Famous Red spider lily, or Lycoris radiata Herb at Kinchakuda in Saitama

Just before entering Autumn, beautiful red color spreads on the ground in Kinchakuda in Saitama Prefecture.
It’s the season of Lycoris radiata Herb, or red spider lily there.

Red Spider lily is originally introduced from China to Japan in the old days.
Nobody knows when and how it came to Japan exactly.

There at Kinchakuda is one of the famous sightseeing spots as the place red spider lily
naturally grows.

Is Japanese red spider lily an inauspicious flower?

Red spider lily also has a negative image in Japan as it’s called Higanbana.
Higan means Nirvana and bana or hana means flower in Japanese.
So Higanbana means the flower that blooms in Nirvana.
So those people, especially elderly people, who know these meanings remind the word after death.
And they certainly bloom around graves in Japan that also make them imagine the word death.

But why they bloom around the graves in Japan?

The reason is Japanese people used Doso, or burial in the old days that they needed to prevent the invasion of moles and wild rats.
Bulbs of red spider lily had a poison that prevented those creature’s invasion into graveyard that they were planted around the graves in those days.

The floral language might also increases the negative image.
It is give up, lost memory, never to meet again, transmigration.
Those words are famous for the floral language of red spider lily.

But it actually has other floral language such as independence, passion at the same time even though those floral languages are not famous.

Actually it is very beautiful flower but the beauty also holds mystical charm which most flowers don’t have.

From these reasons Hganbana, or red spider lily is not just a beautiful flower but mysterious flower for some people in Japan.

Kinchakuda and red spider lily festival in Saitama

It is very beautiful with a bed of red spider lily between late September and early October at Kinchakuda in Saitama.

You might thought what is Kinchakuda?

Yes, it is because the shape of the place looks like a drawstring bag when you see it from the sky or on the map.

Koma river runs through this spot and it somehow makes semi-circle shape especially around this spot.
It looks like a drawing bag, or kinchaku in Japanese, that’s why this place was named Kincyakuda after Kinchaku adding Japanese word ta or da at the end which means rice field.

Only this season just before Autumn you can enjoy red spider lily and its festival there in Kinchakuda.
I’ve been to there a few times and it was not a big festival that has a big fire work display.
It was smaller scale but you can enjoy local foods and items here only in Kinchakuda.
So you can enjoy local touch festival in Japan there.

What I like most there was nature.
Koma river runs through in Knchakuda with clean water.
Open field with wild flower spreads with small mountain nearby.
Weather permitting, just taking a walk is really refreshing.

Just about 1 hour from Tokyo by train but you are blessed with nature there.

Kinchakuda-Manjushage Park
Address : 125 Koma Hongo, Hidaka-shi, Saitama
Telephone : +81-042-982-0268
Website : Kinchakuda-Manjushage Park

Vegetarian cafe Alishan Cafe

If you enjoyed beautiful flowers I recommend you to visit Alishan Cafe.
This is the place where I once worked as a part-time when I was young.

I’m not a spy agent of Alishan, haha but I really have a good memory and have a confidence from the atmosphere and good food, that’s why.

It was built using wood by its owner Jack-san.
You can enjoy healthy organic vegetarian foods here.
Some menu looks like using meat but it is not real meat but made from soy beans.
You can also enjoy organic coffee, tea, sweets, too.

Inside is good but I also recommend you terrace seats outside.
You can enjoy your meal while looking Koma river runs through just in front of the terrace down below.

Alishan cafe also has a shop inside that you can buy organic vegetable or foods there.

Alishan Cafe
Address : 185-2 Komahongo, Hidaka-shi, Saitama
Telephone : +81-042-982-4812
Website : Alishan Cafe

Summary

I recommend you Kincyakuda if you like nature such as flower, river and mountain.
It’s a good spot to enjoy nature near Tokyo.

In Summer, you can enjoy camping along the river.
Some people enjoy climbing Hiwada mountain nearby.
It’s very easy to climb as it is just 305 meters high above the sea that we can call it a hill rather than mountain.

Just after red spider lily, Season of Cosmos comes next.
It is also very beautiful with various colors.
It was long time before but I still remember the beautiful scene.

It is getting popular tourist spot nowadays.
How about visiting Kinchakuda and relax at Alisan if you are a bit tired of Tokyo for a change.

Author : Hiroshi