News On Japan

Tourists Queue for Tokyo’s Most Instagrammable Spring Scenes

TOKYO, Apr 23 (News On Japan) - Foreign tourists are lining up to visit some of Tokyo’s most photogenic spring attractions, with Nezu Shrine in Bunkyo Ward drawing crowds on April 22nd as vibrant late-blooming azaleas reached their peak.

The shrine features some 3,000 azalea bushes in around 100 varieties, displaying vivid shades of red, pink, and purple. Many visitors expressed delight, calling the scenery "gorgeous," "stunning," and even "a hidden gem."

The temperature in central Tokyo reached 23.2 degrees Celsius that day, marking summer-like conditions at 97 locations nationwide. Some visitors were seen cooling off with folding fans as they strolled through the gardens.

“It’s so hot—even though it’s only April,” one tourist commented, while another from Spain added, “It’s much more humid than back home.”

Unseasonably warm days since mid-April have accelerated the blooming of the typically late-blooming azaleas, creating an eye-catching contrast of colors that is now drawing crowds. Many tourists were absorbed in photographing the floral display, eager to capture the scene for social media.

One visitor from the UK shared, “I’ve never seen azaleas like this in England. I’m so glad I got to see them—I took these photos to show my friends.”

Meanwhile, in Koto Ward, Kameido Tenjin Shrine is attracting attention for its wisteria in full bloom. A particularly popular photo spot allows visitors to capture the purple wisteria cascading from trellises, framed by the red bridge and Tokyo Skytree in the background—a scene that has captivated many.

Visitors continued snapping photos in pursuit of the perfect, atmospheric shot.

However, weather conditions are expected to change. On April 23rd, rain is forecast across much of the country, with temperatures likely to drop to levels typical of March in some regions.

Source: FNN

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

JR East has launched a preview version of its new online Shinkansen booking platform, JRE GO, promising reservations in as little as one minute and easier handling of sudden schedule changes.

A 37-year-old father arrested over the alleged abandonment of his son's body in a forest in Kyoto Prefecture may have contacted associates to say the child had gone missing before the boy's school informed the family, investigators said.

A bear that had remained in a residential area in central Sendai since early Sunday morning was euthanized last night in an emergency cull. No injuries were reported.

Police investigating the death of an 11-year-old boy whose body was found in a forest in Kyoto Prefecture believe his father moved the remains between several locations over a number of days in an apparent attempt to conceal the crime.

A large and powerful Typhoon No. 4, internationally named Sinlaku, was located near the Mariana Islands and moving north-northeast as of the latest update. The storm is expected to gradually shift its course eastward and pass southeast of the Ogasawara Islands around April 18, before making its closest approach around April 19.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Travel NEWS

Taxi fares in Tokyo's 23 wards, as well as Mitaka and Musashino, rose by about 10% on Monday, marking the first increase in the central Tokyo area in roughly three and a half years.

Typhoon No. 4, Sinlaku, moved northeast on April 19 while accelerating over waters near Minamitorishima, east of the Ogasawara Islands, according to weather officials. Although the storm is rapidly moving away from Japan, rough seas are expected to persist, prompting continued caution across the island chain.

The city of Nara is preparing to search for geothermal sources, hoping onsen facilities can help increase overnight stays in the ancient capital, where the city has long struggled to turn day-trippers into hotel guests despite being one of Japan's best-known sightseeing destinations, ranking last nationwide in annual overnight visitors in 2021 and underscoring weak tourism spending.

A series of earthquakes struck northern Nagano Prefecture, with the strongest registering upper 5 on Japan's seismic intensity scale.

The dismantling of the upper ornament of the five-story pagoda at Kofukuji, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Nara, was opened to the media on April 15 as the temple undergoes its first major restoration in around 120 years.

Japan already classifies days with highs of 30C or above as manatsubi (midsummer days) and those reaching 35C or above as moshobi (extremely hot days). It has now introduced a new term for days when temperatures climb to 40C or higher.

JR Tokai has announced a new inspection-equipped Shinkansen named 'Doctor S', set to take over the role of the famed 'Doctor Yellow', the bright yellow bullet train affectionately known as the train that brings good luck when spotted.

Spending by foreign visitors to Japan from January to March rose 2.5% from a year earlier to 2.3378 trillion yen, the Japan Tourism Agency said, marking the third-highest quarterly total on record, while the number of inbound visitors in March increased 3.5% to 3,618,900, setting a new record for the month.