Kyoto Shrine with Weeping Plum Blossoms

Witness a variety of weeping plum blossoms, forming a colorful white, pink, and hot pink curtain, swaying with the wind in Kyoto’s Jonangu.

Jōnan-gū Shrine

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Address: 7 Nakajima Toba Rikyu-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto Telephone number: 075-623-0846 Entrance fee: 800 yen for Shinden (Shinto garden), free on the grounds Garden viewing: 9:00-16:30, admission by 16:00

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Jonangu (lit. “the shrine south of the capital”) is located in Fushimi Ward, south of Kyoto. As the guardian of construction, transportation, and travel, the shrine continues to attract worshippers all over Japan and internationally.

Jonangu’s vast garden, Rakusuien, is 30,000sq meters wide. Split into 5 smaller gardens, with a total of 150 plum trees, 300 camellia bushes, and almost a hundred maple trees.

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VISITING JONANGU

I visited Jonangu on a weekday, on the 8th of March, 2023. The plum trees are at their peak on this day.

There are several routes to Jonangu Shrine; buses are available from JR Kyoto Station and Hankyu Omiya Station, but the number of buses may be limited. You can also reach the shrine by train (with a 15-minute walk from Takeda Station to the shrine). Because there are limited operating buses to Jonangu, most tourists walk from Takeda Station.

I walked from Takeda station to Jonangu and realized there are not a lot of people walking toward the shrine. It was also on a weekday when I visited, so, in my mind, there are a few people visiting Jonangu.

I went arrived at the shrine past 10am. The number of people when I arrived there surprised me. There was a long line to the garden entrance. This might be a hint of the post-pandemic conditions. As I line up my way to the entrance, I saw small plum trees and souvenirs being sold.

Even with the large proximity of the garden, the crowd isn’t almost moving unless you weave your way through an open space somewhere, enough to see the marvel and take photos. I have heard that it is way more crowded than hours before. The weather is great and the sun is shining so there are plenty of opportunities to get that light in the frame.

The area is large but the main attraction for the weeping plum would be Spring Mountain. In Spring Mountain, numerous varieties of camellias greet everyone. Proceeding further the route is a world of colorful weeping plum blossom in full bloom, almost touching the ground. Fallen camellias on the moss and the spring curtain as the backdrop make for a spectacular view.