Red Spider Lily Festival

If Red is your favourite color, then mark this event on your calendar. As you’ll probably know from cherry blossom in the Spring and Momiji in the Fall, the Japanese go to 110% on seasonal plant life celebration. The Red Spider Lily or Manjushage (曼珠沙華), already a pretty little plant on its own, makes for instagram winning blanket of color in the Kinchakuda fields in Hidaka, Saitama.

It’s ¥300 to enter, and for bonus points there’s also a chestnut festival on the 23rd. Keep an eye out for one of the leaflets at stations on the Seibu Line, as they should include some coupons for local cafes like alishan cafe. Keep in mind that these dates can only be a guide, as the weather can affect the length of flowering – so aim for central dates if possible.

(Chris Kirkland)