The Ueno Toshogu, located at Ueno Park, is a shrine first established in 1627 and one of the finest examples of preserved Edo architecture in Japan. But every winter, it also becomes home to beautiful fuyu-botan, i.e. winter peonies.
Some peonies flower in the spring and in the winter. The former are known as kan-botan, while the latter fuyu-botan have long been cultivated in Japan to flower around the new year, according to the lunar calendar. Over time, this elevated them to the status of good luck symbols, and you can admire them and their distinctive straw coverings (which protect the peonies from the frost) at Ueno Toshogu until February 24.
For more information, visit the PR TIMES (Japanese only).
