Sofia leads a challenge this week, that is right up my alley – Floral. Again it is Japan that inspires me – and I urge you to visit Sofia’s beautiful site for more inspiration. Let’s have a celebration of flowers! Different angles, close-ups or from further away.

My visit to the Wisteria gardens in Japan is, without exaggerating, the most magical experience I have ever had. I cannot choose what to show from them, so the pictures are many. My words will be few instead – to make up for this multitude… I hope you will forgive me.

The Kawachi Fujien Wisteria Garden in Kitakyushu is unforgettable.

The garden is situated up in the mountains, and is difficult to reach – there are no trains or buses, you have to take a taxi.

I came for the Wisteria Tunnels. They have one 80 meter tunnel and one 100 meter tunnel, both with multicoloured effects.

The Golden Week with many vacation days make the Japanese esthetics go watching the flowers glow. And they were many, both men and women. And flowers. We did not see any other tourists there, except Japanese people. And us two from Sweden.

I was not disappointed – we had calculated the time rather well, and was lucky too – some of the flowers were over and some had just started.

From the outside the tunnels looked compact, and less ”alive”. ”It is the inside that counts”… as with us humans.

A little ICM and the tree is still alive and visible from the inside.

Some species were big and heavy, hanging in long threads of almost a meter’s length,

while others were shorter, or long and delicate ones.

In one of the tunnels there were double flowers – I didn’t know they existed until now.

With this B&W, I wanted to show you the feeling I had while walking up on the mountain to the flat area on top. It felt like snow at home, a calm winter’s day, with softly falling snowflakes in my face. You will see what I mean…

Time did not exist – walking, standing, sitting, contemplating – trying to take it all in and to keep it forever. Stay in the moment. And what a moment!

The old Wisteria trees were otherworldly, and I am still trying to understand I have really been there. Seen them. I would be happy if you stayed with me throughout, but I won’t blame you if you think this is just too much.

A Wisteria tree can grow very old – 150 years for the oldest ones here. If you look at their trunks, you will not doubt it.

People were oblivious of where or how they walked. Some visitors were very old, and some came in wheelchairs. We heard about people who came every year, even if it was so difficult a place to reach.

Beautiful people, beautiful minds – esthetics.

Snow or purple rain? Otherworldly.

Pink Wisteria was not that common in the park, but this giant was mindblowing.

Thank you so much if you have followed this far. These are but a few of all my photos from Kawachi. I will spare you the rest, but hope you have been inspired to some day visit Japan.

Thank you for last week’s many delicate answers to my challenge – I really enjoyed the variety and how useful this word it is! Next week it’s John’s turn to lead, so please visit his unique site for more inspiration.

Until then – celebrate!