Autumn traditions: Begonia flower viewing

Last year I introduced five of my 'Autumn traditions'; things I tend to do or places I go every year in Autumn. The ones I shared in 2023 are listed below. Each of these should be on / available again in 2024. Each is linked to the original article.

• Fireworks
• Cosmos picking
• Kawagoe Remix
• Sky lantern nights
• Classic Car Festivals

But there are many more things I seem to do each and every autumn. Including Begonia flower viewing. I really like begonia flowers, because they are so delicate and unusual. Moreover, they are known as a harbinger of autumn in Japan. They are called shukaido in Japanese which means 'a flower that blooms in autumn'.  I love autumn in Japan on its own merits, but also because it comes after the hardest season in Japan - hot and sultry summer! 

The begonia in Saitama Prefecture seem to have started to bloom just after Obon this year. There are two locally famous begonia colonies in the Hiki district of Saitama Prefecture. You can also find begonia on the grounds of some temples. By the end of August they were already very picturesque in the Hiki area. They are still in full bloom now on September 5th and should stay in bloom in the Kanto region until around mid September, all things equal. The weather can affect them though. Also, please note, they may have a different bloom period in different parts of Japan. 

Does your prefecture have a begonia colony?