Vibrant pink sakura and little golden-yellow mimosa flowers make this a must-see spot for early cherry blossom viewing in Tokyo.
Tokyo's Kuramae Shrine is a quiet little Shinto enclave in a neighborhood known more for cafes and artisan workshops than any big sightseeing destinations. At the very start of sakura season each year, however, crowds rush to the shrine and its compact grounds to see the dazzling combination of surprisingly vibrant pink cherry blossoms, juxtaposed against the tiny, butter-yellow sunbursts of a towering mimosa tree. Unlike the paths lined with pale-pink trees found in so many hanami spots around Japan, Kuramae Shrine is a destination thanks to its bursts of bright, eye-catching color – a sign of the beautiful spring weather soon to come.
Like so many inconspicuous little shrines tucked into quiet neighborhoods around Japan, Kuramae Shrine has actually been around for much longer than most of what you see in the trendy Kuramae neighborhood. (Although it can't quite compete with Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, also close by.) It was established at the end of the 1600s, when the 5th Tokugawa shogun "divided the spirit" that was enshrined in Kyoto's Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine, and brought a portion to Tokyo to reside in its current location. As a historic spot in the middle of Tokyo, Kuramae Shrine is sometimes referenced in Japan's traditional comedic storytelling called "rakugo" (落語), has a reputation as a "power spot" thanks to the Tokugawa clan, and has even been a venue for sumo wrestling competitions in the past. These days, however, it's the flowers that draw the biggest crowds.
For sightseers expecting cherry blossoms to be pale pink, the brightly colored flowers at Kuramae Shrine might come as something of a surprise. That's because many of Japan's most popular sakura spots, those in Tokyo in particular, are planted with one very specific kind of cherry tree: the somei-yoshino, or Yoshino cherry. On the other hand, Kuramae Shrine has gone in a different direction with their tall Kawazu cherry trees, complete with broad canopies that reach out halfway over the shrine grounds. Not only do these uncommon cherry blossoms rain down baby pink petals that contrast beautifully with the bright yellow of the shrine's mimosa tree, but they also have a particularly early blooming season. If you're hoping to visit Kuramae Shrine when it looks most beautiful, aim for a couples weeks ahead of the general cherry blossom forecast for Tokyo. Just keep an eye on the calendar so you don't miss this one-of-a-kind Tokyo sakura spot!
While you're in the area, don't miss out on Kuramae's thriving cafe culture, either!
Kuramae Shrine (蔵前神社)
1-14-11 Kuramae, Taito City, Tokyo
Access: 2 min from Kuramae Station
Official Website (jp)
For more info and updates from Japan, check Japankuru for new articles, and don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!
PROFILE
Follow us @Japankuru on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
COMMENT
FEATURED MEDIA
VIEW MORE・The new Tokyo flagship for Volcom Japan is a center for all things skateboarding, street fashion, art, and culture, all in the heart of Shibuya! ・Volcom日本旗艦店東京澀谷登場 本格派滑板街頭潮流藝文新據點 #Volcom #japankuru #shibuya #日本購物 #日本潮流 #日本街頭時尚 #澀谷 #東京購物 #東京購物推薦 #東京潮店 #澀谷潮店 #滑板 #雪板 #衝浪 #볼컴 #시부야
Which snacks make the best Japanese souvenirs?~ Jaga Pirika ~ 일본과자 선물 뭐하지?~자가피리카 편~ #pr #calbee #jagapokkuru #japanesesnacks #japanesefood #japanesesouvenir #japantravel #japantrip #naritaairport #hokkaido #나리타국제공항 #일본여행선물 #흔하지않은기념품 #일본쇼핑리스트 #일본과자추천 #고구마과자 #일본간식추천 #일본면세점쇼핑 #개별포장 #일본감자칩 #도쿄나리타공항면세점 #현지인추천 #일본여행 #일본기념품리스트 #자가포쿠루 #자가피리카
Asakusa's Sanja Matsuri, one of the biggest festivals in all of Tokyo, is almost here! Make sure you check out the festival route so you don't miss all the festivities this May. #asakusa #sanjafestival #sanjamatsuri #asakusashrine #sensoji #sensojitemple #japanesefestival #shintoshrine #japaneseculture #tokyo #tokyotrip #tokyotravel #asakusasightseeing #matsuri #japantrip #japantravel #springinjapan #tokyotravel #japankuru #산자마츠리 #아사쿠사 #일본마츠리 #일본여행 #일본5월
Odaiba's DiverCity Tokyo Plaza is home to the famous real-size 20m-tall Unicorn Gundam, and the popular shopping center has even more Gundam on the inside! Check out the Gundam Base Tokyo on the 7th floor for shelves upon shelves of Gunpla, and the Gundam Base Tokyo Annex on the 2nd floor for cool anime merchandise. Both shops have tons of limited-edition items! #pr #odaiba #tokyo #tokyotrip #japantrip #japantravel #PR #divercity #divercitytokyoplaza #tokyoshopping #gundam #unicorngundam #gundambasetokyo #anime #otaku #gunpla #japankuru #오다이바 #다이바시티도쿄 #오다이바건담 #건담 #일본건담 #건프라 #건담베이스도쿄
Evangelion, in miniature!? Tokyo's SMALL WORLDS Miniature Museum is actually a must-see for anime lovers, thanks to the tiny Evangelion Hangar and Tokyo-III... plus a whole universe of other scenes both real and fictional. #smallworlds #smallworldstokyo #tokyotrip #tokyotravel #evangelion #eva #anime #miniature #miniatures #animefigure #japantrip #japantravel #에반게리온 #스몰월드 #에반겔리온 #スモールワールズ #오다이바 #아리아케
Have you sat down for a snack at Sumida Aquarium yet? This aquarium next to Tokyo Skytree is known for its penguins and garden eels, but we can't get enough of their cute snacks! There are lots of good seats around the aquarium, too, so it almost feels like one big cafe. 🐧 • Find out more at Japankuru.com! (Link in bio.) • #japankuru #sumidaaquarium #skytree #tokyoskytree #solamachi #sumida #tokyo #tokyotrip #tokyotravel #aquarium #japanesesweets #themecafe #すみだ水族館 #Japan #日本 #일본 #Japon #ญี่ปุ่น #Japão #япония #japantravel #日本旅行 #日本旅遊 #japan_of_insta #japantrip #traveljapan #japan🇯🇵 #igerstokyo #explorejapan
For anime fans, the Evangelion areas at Small Worlds Miniature Museum are a must see! The tiny miniature people in the Evangelion Hangar look like ants beneath the moving Unit-01, Unit-00, and Unit-02! And over in Tokyo-III, characters like Shinji, Rei, and Katsuragi live life on a miniature scale. #odaiba #tokyo #tokyotrip #japantrip #japantravel #ariake #smallworlds #miniaturemuseum #smallworldstokyo #tokyotravel #evangelion #eva #anime #miniature #miniatures #animefigure #japankuru #스몰월드 #에반게리온 #오다이바 #오다이바관광 #오다이바스몰월드 #미니어쳐