Went on Apr 28 Sun (website updated flowers are in full bloom already), and was a wonderful experience vs cherry blossom during spring. However, for peeps who have been viewing the professional online photos of wisteria blooming, be prepared to be disappointed as 1) there will be crowds and 2) no, the wisteria don't quite dangle all the way down to your knees / back. Plus, ticket reservation is mandatory, and at a fee (50yen/pax), during wisteria blooming season (2 weeks a year only), AND you still might be asked to top up (we were asked to top up 1000yen/pax at garden entrance as our day was judged as full bloom). Now the trickiest part during blooming season is to reach the garden during your assigned entry period (ours was 1030 - 1300, available to buy via JapaniCan). From Hakata station, we took Track 1 via JR Kagoshima Line heading towards 小仓(Kokura), not 熊本 (Kumamoto), using either 普通 (local) or 急速 (rapid), to 八幡 (Yahata). How to tell whether Rapid stops at your station is by looking for 八幡 under Rapid row on the platform signage as train timing gets updated. Ride is around 70min to Yahata station, with 15min free shuttle ride that can carry around 20 - 25 pics per journey (see bus schedule pic) to garden (bus stop is southeast of station, look for big wisteria image banner at bus stop). Ride is about 15min to garden (check out bus frequency pic), and garden takes about 1 hour to finish strolling, with a good vantage point (top of walking trail, where food / drinks consumption is generally permitted at this area). Beware that there are NO toilets in the garden, they are temporary ones outside the garden entrance (beside car park). Bus return is around 30min interval, same place as dropoff @ garden. Garden also does autumn viewing for maple foliage (park paths extend further then).