Ashikaga Flower Park Wisteria overhead, wisteria soft-serve in hand

When I stepped beneath the Great Wisteria at Ashikaga Flower Park, the blooms stretched much farther than I’d expected. I looked up, walked a little, then looked up again—still more wisteria clusters overhead. I wasn’t sure where to look, so I stood on the garden path with my head tilted for a while.

Between the hanging clusters, I could see the thick trunk and slender supports. The wisteria spread so far, yet each tiny blossom seemed even lovelier up close. I kept switching between wanting to take in the whole view and wanting to study the flowers right in front of me.

So I bought wisteria soft-serve and took a break while admiring the flowers. It was almost the same color as the wisteria, so I held it beside the clusters to compare the two. Wait, they really do look alike! I was so happy just comparing the flowers and the soft-serve that I couldn’t stop smiling.

I took a bite. It was cold and sweet, and I found myself looking up at the flowers again. After another bite, I looked down at the soft-serve in my hand. The tip was lower than before. The flowers hadn’t changed, but while I watched, my soft-serve kept getting smaller.

I told myself I’d enjoy every bite, then get back to strolling, but I kept looking up at the Great Wisteria as I ate. Once I’d finished and had both hands free, I could take a proper look at the flower clusters farther back. Seeing the blooms continue beyond the supports, I set off down the garden path again at an easy pace.

Before leaving, I walked under the Great Wisteria once more. At first, I was amazed by how far it stretched; this time, I looked for the clusters I liked best. I bet I looked so happy with the wisteria soft-serve in my hand. If I could go back beneath those blooms, I’d probably do the same thing all over again.