Wisteria Blossoms

It’s the time of year in Oxford when the wisteria are in full bloom, just like they are in this stunning ukiyo-e print by Japanese artist Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858).

This scene is the view from inside Kameidō Tenjin Shrine, which was famous for its wisteria blossom in Spring. Beyond the hanging twists of purple flowers, people walk across the shrine’s steeply arched ‘drum bridge’, with others sit beneath wisteria trellises in the background. If you look closely, you can also see three small swallows diving over the lake.

Have you spotted any of these gorgeous purple blooms this Spring? We’d love to see your pictures - share them with us below.

Woodblock print with bokashi (tonal gradation), 1856–1858.