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Historic Yatsuhashi Water Iris Festival

Historic Yatsuhashi Water Iris Festival

Date: Apr 25,2026(Sat) ～ May 17(Sun)

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What wonderful water irises!

The Water Iris Festival has a long history, taking place for the last 70 years or so, and makes the Yatsuhashi Water Iris Garden venue the target of numerous sightseers from around Japan each year. The garden's water iris blossoms are available to view throughout the festival period, but meet their peak bloom during the Golden Week consecutive holiday.
The water irises of Chiryu City's Yatsuhashi area became famous for their role in a poem written by Heian period-poet Ariwara no Narihira, from the Tales of Ise story, when he came to Yatsuhashi and composed a poem famously making a pun of the Japanese word for "water iris (kakitsubata)" in haiku fashion. The irises' home of Yatsuhashi Water Iris Garden is an expansive 11,130 m² with 16 ponds. Water irises are the flower of Aichi Prefecture as well as the city of Chiryu, and enjoy a warm welcome from its residents.

Planned events

Tanka poetry competition
• Date and time: 10:30 am–3:30 pm; Sun, Apr 26, 2026
• Venue: Chiryu Cultural Plaza

Ming and Qing-era Chinese music performance
• Date and times: From 10:30 am and, 2026 (national holiday), 2025
• Venue: Main Hall, Muryojuji Temple

Anniversary of Ariwara no Narihira's passing
• Date and time: From 11:00 am; Wed, Apr 29 (national holiday), 2026
• Venue: Muryojuji Temple

Tea ceremony
• Dates and time: 10:00 am–3:00 pm; Wed, Apr 29 (national holiday)–Sun, May 10 and Sat, May 16–Sun, May 17, 2026
• Venue: Enshi-an Teahouse

Flower bazaar
• Dates: Sat, May 2–Sun, May 6 (holiday) and Sat, May 9–Sun, May 10, 2026
• Venue: Hiyoshi Sannosha Shrine premises

Taisho autoharp performance
• Date and time: From 11:00 am; Sun, May 3 (national holiday), 2026
• Venue: Yatsuhashi Water Iris Garden

Haiku competition
• Date and time: From 1:00 pm on Tue, May 5 (national holiday, 2026
• Venue: Yatsuhashi Water Iris Garden and Chiryu Cultural Plaza
• Reception: Available from 9:30 am at Muryojuji Temple

Appearance by city mascot Chiryuppi
• Date and times: From 11:00 am and 1:00 pm (30 min./session) on Tue, May 5 (national holiday), 2026
• Venue: Yatsuhashi Water Iris Garden

Yatsuhashi Water Iris Bonsai Exhibition
• Dates: Wed, May 6 (holiday)–Fri, May 8, 2026
• Venue: Hiyoshi Sannosha Shrine premises

Hiyoshi Sannosha Shrine Festival
• Date: Sun, May 17, 2026
• Venue: Hiyoshi Sannosha Shrine premises

Yatsuhashi Historical Preservation Museum Special Exhibition
• Dates and time: 9:00 am–5:00 pm; Sat, Apr 25–Sun, May 17, 2026
• Venue: Yatsuhashi Historical Preservation Museum

Nighttime light display
• Dates and time: Sundown–9:00 pm; Sat, Apr 25–Sun, May 17, 2026
• Yatsuhashi Water Iris Garden

Chiryu City Photo Contest
• Dates: Sat, Apr 25–Sun, May 17, 2026

EVENT OVERVIEW

Date	• Yatsuhashi Historical Preservation Museum: 9:00 am–5:00 pm • Nighttime light display: Sundown–9:00 pm
Place	Yatsuhashi Water Iris Garden (within Muryojuji Temple premises)
Location	〒472-0001 61-1 Jinai, Yatsuhashi-cho, Chiryu-shi, Aichi
Fee	Free of charge Note: • Admission to Yatsuhashi Historical Preservation Museum requires a fee (JPY 150/adult [high school ages and older] and JPY 70/elementary and junior high school student).
Parking	Pay parking available (approx. 310 spaces) • Idojiri Parking Lot (next to Chiryu Cultural Plaza) • Chiryu Cultural Plaza Athletic Grounds (28-1 Idojiri, Yatsuhashi-cho, Chiryu-shi, Aichi) Note: • Parking fees required and traffic restrictions apply Wed, Apr 29 (national holiday); Sat, May 2–Wed, May 3 (holiday); Sun, May 10; and Sun, May 18, 2026.
Restrooms	Available
Phone number	• 0566-83-1111 (Chiryu City Tourism Association) • 0566-55-6302 (Chiryu City Tourism and Exchange Center [closed on Tue and Wed, but open should either day coincide with a national holiday])
Notes	• Bicycles and pets not allowed. • Pets are allowed in if held, but not walking with a leash.

Note: This page may not be current due to update time differences between site databases.
Should accuracy be critical, please verify this information using a direct source, whenever possible.

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ACCESS

Access by public transport

8-min. walk from Mikawa Yatsuhashi Station on the Meitetsu Mikawa Line (board from Meitetsu Nagoya Station and change trains at Chiryu Station).
Access by car

• Approx. 5 min. from Toyota-Minami Interchange on the Isewangan Expressway.
• Approx. 15 min. from Toyoake Interchange on the Isewangan Expressway via National Route 1.