The annual Nagaoka Tenmangu Azalea Festival celebrates the beauty of 150-year-old Kirishima azaleas in their distinctive bright red hue, which are in full bloom around the end of April. Along with the azaleas, the shrine grounds are home to a koi-filled pond, cherry trees that bloom earlier in the year, and stunning fall foliage in the autumn months.
Admission to the azalea festival is free of charge.
Nagaoka Tenmangu Shrine is located around 20 minutes on foot from the west exit of Nagaokakyo Station, served by the JR Tokaido Line, or around 10 minutes on foot from the west exit of Nagaoka Tenjin Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line.
For those who plan to drive, the shrine is around 5 minutes from the Nagaokakyo IC on the Kyoto Jukan Expressway. There are two paid parking lots by the shrine grounds, but they do fill up quickly during the peak spring season. If they're full, it's recommended to use the municipal parking lot outside of Nagaokakyo Station.
By Stacy Kurokawa
By Stacy Kurokawa
By Ross-Barry Finlayson
By Yuko Kobayashi
