Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Top 10 Flower
and Plant Events
!
Plum Blossom Viewing
The blossoms at Yushima
Tenjin Shrine attract Tokyoites.
d
Map F2 • Late Feb-early Mar
@
Cherry Blossom
Viewing
Crowds picnic under the pink
blossoms in parks and
gardens.
d
Mid-late Apr
£
Peony Displays
A participant at the horseback archery
Men in samurai gear charge their
mounts through Sumida Park,
aiming to strike three targets in
rapid succession.
d
Map S1 • Sumida Park, Taito-ku
• Mid-Apr
Pink, red, and yellow
peonies can be viewed at the
Ueno Park's Tosho-gu Shrine.
d
Map F1 • Mid-April
$
Azalea Festival
Azaleas bloom at Nezu
Shrine and the Imperial Palace
East Gardens.
d
Map E1; L2,
M2 • Apr 10-May 15 • Adm
%
Iris Viewing
*
Sumida River Fireworks
As many as 1 million
Tokyoites converge on the river-
banks near Asakusa to see over
20,000 fireworks light up the
skies and the Sumida River. The
best viewing spots are from
Komagata Bridge or between
Shirahige and Kototoi bridges
(see pp12-13)
.
d
Jul: last Sat
(
Tokyo Marathon
Visit the iris gardens at
the Meiji Shrine and Horikiri.
d
Map B5, D1 • Early-mid-Jun
^
Lotus Blossoms
Pink lotuses bloom in the
Shinobazu Pond in Ueno Park.
d
Map F2 • Mid-Jul-Aug
&
Chinese Lantern
The Japanese take pride in
their marathon runners, particu-
larly women, who have won
gold medals in past Olympics.
Competing is a serious business,
with very strict entrance rules
and requirements. The run
begins at the National Stadium,
built for the 1964 Tokyo
Olympics.
d
Map C4 • Mid-Feb
)
Water Purification Rites
Plant Fair
This popular fair is held in the
Senso-ji Temple.
d
Map R1
• 3842-0181 • Jul 9-10
*
Morning Glory Fair
Vendors sell thousands of
potted morning glories in the
grounds of Kishimojin Temple.
d
Map C1 • Jul 6-8
(
Chrysanthemum
Festival
Shinjuku Gyoen Garden has
a wonderful exhibition of
chrysanthemums.
d
Map B4,
C4 • Late Oct-mid-Nov
Cleansing rituals are held at
several shrines throughout Tokyo
in winter. Young men and
women, whose 20th birthdays
fall in the same year, stand in
pools full of blocks of ice and
douse themselves with freezing
buckets of water.
d
Map F3 • Kanda
Myojin Shrine • Jan 10-12
)
Fall Leaves
Red maples, russet fall
leaves, and yellow gingkos
bloom in the parks and old
Edo-period gardens.
d
Mid-late Nov
57
Lanterns, summer kimonos, watermelons, beer, and sake add to
the festive occasion of the Sumida River Fireworks.
