In early summer, morning glory markets are held in large cities in Japan, where merchants and hobbyists sell their plants. The most well-known of such markets is the Iriya Asagao Matsuri (Iriya Morning Glory Festival).

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The Iraya Asagao Matsuri is held annually for three days from July 6th-8th around the Tanabata Festival. Over 100 vendors display and sell roughly 120,000 morning glory plants at Iriya Kishimojin (Shingenji temple) and along the adjacent Kototoi-dori road. Iriya's morning glory market was popular in the Edo Period, but was discontinued until it was revived in 1948. It hails the coming of summer and retains a lot of the Edo flavor. Many sellers are wearing Asago casual kimonos as well as many visitors who wear morning glory themed traditional clothing.

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The festival started in the Meiji period (1868-1912) after an enthousiast planted morning glory flowers all around various parts of Iriya. A whole morning glory business started in Iriya that collapsed by 1913. It was revived in 1948 by a group of locals and the Shitaya Tourism Association. I has since grown to become a festival with around 400.000 visitors during the three-day period. In 2019, it will be organised for the 70h time.

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The prices at the market for the morning glory plants are fixed for the basic types. You will see a price list at most stalls with these prices called Asagao Teikahyo (morning glory fixed price table). The regular price for one pot was ¥2000 in 2017. The main types were Iriya Asagao Andonzukuri, Yōhaku Asagao (morning-glory flower with white lines), Kikyōsaki Asagao (lily-type morning-glory) and Seiyō Asagao (western-type morning-glory flowers). A lot of other types are also sold along the basic types.

The traditional pots are often equipped with cylindrical structures called andon shitate, which resemble Japanese lanterns at night.

Usually a person from Yamato Kuroneko (Japan's largest delivery service) is waiting besides the stalls so you can have your newly bought plants delivered right to your doorstep. They deliver anywhere in Japan for ¥900.

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Below is a collection of videos of the Iriya Morning Glory Market.