Manyou Botanical Garden 万葉植物園

An anthology of plants in Ichikawa City

In celebration of Manyoshu, the Nara era anthology of waka poems, many municipalities have created Manyo Gardens. This garden has over 100 plants mentioned in the poems. Even better, it is free to enter. The garden is located on a steep slope above Ichikawa Ono Station. To reach the garden, you ascend steps along a greenway. The garden features streams, groves of trees, and rest spots. Take your time to read plaques indicating the poem reference and species of plant. I visited in September and spotted some autumnal references. Creatures I spotted included butterflies and lizards. The garden is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.