Many thanks for participating in Tokyo Free Walking Tour in Asakusa and Ueno Park on April 23. We welcomed 27 people from America, UK, Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Italy, Hong Kong and Australia. Unfortunately, it was rainy all the time but we hope you enjoyed walking with us. The photos that we took during the tours are posted for your memory.
Spring flowers after cherry blossoms are azaleas. Nezu Shrine near Ueno Park is one of the best azalea spots in Tokyo. The azalea flowers are currently in full bloom and the festival is taking place from April 1 to April 30.
The beauty of nature is a natural setting covered with about 3,000 azalea bushes on the hill. There are about 100 varieties. Because the blooming of the flowers depends on the type, some bloom early and some others bloom late during the festival period.
According to a mythology, the first enshrinement of Nezu Shrine was about 1,900 years ago. The present Nezu Shrine was established by Tsunayoshi Tokugawa, the 5th shogun in 1706 during the Edo period. The shrine buildings survive manmade and natural disasters and miraculously remain perfect. They are the largest Edo period architecture remaining in Tokyo.
You will be amazed by the stunning and colorful sea of azalea flowers. It is believed that the original azalea was transplanted by the 5th shogun’s brother Tsunashige more than 300 years ago.
You’re still in time for the blossoms. The azalea blossoms are breathtakingly beautiful. The admission fee is 500 yen. It’s worth the price.
Incidentally, when you visit Nezu Shrine, walking through the tunnel of beautiful vermillion torii gates is recommended to pass. Each gate is relatively small, but the length of the tunnel is about 200 meters. It’s called ‘a thousand torii gates’, but there aren’t a thousand. These torii gates remind you of Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto. The contrast between the vermillion torii gates and the azalea flowers is something that will attract visitors.
Because the Nezu and Yanaka areas weren’t damaged during WWⅡ, the nostalgic and old atmosphere of Japan remains in these regions and make you feel travel back to the old days. The closest station is the Nezu Station of the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, but you can walk from Ueno Park.
Thank you for joining Tokyo Free Walking Tour in Asakusa and Ueno Park and we look forward to seeing you again on other future occasions.
(Yoshi)