Nezu Shrine 09:00
From ¥500 to ¥1,000 (depending on flowering status), free for primary school children and younger with a guardian
For 11 months of every year, Nezu Shrine doesn't attract all that much attention from the outside world. Then spring rolls around, and its remarkable crop of azaleas bursts into bloom. The shrine precincts are home to some 3,000 azalea plants – roughly 100 varieties in total, including rare breeds such as the black karafune flower – and has to find space for at least as many flower aficionados during the month-long Bunkyo Tsutsuji Matsuri.
Another highlight of Nezu Shrine is its red torii gate tunnel, similar to the ones at Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Shrine but on a much smaller scale.
For the latest flowering status, visit Nezu Shrine's Instagram.
While entry to the shrine is free, access to the azalea garden requires a donation of ¥500 to ¥1,000, depending on the flowering conditions.
