2017 Yushima Tenjin Plum Blossom Festival
2017 Yushima Tenjin saw the shrine draped in clouds of plum blossoms. The beautiful flowers brought a unique blend of serenity and tradition. Photographers came to capture them. Students came in large numbers. It was a day with perfect skies, a large crowd, and nostalgia for the gear I used long ago.
Why do students come to this shrine? Well, people visit it to pray to its two gods. One is Ameno-Tajikaraono-Mikoto, whose heavenly portfolio is sport and power. Tenjin is the other. He is responsible for learning and studying.
Tenjin is more popular. Getting into a good university is important in Japan, so students ask him for help when taking exams. They do this by writing their requests on “ema.” Ema are little wooden plaques. Tie them to a rack, which is a symbolic tree. Hopefully, the gods will see them.
The shrine overflows with them at exam times. They will all have the kanji 合格 (gōkaku). Gōkaku means to succeed or pass exams. Whether Tenjin reads them is another thing!
I wasn’t there for prayers. My goal was to photograph. I got help. The weather was fantastic for my 2017 visit. Cloudless and deep skies blessed the day. With that, crowds came. The flowers looked superb.
For other plum blossom spots in Tokyo, check out Koishikawa Korakuen. Setagaya ward’s Hanegi Park is also good. The city has many good places.
The Nostalgia of 2017
I use a Canon EOS R5 these days. But, when I took these photos, I used a Pentax K-3. One is pro-grade, the other is not.
The K-3 was a capable camera, but I never explored its capabilities fully. Well, I was a beginner then. I wonder what I missed. Upgrading to Fujifilm and Canon made me happy, but occasionally nostalgia pulls at my heart!
Conclusion
Photography is a great occupation or hobby. The gear we use has a large role in its attraction. While upgrading is exciting, leaving behind a loved piece of equipment can be sad. Tell us about your experiences.
Did you visit the 2017 Yushima Tenjin Plum Blossoms Festival? If you did, leave a comment below. But regardless of the season, the shrine is a great Tokyo photo spot.
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has been photographing Tokyo since 2011. He loves his Canon EOS R5.
More plum blossom articles:
External related websites:
- Yushima Tenjin (official website)