Spring in Japan isn’t just about the cherry blossoms and at Yushima Tenjin Shrine you can see one of the island nation’s other flower festivals, the ume matsuri, or plum festival.
Plum trees blossom earlier and for longer than cherry blossoms, so if your trip’s timing is that tiny bit off and you’re missing the pink tide, you can still get your fill of gorgeous blooms from the plum trees.
What happens?
Yushima Tenjin has been a popular spot for blossom-viewing since the Edo era and the festival includes demonstrations of shamisen-playing, plum wine tasting, traditional dance, tea, and other Japanese cultural events, including a mikoshi (portable shrine) procession on February 25. It also features nighttime illuminations from sundown to around 7:30 p.m.
Schedule
Each weekend and on holidays there will be different traditional events, including belly dancing, taiko drumming, and a karaoke compeition. Just turn up to see what’s on offer or check out the schedule.
- 190 m from Yushima Station Chiyoda Line (C13)
- 441 m from Ueno-hirokoji Station Ginza Line (G15)
- 467 m from Ueno-okachimachi Station Oedo Line (E9)
