A popular place for plum blossom fans since olden times, Yushima Tenmangu shrine still draws crowds every year. The plum blossoms might get less hype than the cherry blossoms that follow, but they still make for some gorgeous late-winter scenery.
This year marks the 67th run of the Yushima Tenjin Ume Matsuri. The annual festival is one of Tokyo's most popular late-winter events, and it takes place for a month from February 8 until March 8. The shinto shrine is home to about 300 plum trees, and most of them are around 70 to 80 years old. Approximately 80 percent of them produces white plum blossoms.
On weekends and holidays – February 10-12, 17-18, 23-25, March 3 – you can look forward to events such as live shamisen (Japanese lute) and taiko drumming as well as flamenco and belly dancing performances.
You’ll also find a number of stalls selling souvenirs from Bunkyo ward as well as local products from Kumamoto (February 10-12), Aomori (Feb 17-18), Shimane and Ishikawa (February 24-25), and Fukushima (March 2-3).