Howaen is a garden adjacent to the Nijusanyason Keiganji Temple and is known for its hydrangea highlights.
The name is said to have originated about 400 years ago, when Tokugawa Mitsukuni, who loved the temple’s garden, named it ‘Howaen.’
Later, in the early Showa period, local volunteers expanded and developed the garden, transforming it into a traditional Japanese garden with a pond and artificial hills, and it was renamed “Ho-waen.” Around 100 varieties and 6,000 hydrangea plants bloom in early summer in vibrant competition, and the grand “Mito Hydrangea Festival” is held.