Last Updated on 2026-05-20 by Tsubaki
Hi! I’m Tsubaki, a travel writer who has been living in Japan for over 10 years. Even after cherry blossom season comes to an end, spring in Japan doesn’t simply fade away. Instead, it changes into something far more vivid and colorful. One weekend in mid-April, my boyfriend and I visited Nezu Shrine just in time for its lively annual Nezu Shrine Azalea Festival (Tsutsuji Matsuri).
At first, we were simply looking for somewhere nice to spend the weekend. Surprisingly, it was actually my boyfriend who discovered this spot. What caught me off guard was how little attention the Nezu Shrine Azalea Festival seems to receive in Chinese-language travel circles, while at the same time being quite well known among Western travelers. The information for this trip was something my boyfriend found through a French travel media site. Since he’s French, exploring destinations together with him often makes me realize how differently Europe, America, and Asia imagine what counts as a “must-visit” place.
So we decided to spend our weekend exploring Nezu Shrine in person. After enjoying the flowers, we also stopped by a lovely nearby café called Tsutsuji Café for some desserts and light snacks. That little detour eventually inspired me to write this article and share the experience with all of you. Even if you missed cherry blossom season, don’t worry. Tokyo’s sea of spring azaleas is still absolutely worth making a special trip for.
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Nezu Shrine Azalea Festival | Walking Into Layers of Blooming Color
The moment we stepped into Nezu Shrine, the hillside overflowing with azaleas immediately filled our view. The layers upon layers of vibrant colors were honestly overwhelming in the best possible way. My very first reaction was, “Wow… I had no idea Tokyo had a place like this.” Even the Japanese visitors around us couldn’t stop gasping in amazement. The atmosphere there was genuinely infectious.
Before visiting, I had already noticed flowers quietly starting to bloom in the bushes near my office, but I never paid much attention to them. It wasn’t until I walked into this garden that I realized those flowers were actually azaleas. Ever since then, even during my regular commute, I’ve found myself slowing down for a few extra seconds whenever I pass flowering bushes, naturally paying more attention to the colors of spring gradually spreading across the city.
During the Azalea Festival period, visitors need to pay an entrance fee of 700 yen to enter the azalea garden inside the shrine grounds.
* 700 JPY (≈ $4.40 USD / £3.28 GBP / €3.79 EUR)
Even without entering the garden
you can still admire the azalea-covered hillside from a distance. However, paying to enter the garden gives you a much more immersive experience, almost as if you’re completely surrounded by flowers.
Unlike cherry blossoms, which mainly bloom in shades of pink, the azaleas here come in an incredible variety of colors. From pure white and soft pastel pink to vivid crimson and deep purple, thousands upon thousands of azalea bushes weave together into a massive natural carpet draped across the shrine’s hillside paths.
You can even spot some relatively rare yellow azaleas among the flowers.
The azalea garden itself has gentle slopes and varying elevations, so the scenery changes constantly as you slowly walk along the pathways. Every angle offers a slightly different view.
When I visited on April 11, the flowers were probably around 60–70% in bloom overall. Some areas were already bursting with full blossoms, while others were still filled with tightly closed buds, which actually created a beautiful sense of layering throughout the garden. In the afternoon, sunlight filtered through the trees and reflected off tiny droplets resting on the petals. Combined with the shrine’s iconic vermilion torii gates, the scenery created photographs that felt unmistakably and beautifully Japanese.
Festival Food Stalls and Traditional Performances During the Azalea Festival
Beyond the flowers themselves, the Azalea Festival also brings an unmistakable festival atmosphere to the shrine grounds.
Along the approach to Nezu Shrine, you’ll find seasonal food stalls set up during the event. The selection isn’t huge, but there are classic Japanese festival snacks such as grilled dango, charcoal-grilled fish, and soy sauce-glazed rice dumplings.
There are also occasional traditional performances and cultural events held throughout the festival. It adds a lively layer to the shrine’s normally peaceful atmosphere without feeling overly crowded or overwhelming. Instead, it creates a special “spring-only” feeling that makes the entire experience even more memorable.
If your timing works out, I’d actually recommend visiting around lunchtime. You can slowly enjoy the flowers while casually snacking on festival food, making it a perfect relaxed walking itinerary during a trip to Tokyo.
Nezu Shrine Azalea Festival Information
Address: 1 Chome-28-9 Nezu, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 113-0031（Google Maps）
Access:
• About a 5-minute walk from Nezu Station or Sendagi Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line
• About a 5-minute walk from Todaimae Station on the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line
• About a 10-minute walk from Hakusan Station on the Toei Mita LineOpening Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Azalea Festival Period: Usually held from April 1 to April 30
(Dates may vary slightly each year, so please check the official website.)Additional Information:
・Official website
・Live festival camera during the azalea season
・Pets, eating, and tripods are prohibited inside the garden
After the Flowers, It’s Time for Something Sweet
After walking through the entire azalea garden, the perfect next stop is honestly a traditional Japanese sweets café.
We visited a charming and well-known café located right beside the shrine called Tsutsuji Café.
The café itself is fairly small, filled with nostalgic Showa-era charm, and seems to be a favorite resting spot for visitors after flower viewing.
The atmosphere was calm and quiet, with the comforting feeling of a long-established local café.
This time, we ordered two of the café’s signature desserts.
Must-Try Desserts at Tsutsuji Café | Warabi Mochi Parfait & Yomogi Daifuku
Warabi Mochi Parfait, Price: ¥850
* 800 JPY (≈ $5.03 USD / £3.75 GBP / €4.34 EUR)To be honest, I was a little surprised when the parfait first arrived at the table.
The translucent warabi mochi paired with ice cream, sweet red beans, and roasted soybean powder looked like a very classic Japanese-style dessert, but it was surprisingly light and not overly sweet at all. The warabi mochi itself had a soft, chewy texture with a slight coolness to it, which matched perfectly with the ice cream.
The second dessert was kusa daifuku, a very seasonal spring sweet.
The mochi skin is mixed with natural yomogi mugwort, giving it a gentle grassy aroma that feels fresh and earthy without being overpowering. The texture was incredibly stretchy and pleasantly chewy, while the inside was generously filled with chunky sweet red bean paste. The sweetness was balanced beautifully, making it easy to finish without feeling heavy.
Tsutsuji Café Information
Address: 1 Chome-6-4 Yayoi, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 113-0032（Google Maps）
Access:
• About a 5-minute walk from Nezu Station or Sendagi Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line
• About a 5-minute walk from Todaimae Station on the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line
• About a 10-minute walk from Hakusan Station on the Toei Mita LineOpening Hours: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
(Closed every Friday and Sunday)Additional Information: Official website｜Official Instagram
Final Thoughts
Spring in Tokyo always seems to be overshadowed by cherry blossom season. But even after the petals of March have disappeared, the vibrant azaleas of April and May continue weaving together their own kind of resilient beauty, reminding people how alive spring can still feel.
From walking along flower-covered hillside paths, to soaking in the festive atmosphere near the shrine approach, and finally ending the day with warabi mochi parfait and kusa daifuku at Tsutsuji Café, this day wasn’t packed with an ambitious itinerary. Yet somehow, it ended up feeling deeply fulfilling.
Maybe, just as my boyfriend discovered, many beautiful places are quietly hidden within the corners of everyday life that we often overlook. Sometimes, simply finding a place that lets you slow down for a while is already more than enough.
If you happen to visit Tokyo in April and want to experience a side of spring beyond cherry blossoms, then I truly recommend taking a walk through Nezu Shrine. You might just discover a completely different version of Tokyo’s spring, just like I did.
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Traveler’s Note:
The insights shared above are based on my personal experiences and subjective perspectives. When planning your trip, please consider current weather conditions and your own travel preferences.
Please note that all English articles on this site are AI-assisted translations of the original Traditional Chinese content. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy and natural flow, occasional nuances or expressions may differ. Thank you for your understanding.
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