50 Shades of Lilac, Pink and White

Wisteria – one of the attractions of Nara. Her stunning branches are depicted in paintings, dishes, curtains, shawls, and in general on all wherever possible. Even acolytes in the Kasuga-taisha shrine, wear wisteria flowers as a headdress.

Shin-en was opened in 1932 as the first botanical garden "Man-yo" in Japan. There are flowers that have been described in the poems Man-yo-shu ("Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves"), the oldest collection of Japanese poetry of Nara.

The garden is divided into five zones: Hyo-hon-en, garden Gokoku, herb garden, the garden of camellias and wisteria.   About 250 colors grow in the garden of camellias, and 200 bushes of 20 species in the garden of camellias.