There are many gardens in Japan, but three of them are especially famous and called nihon san meien (日本三名園), Three Famous Gardens in Japan. They are Kenroku-en (兼六園) in Kanazawa, Koraku-en(後楽園) in Okayama, and Kairaku-en(偕楽園) in Mito. The size is 99,180 square meter, 133,000 square meter, 130,000 square meter respectively and all are made in Edo period.
Kairaku-en is very famous for its ume (梅), Japanese apricot. The 113th Mito no ume matsuri (水戸の梅まつり), Ume Festival in Mito started today until March 31. There are 3,000 Ume trees of 100 different kinds. There are red and white blossoms, and about 70 percent of them are in bloom.
It's been 400 years since the Mito-han (水戸藩), the Mito Clan opened. To commemorate they gave special postcards to the first 500 visitors from 9 AM today. Kairaku-en is open from 6 AM to 7 PM for free of charge. On Sundays there are special events such as outdoor tea ceremonies or Japanese music concerts.
I have been there once in 1997. I was very surprised to see the red and white blossoms on the same tree, because usually there are only haku bai (白梅), white plum blossoms or ko bai (紅梅), red plum blossoms in one tree.
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