In February 300 plum trees blossom for students chasing a mark.
The shrine venerates Sugawara no Michizane, who in life was a poet and an official and in death became the god of learning: students come here to pray before their exams. About three hundred plum trees grow in the grounds, mostly white.
The plum blossom coincides with the entrance exam season, and the two have always run side by side: anyone who prays for their mark finds the flowers too.
ℹ️ ⚠️ Bunkyō Ume Matsuri, the plum blossom festival: from 8 February to 8 March (2026 dates, stated by the municipality). Outside that window you can still visit the shrine, but without flowers.
🚉 Yushima · 2 min walk
Holidays in Japan? Plan them with us.Over 2,000 real places, a day-by-day itinerary.FreeOpen the map →Sources: city.bunkyo.lg.jp
Nearby
Kyū-Iwasaki-tei Garden200 mphoto by Wiiii · CC BY-SA 3.0
Shinobazu Pond — Ueno600 mphoto by Fred Cherrygarden · CC BY-SA 4.0
Kanda Myojin Shrine600 mphoto by Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ameya-Yokochō600 mphoto by そらみみ · CC BY-SA 3.0