Nezu Shrine, Bunkyō: what to see and when to go

Nezu Shrine is a Shinto place of worship in Bunkyō, Tokyo, established in 1705. It is known for its historic architecture and its annual Azalea Festival each spring, when visitors come to see paths lined with torii gates and blooming azaleas.

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Founded in 1705 and moved to Nezu by Tokugawa Tsunayoshi
Famous for its hillside azalea garden and spring Azalea Festival
Features a long path of vermilion torii gates
Several buildings are Important Cultural Properties
Dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, deity of sea and storms

What is Nezu Shrine?

Nezu Shrine is a Shinto shrine complex featuring traditional Japanese architecture, including a main hall (honden), worship hall (haiden), and offertory hall (heiden) all connected under one roof. Visitors enter through large red torii gates and can walk along a hillside path lined with many smaller vermilion torii. The grounds include a koi pond, a two-storied tower gate (rōmon), and a Chinese-style gate (karamon) with a long lattice wall (Sukibei). In spring, the shrine is especially known for its blooming azaleas.

The history of Nezu Shrine

According to legend, Nezu Shrine was first founded in the 1st century in Sendagi by Yamato Takeru, son of Emperor Keikō. The shrine was moved to its present location in Nezu in 1705 by Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, the fifth Tokugawa shōgun, to mark the selection of his successor. The current buildings, constructed in 1706, are among the oldest in Tokyo and are designated Important Cultural Properties. The shrine is dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, a deity of the sea and storms.

What there is to see

The shrine's main structures are built in the Ishi-no-ma-zukuri style, with interconnected halls under a single roof. The grounds feature long rows of torii gates, a rōmon gate guarded by warrior statues, and a Chinese-style gate with a surrounding wall. The hillside is planted with azaleas, which bloom in spring and attract many visitors during the festival. The shrine is open to the public with no admission fee.

When to go

Nezu Shrine is an active place of Shinto worship throughout the year. Its most popular event is the Azalea Festival, held from early April to early May, when the hillside is covered in flowering azaleas. The shrine is also visited for traditional ceremonies and is one of the Tokyo Ten Shrines. It is easily accessible by public transport and open to all visitors.

Parts and collections

The shrine complex includes several subsidiary shrines, such as Otome Inari Shrine and Komagome Shrine, each with its own path of torii gates. The architectural style follows the example of Tōshō-gū Shrine in Nikkō, and similar features can be seen at Ueno Tōshō-gū in Tokyo.

Why Nezu Shrine matters

Nezu Shrine is considered one of Tokyo's oldest and most important Shinto shrines. It is part of the Tokyo Ten Shrines and has several buildings designated as Important Cultural Properties. The Azalea Festival is a major spring event in Tokyo, drawing crowds to see the flowers and traditional architecture. The shrine is also linked to the Tokugawa shogunate and the Meiji Restoration.

The flowers of Nezu Shrine

RhododendronA vast group of shrubs and trees with showy blooms in many colours

AzaleaShade-loving flowering shrubs with spring blooms and thousands of cultivated forms

Questions people ask about Nezu Shrine

Where is Nezu Shrine located?

Nezu Shrine is in the Bunkyō ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is a short walk from Nezu, Sendagi, and Todaimae stations.

What is Nezu Shrine famous for?

The shrine is best known for its Azalea Festival each spring, when thousands of azalea bushes bloom on the hillside, and for its long path of vermilion torii gates.

When was Nezu Shrine established?

The shrine was established in 1705 at its current location, though legend says it was originally founded in the 1st century.

What kind of architecture does Nezu Shrine have?

Nezu Shrine is built in the Ishi-no-ma-zukuri style, with interconnected halls under one roof, and features traditional gates and walls.

What does Nezu Shrine symbolise or represent?

Nezu Shrine is dedicated to Susanoo-no-Mikoto, a Shinto deity of the sea and storms, and is part of the Tokyo Ten Shrines, representing important places of worship in the city.

Good reading and sources

Official websiteOfficial site

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Nezu Shrine", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. Opening times, prices and bloom dates change: check with the place before you travel. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Genzano di Roma: Ferdinando Chiodo, CC BY 2.5, source

International Garden Festival: Frombowen, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Bloom Festival: Smirkybec, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Villa Rufolo: Istvánka, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Huis Ten Bosch: JKT-c, CC BY 3.0, source

Rhododendron: Eiffel, Public domain, source

Ashikaga: Miyuki Meinaka, CC0, source

Odori Park: redlegsfan21, CC BY-SA 2.0, source

Azalea: YvoBentele, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Adachi Museum of Art: 663highland, CC BY 2.5, source

Nezu Shrine