2015/02/01

初梅花 / First Plum Blossoms of the Season

梅花, 湯島天神, 梅まつり

It's quite early in the season, but still I decided to take a long walk and head over to  Yushima Tenjin Shrine (湯島天神) (a.k.a. Yushima Tenmangu), in the Yushima neighborhood of Bunkyo City, for the start of the annual Plum Blossom Festival (梅祭り). There are very few blossoms to look at right now, but still the Shrine was alive with visitors enjoying the beautiful, albeit chilly day.

Yushima Tenjin Shrine originally dates back to the mid-5th century, but has lived on in the current form that you see here since the late 1400s. The buildings that stand today we're all constructed in 1995 as part of Japanese Shrines' traditional renewal. The Shrine is particularly famous for its long history as a place of study for Confucian scholars during the edo period (1603-1868), but also for its annual Plum Blossom Festival.

梅花, 湯島天神, 梅まつり

Yushima Tenjin Shrine has another, lesser-known claim to fame, which is that being directly adjacent to the University of Tokyo, receives thousands of student visitors each year. Students praying for success in their studies, write their wishes on these emma and leave them here for Tenjin (the primary God of the shrine).

湯島天神湯島天神

The flowering plum trees are still almost all buds, but I still managed to get some nice floral shots.

梅花, 湯島天神, 梅まつり梅花, 湯島天神, 梅まつり


梅花, 湯島天神, 梅まつり梅花, 湯島天神, 梅まつり


梅花, 湯島天神, 梅まつり梅花, 湯島天神, 梅まつり


梅花, 湯島天神, 梅まつり梅花, 湯島天神, 梅まつり

If you would like to look at the rest of the photos form this set, please visit my Picasa Album. Thanks as always for visiting!

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