morning glory exhibitions

Morning glory has been a representative flower of summer in Japan. Many people were interested in gardening or growing flowers and plants in the Edo period. The plant attracted everyone from feudal lords to common people. Two morning glory booms took place in the 19th century. A lot of cultivated varieties of morning glories had been developed during the Edo Period.

The lords of the Higo Domain encouraged the cultivation of flowers including  Chinese Peony, chrysanthemum, Japanese camellia, Morning Glory, Hanashobu(Iris ensata var. ensata) and Christmas Camellia as a mental training for samurai.

Several morning glory exhibitions are being held now. However, visitors can see the flowers only during morning.

About 500 large-flowered morning glories are being displayed in Mukojima- Hyakkaen Gardens(向島百花園), Sumida Ward, Tokyo from July 27 to August 3, beginning at 8 AM.

Mutant morning glories developed in the Edo Period and large-flowered ones are being displayed in Hibiya park, Tokyo from July 28 to August 3. No admission fee is required. Henka Asagao Kenkyukai(変化朝顔研究会, society for the studies of mutant Japanese morning glories) and Society for The Japanese morning glory studies in Tokyo(東京朝顔研究会) play host to the event. The mutants will also be displayed from August 29 to 31 in the park. 

Henka Asagao Kenkyukai (Japanese version only):

http://www.geocities.jp/henka_asagao/index.html

The Japanese morning glory studies in Tokyo (Japanese version only):

http://tokyoasagao.com/

The 55th Morning Glory Exhibition in the Kyoto Prefectural Botanical Garden will be held  from August 1 to 5.

Three hundred mutant morning glories of 56 different types were displayed at Sengan-en Garden(仙巌園) in Kagoshima Prefecture from July 12 to 27.

Nagoya Morning Glory Festival in Nagoya City was held from July 23 to 27.