A beautiful collaboration of seasonal flowers and shrines! 3 shrines to visit in spring in Tokyo

Spring is almost here! The season has arrived where you can enjoy Japan's beautiful cherry blossoms and wisteria. It's great to visit famous cherry blossom viewing spots, but how about a plan where you can enjoy flowers along with traditional Japanese architecture? In this article, Traveler Tokyo writer (Tac) will introduce three recommended places that he has actually visited and carefully selected!

*Traveler Tokyo is a travel media where the writers themselves share what they saw and felt while walking.

Kameido Tenjin Shrine (Kameido, Koto-ku, Tokyo), the best place for wisteria in Tokyo

*Traveler Tokyo is a travel media where the writers themselves share what they saw and felt while walking.

(Photo taken on April 23, 2023/©︎Traveler Tokyo)

Kameido Tenjin Shrine, about a 15-minute walk from Kameido Station and Kinshicho Station, is a shrine dedicated to Tenma Okami (Sugawara no Michizane), the god of learning. Every year, many students preparing for their entrance exams visit this shrine during the exam season.

(Photo taken on April 23, 2023/©︎Traveler Tokyo)

The photo was taken in April, after the entrance exam season, but many people came to worship. We pray for various wishes related to academic studies, such as employment exams and qualification exams.

(Photo taken on April 23, 2023/©︎Traveler Tokyo)

Every year around mid-April, more than 50 wisteria flowers bloom on the grounds. The hanging light purple and pale pink wisteria is so beautiful that it is easy to believe that the world-famous Japanese ukiyo-e artists Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige used it as its subject.

Hiroshige Utagawa “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo: Kameido Tenjin Precincts (1856)”

(Photo taken on April 23, 2023/©︎Traveler Tokyo)

Please enjoy the magical beauty of wisteria at Kameido Tenjin Shrine this spring.

*The best viewing times may vary depending on the weather, so please check Kameido Tenjin Shrine's official Instagram before visiting.

Yasukuni Shrine (Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo) is a famous cherry blossom viewing spot that has been known since ancient times.

(Photo taken on March 25, 2022/©︎Traveler Tokyo)

Yasukuni Shrine was built in 1869 by Emperor Meiji to honor the war dead who sacrificed their lives for their country. It enshrines the spirits of over 2,466,000 heroes who died in numerous battles, including the Meiji Restoration.

(Photo taken on March 25, 2022/©︎Traveler Tokyo)

Approximately 500 cherry trees bloom here from late March to early April every year. Every year in Japan, the Japan Meteorological Agency announces the blooming of cherry blossoms on the news, and Yasukuni Shrine has a ``specimen tree'' that serves as the standard for flowering announcements in Tokyo. The indicator of flowering is that this "specimen tree" has 5 to 6 flowers in bloom. Many Japanese people sense the arrival of spring when they hear the declaration of flowering every year.

(Specimen tree of cherry blossoms taken on March 25, 2022/©︎Traveler Tokyo)

As the cherry blossoms grow older, they are replaced, but the "specimen trees" at Yasukuni Shrine have been playing this important role for over 50 years since 1966.

Yasukuni Shrine is the only place where you can admire cherry blossoms while learning about Japan's important history. Please come and visit us.

Nezu Shrine (Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo), a famous spot for azaleas

(Photo taken on April 9, 2022/©︎Traveler Tokyo)

Nezu Shrine, designated as an important cultural property of Japan, is an old shrine with a history of over 1900 years. The contrast between the greenery of the trees and the bright azaleas and torii gates makes it a particularly beautiful place.

(Photo taken on April 9, 2022/©︎Traveler Tokyo)

The Bunkyo Azalea Festival is held every April, with 3,000 azaleas of 100 species in full bloom. The best time to see them is usually mid-April. On the day I visited, April 9, 2022, about three-thirds of the flowers were in bloom.

There are many types of azaleas, and each blooms at different times, so you can enjoy a variety of azaleas for a long period of time.

(Photo taken on April 9, 2022/©︎Traveler Tokyo)

On this trip, you can experience the harmony of flowers blooming in various places and the charm of Japan's history and culture while touring historical places in Tokyo. The depth of history you learn while walking on your own and the beauty of the flowers intertwine, making your trip even more enjoyable.

Traveler Tokyo is transmitting various charms of Japan. Please check out our other articles.

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