In the town of Itako, Ibaraki prefecture, the month of June ushers in a million blossoms of roughly 500 kinds of irises in purple, white, and yellow. That also means that it is time for the Ayame Matsuri (Iris Festival). Back in the Edo period (1603-1876), the trade of goods from the Tohoku (north-eastern Honshu) region flourished in conjunction with the development of the capital city of Edo (today’s Tokyo). Itako, which is blessed with numerous water-ways, became a crucial junction for goods transported via the canals. In the Meiji era (1868-1912), steamers were introduced, and the region saw its heyday as the center of water traffic. Today, tourist boats traverse the canals, attracting sightseers to the area. During the Ayame Matsuri period, a “bride boat” is used to ferry a newly wedded bride to the house of her bridegroom.