Posted February 11, 2015 by Jonelle Patrick3 Comments Just...Beautiful

Where To See The Best Plum Blossoms In Tokyo

On the busy shopping street of Kappabashi-dori: these! — Suddenly, on the busy shopping street of Kappabashi-dori: these!

I am a total, total sucker for plum blossoms. The flowers are much more beautiful than cherry blossoms up close, and you gotta admire that the damn things even bloom in the snow. I mean, they famously bloom in the snow (thousands of haiku can’t be wrong.)

Here are my favorite places in Tokyo to see them, from mid-February to March!

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NEW FOR 2018!

JINDAI BOTANICAL GARDEN

This gorgeous botanical garden has a really nice grove of plum trees

Plum trees aren’t always particularly pretty, but look at this shapely beauty!

There are some varieties at Jindai-ji I haven’t seen elsewhere, like these variegated pretties

And of course there are plenty of the favorites

This fabulous botanical garden is about a 10 minute bus ride (or a pleasant 25 minute walk) from Chofu Station, and it’s well worth the trip! Bonus attraction: it’s bordered by the Jindai-ji temple, with an old-fashioned shopping street featuring lots of soba noodle restaurants.

MAP

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IKEGAMI HONMONJI BAIEN

This hillside garden at Ikegami Honmonji temple is all plums, and even though it’s not a huge garden, when they bloom, it’s glorious

…including unusual specimens that have more than one color of flower on the same plant

Ikegami Honmonji temple has an entire garden dedicated to plum trees, with nice thatch-roofed teahouses situated among them.

Admission: ¥100

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…and the perennial favorites

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ARISUGAWA PARK

Tucked away in Hiroo, on the highest hill in this jewel of a park, is a lovely circle of plum trees. It’s a nice place to rest and enjoy.

Admission: Free

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GOTOKU-JI TEMPLE

This temple also has a shrine with a boatload of lucky cat figures & an awesome wooden pagoda.

Admission: Free

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HAMA-RIKYU TEIEN GARDEN

And don't be deterred if it's raining – I think the plum blossoms are at their most beautiful in the rain! (And you'll have the garden to yourself, too!) — And don’t be deterred if it’s raining – I think the plum blossoms are at their most beautiful in the rain! (And you’ll have the garden to yourself, too!)

This garden is one of the most famous in Tokyo for plum trees. As a bonus, they’ve planted a sea of yellow flowers behind the earliest-blooming trees, and it’s a favorite place for wedding photography, so you might see some brides in kimono while you’re there.

Admission: ¥300

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HANEGI PARK

This isn’t a very scenic garden – more of a hill planted with hundreds of plum trees – but it awes by sheer volume and variety. And it’s about a three minute walk from the train station so: no excuses

Admission: Free

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KAMEIDO TENJIN SHRINE

This temple is famous for wisteria, but it turns out they have a killer plum tree collection too. Any shrine that has “Tenjin” or “Tenmangu” as part of its name has a collection of plum trees, and often there is a red one and a white one flanking the entrance to the sanctuary.

Admission: Free

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KITANO SHRINE

This is a small shrine near Koraku-en, but it’s really glorious in plum blossom season. As a bonus, it has a cow-shaped rack for tying your unwanted fortunes to.

Admission: Free

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KORAKUEN GARDEN

The plum grove at my favorite Tokyo garden blooms early and often. Lots of different kinds, plus the rest of the garden is beautiful too.

Admission: ¥300

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KYU SHIBA RIKYU GARDEN

This is a small but exquisite formal garden, and although the plum grove isn’t large, the varieties are very beautiful. Some trees have both pink and white blooms on the same branch!

Admission: ¥150

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NISHIARAI DAISHI TEMPLE

If you’re lucky, the very early-blooming cherry tree will be dressed in pink at the same time!

Admission: Free

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OKURAYAMA PARK

This park is a bit of a schlep in the Yokohama direction, but it’s well worth it in plum blossom season.

Admission: Free

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SHINJUKU GYOUEN GARDEN

There’s a grove of many different kinds of plum trees in the traditional Japanese garden area, by the tea house. Any time of year, Shinjuku Gyouen never disappoints.

Admission: ¥200

MAP

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YUSHIMA SHRINE

This is one of the most beautiful shrines in Tokyo, and it not only has a ton of plum trees, it has a festival to celebrate them, from Feb 6 – Mar 6.

Admission: Free

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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had

Jonelle Patrick View All

Writing mystery books set in Tokyo is mostly what I do, but I also blog about the odd stuff I see every day in Japan. I'm a graduate of Stanford University and the Sendagaya Japanese Institute in Tokyo, and a member of the International Thriller Writers, the Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters In Crime. When I'm not in Tokyo, I live in San Francisco. I also host a travel site called The Tokyo Guide I Wish I'd Had, so if you're headed to Japan and want to check out the places I take my friends when they're in town, take a look!

3 thoughts on “Where To See The Best Plum Blossoms In Tokyo” Leave a comment ›

Eda says:

February 11, 2015 at 5:30 pm

Are you in town? I would be honored to take in some ume with you. It’s high time we met.

- Jonelle Patrick says:
  
  February 14, 2015 at 3:57 pm
  
  I’m sadly SADLY going to miss all of plum blossom season this year ( ; _ ; ) but I’ll be back in time for the accursed cherries. Rain check? I would love to meet you, if you’re not too busy!
  
  - Eda says:
    
    February 15, 2015 at 11:05 am
    
    Love the accursed cherries! Let me know when you’re in town. I’m gone April 18-May 1, otherwise any time is good.