Nezu Shrine
Tokyo's alternative to Kyoto's Fushimi Inari — a serene 1,900-year-old shrine with a tunnel of 200 vermilion torii gates winding through a wooded hillside in Bunkyo. In April, the azalea garden (3,000 plants across 100 varieties) turns the shrine grounds into a labyrinth of pink and red. Usually crowd-free on weekdays.
45–60 min
Free (azalea garden ¥300 during Tsutsuji Festival)
6:00–17:00; azalea garden: 1–30 Apr, 9:00–17:30, ¥500–1,000 depending on bloom
Mid-April (azaleas), Year-round
5 min walk from Nezu Station (Chiyoda Line)
Location
Why Visit
- 1
A 200-torii gate tunnel through a forested hillside — far less crowded than Fushimi Inari
- 2
3,000 azalea plants bloom mid-April to early May — one of Tokyo's finest flower gardens
- 3
Founded before Tokyo existed — one of the oldest continuously operating shrines in the Kanto region
Local Tips
Nezu is one of Tokyo's oldest shrines and has a tunnel of torii leading to the inner sanctuary — smaller scale than Fushimi Inari but far less crowded. The azalea festival (Tsutsuji Matsuri) from late March to late April is outstanding — 3,000 azalea bushes covering the hillside behind the shrine. Combine with Yanaka cemetery and old shitamachi for a full historic east Tokyo day.
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