Purple Haze of Shobu

Posted on May 11, 2007 by Faith Kitsunezaki

Summertime in Japan can often prove humid and tiring, some weeks holed up in the apartment with the storm shutters down avoiding the latest taifu or typhoon. Summer can also seem very long for those who are not used to incessant humidity hanging in the air like a wet towel making one feel like they are constantly in a sauna. Yet as you down another mugi cha (barley tea) and have another cool shower you remember that Japan is renowned for having a flower for every season. Then the quandary, where to go, what to see?

We live in a good proximity to many small yet historical and interesting towns, and one such is Shobu, here in Saitama prefecture. In summer it has what is called the Blue Festival. One cannot only see Fuji (Wisteria), and Lavender during this time, also Ayame (Iris) are in full abound, planted in small marshes with tiny bridges to cross over the blue or purple rivers of flowers. If visited from mid June to early July one can see both Lavender and Iris in full array. It really is a refreshing and delightful Monet like canvas. For artists there are several spots to prop your easel and paint, indeed you will find many Obaachans’ and Ojichans’ (Grannies and Granddad’s) doing such. If the vast purple haze does not impress you there are also clover in full abound in the grass, so you can always try to find a lucky four leaf!

For us we enjoy the soft scent of the Lavender infused into the warm summer breeze over the hillocks surrounding the Shobu Town Hall, and the chirp of frogs coming from the marshland where the Iris lay. There are many walks one can do in close proximity of the town hall, some parking attendants provide a pamphlet that has a coloured map showing the different areas, there is also a large map on a board in the parking lot of the town hall. Parking was free. I believe one can catch a bus from the Okegawa train station to get to Shobu taking around 20 minutes.

During the Lavender festival there are many stalls selling all sorts from Lavender scented tiny pillows to bath salts to Lavender ice cream. The friendly faces of the Obaachans’ remind you how nice it is in the country side of Japan.

For more information visit

http://www.town.shobu.saitama.jp/english/index.html