achi Wisteria flowers and gagaku court music.
Surrounded by wisteria flowers, with gagaku and a tea service.
It felt as if I had become an aristocrat or court noble.
Gagaku performances and the tea service are held every day during the event.
Classical martial arts demonstrations on the Noh stage (Kurashiki Kobudo Festival)
During the Fujimi no Kai, various performances are presented on the Noh stage in the grounds of Achi Shrine.
The Noh stage is just east of the Zuishinmon Gate.
▼ On May 5, the day of the visit, classical martial arts demonstrations were held on the Noh stage.
▼ Demonstrations are presented by practitioners of various schools.
Offering of iris, mugwort, and iris sake beside the worship hall
Beside the worship hall, iris, mugwort, iris sake, and other items are offered on May 5 only.
This is because people have traditionally decorated their homes with iris and mugwort, believed to ward off evil spirits, for the Boys’ Festival.
▼ There were also iris leaves used for iris baths.
Achi Wisteria vine craft contest in the prayer hall
Inside the prayer hall, located behind and to the left of the main shrine building when facing it, the “Achi Wisteria Vine Craft Contest” was held.
▼ Works made using wisteria vines by pupils of the nearby Kurashiki-Higashi Elementary School are on display.
▼ They were all impressive works, and it was enjoyable to see some imaginative ideas that would never have occurred to me.
▼ After viewing the works, choose your favorite and cast a vote.
The Achi Wisteria vine craft contest is held every day during the Fujimi no Kai.
Parent-child traditional games event at the votive tablet hall and west of the worship hall
▼ In and around the votive tablet hall on the western side of the shrine grounds, and to the west of the worship hall, a “Parent-Child Traditional Games” event was held exclusively on May 5, Children’s Day.
The parent-child traditional games event is for young children.
▼ You can try a variety of nostalgic traditional games.
- Spinning tops
- Beyblades
- Bamboo stilts and stilts made from cans
- Japanese cup-and-ball
- Beanbag toss
- Cat’s cradle
- Ring toss
- Glass marble games
- Rubber-band guns
- Arts and crafts class
▼ First, register at the reception desk to take part.
After registering, you will be given a stamp card.
▼ You receive a stamp for each game you try, and collect six to receive a participation prize. Prizes are available to the first 120 participants.
▼ Spinning tops.
When I tried it again after a long time, I had forgotten the knack and couldn't do it well.
After a few tries, the feel finally came back, and I was able to get it spinning.
There were also beigoma spinning tops.
▼ There are stilts, too.
As with spinning tops, I couldn't ride them well until I got the knack back.
It was probably the first time I'd been on stilts since early elementary school.
▼ There are also pokkuri, so even young children who can't manage stilts can have fun.
▼ The rubber-band guns are fired at targets.
The targets included matchboxes.
▼ The targets were set up nearby, making them easy for even small children to hit.
▼ There are kendama, cat's cradle, and beanbags, too.
▼ There were also ohajiki glass game pieces.
▼ The rings for ring toss are made of rope.
It was my first time trying ring toss with rope rings.
They have a substantial weight, but that makes them stable to throw, so they may be easier to land successfully.
▼ A craft class was being held inside the Ema-den.
▼ Participants made their creations with guidance from the staff.
▼ The finished craft was a carp streamer made using origami paper, bamboo sticks, and wood.
▼ Once you've collected enough stamps, show your card at the reception desk to receive a participation prize.
The participation prize was an assortment of sweets.
Although they were traditional games from the past, many were ones I, now in my forties, had few chances to play even when I was young.
I felt it was an event that both parents and children could enjoy.
Fujimi no Kai Limited Goshuin
If you're interested in shrines, you may receive a goshuin when you visit one.
▼ During Fujimi no Kai, you can receive a Fujimi no Kai limited goshuin at the office of Achi Shrine.
▼ Unlike Achi Shrine's regular goshuin, the Fujimi no Kai limited goshuin depicts Achi Wisteria flowers and a gagaku performance.
The offering for the Fujimi no Kai limited goshuin is 500 yen.
Also, the limited goshuin is available only on a special goshuin sheet (a sheet with the goshuin stamped on it).
Please note that the limited goshuin cannot be stamped in a goshuin book you bring with you.
The same applies even to Achi Shrine's original goshuin book.
However, if you receive a new Achi Shrine original goshuin book at the same time as the Fujimi no Kai limited goshuin, you can receive the book with the limited goshuin stamped in it.
If you receive both an Achi Shrine original goshuin book and the limited goshuin, the offering is 2,000 yen.
You can also receive the Fujimi no Kai limited “wisteria ema” (offering: 500 yen).
Usually, after writing a wish on an ema, you hang it at an ema rack or in the Ema-den on the shrine grounds, but you can also take the wisteria ema home as a keepsake if you wish.
From the Writer
The Bikan Historical Area is extremely crowded during Golden Week.
The lively Heartland Kurashiki is exciting and enjoyable, but why not visit Achi Shrine’s Fujimi no Kai with your children or with fellow seniors?
With leisurely gagaku performances, a tea gathering, and various performances on the Noh stage, you can enjoy a calm atmosphere. It offers a different kind of appeal from the bustle of Heartland Kurashiki.
Achi Wisteria is currently undergoing treatment to restore its vigor, but even so, I was able to fully appreciate the beauty of the wisteria blossoms.
Once the treatment is complete in 2021, you will surely be able to see a beautiful sight.
I can hardly wait.
Also, if you have children, I hope you will take part in the parent-child traditional games held on Children’s Day as part of Fujimi no Kai.
It will be a valuable opportunity for children today to experience games they rarely get the chance to play.
I was very impressed by how all the children who took part were completely absorbed in enjoying the games.
Articles about Achi Shrine
Fujimi no Kai (Wisteria Festival) Information
| Name | Fujimi no Kai (Wisteria Festival) |
|---|---|
| Dates | May 3 (Fri)–May 5 (Sun), 2019 From 10:00 a.m. to around 2:30 p.m. |
| Location | 12-1 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture (grounds of Achi Shrine) |
| Admission (tax included) | Free (a separate offering is required to participate in events or receive distributed items) |
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