2022 Yushima Tenjin Plum Blossom Festival and Monkey Magic
A sweet, floral, and slightly spicy fragrance permeated the ancient Yushima Tenjin shrine in 2022. The plum blossoms surrounded it in their beauty. A huge crowd of admirers had come to enjoy them. Everywhere I turned, I heard the clicks of cameras and smartphones.
Springtime atmosphere at the shrine
While I was at the shrine, the suddenly warm weather was a sign that winter was over. No one was wearing scarves. Heavy coats were nowhere to be seen. Spring had come.
A note for returning visitors: the tea ceremony, which was a fixture in the garden in past years, was not present on my weekday visit. This is something to keep in mind when planning your trip, as some activities may be limited to weekends.
Yushima Tenjin was relatively crowded. The food stalls probably appreciated them. Cooks hurried around stoves, turning out festival foods for empty stomachs. Takoyaki, okonomiyaki, yakisoba, and cotton candy were all popular.
A sea of blossoms
And the main attraction, the flowers? They were in great shape. Most of them were in full bloom. Some hadn’t formed at all, but those were in the minority. There’s no rush. That’s the good thing about them. I imagine the flowers will be with us for another couple of weeks.
Monkeys and flowers equal magic
Everything was sedate as usual. Plum blossom festivals always are. Everyone seemed to be happy walking among the flowers, taking pictures. But the scene changed when a monkey and its trainer appeared. All heads turned to them, and people hurried to the performance mat.
Monkeys easily become the center of attention with their comic antics. They effortlessly fly over bar jumps. Walking around on stilts is no problem. Making money for them is no problem either. Once the performance is over, people line up to drop a tip into the trainer’s hat.
Sacred traditions: The Ema tablets
Do you know “ema”? They are votive tablets. You write your wish or desire on them and hang them on symbolic trees at shrines. Hopefully, the gods listen to the petitioner. It would be nice if they did. What do you think?
Shrines personalize the tablets to some degree each year. 2022 was the Year of the Tiger. The animal represents strength and courage. Yushima Tenjin used it to decorate its ema.
A photographer's guide to the festival
- Leave the tripod at home: Tripods are not allowed on the grounds, so be prepared to shoot handheld.
- Embrace the crowds: It will be crowded. Instead of fighting it, use the people in your shots to add a sense of life and scale to the event.
- Vary your lenses: This event has it all—grand architecture, sweeping floral scenes, and tight details. Macro, wide-angle, and zoom lenses will all get plenty of use.
My gear for the day
To capture these scenes, I used my Fujifilm X-T3 paired with the versatile XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR lens. It was the perfect all-in-one choice. It allowed me to pull back for wide shots of the shrine and then zoom in tight on the delicate blossoms and the monkey’s expressive face. I did not need to change lenses in the crowd.
Conclusion
It was a magical day of beautiful flowers and lively entertainment under great weather. This festival is an annual highlight, and I can’t wait to return. For flower and travel photographers, this event is a must-visit, offering beautiful blossoms, unique cultural sights, and an atmosphere that has something for everyone.
Did you go to the 2022 Yushima Tenjin Plum Blossom Festival? If you did leave a note in the comments to tell us about your experience.
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.
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External related websites
- Yushima Tenjin (official website)