Six Traditional Flowers of Higo
Hosokawa Shigekata (1721–1785), the sixth Hosokawa lord of Kumamoto, is famous for his reforms of the domain administration system. He was also a highly cultivated man of many interests. An enthusiastic natural historian, he amassed a large collection of illustrated books of plants and animals. Shigekata is said to have started the methodical cultivation of the local specimens that came to be known as the Six Traditional Flowers of Higo (the old name for Kumamoto).
Six Traditional Flowers of Higo
| Name | Blooming period | |
| Higo camellia | February to April | |
| Higo peony | Early May | |
| Higo iris | Early June | |
| Higo morning glory | July to September | |
| Higo chrysanthemum | Late November | |
| Higo sasanqua | November to December |
Growing and appreciating flowers became a desirable gentlemanly accomplishment, and samurai in Kumamoto formed groups that competed to produce the most beautiful specimens. The criteria for beauty in samurai circles included a pistil that was as large and prominent as possible and large petals that were minimally layered. As shown in the table below, for 11 months of the year at least one of the six flowers of Higo is in bloom. The best places to see them are Suizenji Jojuen Garden and, once restoration work is complete, the gardens of Kumamoto Castle.