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Japanese Iris Japanese Iris in depth Greenhouse Miscellaneous Plants

Bred and improved since the Edo era,
Japanese Iris
(Iris ensata Thunb., Iridaceae)
is
a traditional garden plant in Japan.

Japanese Iris in Brief

Japanese Iris cultivars are largely classified into three main series based on the centre of breedings;Edo(nowadays Tokyo), Ise(a city in Mie prefecture) and Higo(Kumamoto prefecture). Additionally, Nagai Archaic Cultivars(preserved in Nagai, Yamagata prefecture), a group of hybrids between Japanese Iris andYellow Iris, and foreign hybrids mainly from US are known today.

Estimated number of cultivars is about 2000.

Please check out here for more information.
Suiei, an Edo series cultivar bred in 1992 by Kamo Garden
Sweet Flag and Japanese Iris

In the Yamato Era, a Chinese tradition of Boy's Festival(Tango-no-Sekku) on May 5th in lunar calendar, to expel evil with the aid of Sweet Flag(Araceae), was introduced in Japan. In ancient China, Sweet Flag was thought to be a sacred plant for its refreshing scent and its habit of sprouting earlier than any other plants in spring. Even in modern Japan, quite a few Japanese bathe in Shobu-yu, a bath scented with Sweet Flag leaves, on May 5th in solar calendar.

Then Japanese Iris, with leaves similar to Sweet Flag but far attractive flowers, was named Hana-Shobu(Sweet Flag with showy flowers).

By Genroku period in mid Edo era, custom of Boy's Festival was widespread among common people, and Japanese Iris also got widespread and improved gradually as a symbol flower of the festival.

Shobu-gawa ornament on an armour
for luck in battle

Sweet Flag(Araceae)

Kamo Garden, respecting the cultural background of Sweet Flag, grows many stocks of Sweet Flags. Moreover, on May 5th the Boy's Day, the Garden sets Ayame-Buki(thatching with Sweet Flag Leaves) decoration on the eaves that is now very rare today, and serves visitors Ayame-Zake(Japanese sake flavoured with sliced rhizome of Sweet Flag).

Ayame-Zake, Sweet Flag flavoured Japanese sake,
is served on May 5th, the Boy's Day.
Ayame-Buki, decoration with bunches of Sweet Flag leaves,
on May 5th, the Boy's Day.

Ayame-Zake has an effect of encouraging appetite, breaking weariness and poor circulation.
ATTENTION;Only rhizome of Sweet Flag is vital for Ayame-Zake. Rhizome of Iris has no effect at all.

1. Wash a rootstock of Sweet Flag well. 50-100g of rootstock is adequate amount for 2 litres of sake.
2. Peel the rhizome and slice it into chips about 2mm thick.

NOTE;Some chips in a cloth bag can be soaked in a bath as a kind of bath cube.
3. Soak the chips in sake. A bowl is used in the picture, but a sake bottle or a decanter is also effective.
4. The sake is flavoured enough in about 30 minutes. Soaking too long causes sake to turn brownish.


Origin of Japanese Iris Garden

In Tempo period in late Edo era, the first Japanese Iris Garden in Japan opened in Horikiri village, Edo(nowadays Horikiri, Katsushika-Ku, Tokyo). Since then, through Meiji period until Taisho period, several Japanese Garden were run in Horikiri as popular places of amusement among people in Edo city. It was during these periods that Japanese Iris was bred and improved in order to attract more sightseers.

Some of cultivers bred in Edo era are inherited even today. These are genuine living cultural heritages of Edo era.

Horikiri Shobu Hanamori Zu(Japanese Iris in Full Bloom at Horikiri), in collection of Katsushika City Museum

The Garden preserves archaic cultivars from Horikiri as precious heritages, and makes much effort in breeding new cultivars.

Nobori-Ryu(Ascending Dragon), an Edo era archaic cultivar
Mistress Aoi-no-Ue, an Edo era archaic cultivar

Yonbaitai Kin-Boshi(Tetraploid Golden Star),
bred at Kamo Garden in 2004
Beni-Zakura(Red Cherry),
bred at Kamo Garden in 1994
Kamo Garden
110 Harasato, Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture, 436-0105 JAPAN
tel +81-537-26-1211 fax +81-537-26-1213
e-mail kakegawa@kamoltd.co.jp