Plum Blossoms at Yushima Tenjin

An interesting aspect of the plum blossoms is that they actually bloom during the winter. Toward the end of February these flowers begin to bloom and may last for several weeks into March. Because of this, they are viewed as a harbinger of the coming spring. When the ume (plum) blossoms begin to bloom, you know spring is just around the corner, and the sakura (cherry blossoms) are not far behind.

A unique trait of Yushima Tenjin is that it is a well known location for young people to offer prayers for the coming school year, specifically for those hoping to pass entrance exams to get into their college of choice. Part of the process of making this prayer at the shrine is to purchase an "ema" - a wooden plaque upon which a person writes their prayer.

These are then hung up around the shrine. Although this is a common practice at shrines across the country, they are especially plentiful at this time of year at Yushima Tenjin, with easily tens of thousands placed around the shrine grounds.

People from all over come and enjoy reading the wishes written on these ema. Of course, they're mostly written in Japanese, so if you want to read them, you might need to brush up on your kanji first!

Of course, the real star of the show so to speak are the blossoms themselves. The trees are plentiful around the shrine, with many different varieties planted for enjoyment.

This small bonsai type was set on display at the shrine as well. Wouldn't you like to have this to decorate your house?

Although the coming cherry blossom season is undoubtedly the main event of the year in Japan, the plum blossom season is not to be missed, and Yushima Tenjin is a great place to check them out and get a taste of the culture at the same time.