Renge Shoma Flowers
The delicate renge shoma (Anemonopsis macrophylla; false anemone) is a woodland perennial native to Japan. Today renge shoma flowers are only found in a handful of forested uplands on the Pacific side of central Honshu. The colony of around 50,000 plants on Mt. Mitake (above Mitake Daira Plaza) is the largest in the Kanto region.
In full bloom, the pale lavender flowers resemble miniature lotus blossoms (renge means “lotus”). The flowers are related to the buttercup, and thrive in cool, damp climates. They bloom between July and early September. During the flowering season, visitors can view them along a well-marked forest trail from Mitake Daira Plaza.