Mar 19, 2014 - 1 min read

Akasaka Toyokawa Inari Temple

Early flowering cherry blossoms and attendant foxes

By Tomoko Kamishima

Community writer

An early flowering cherry blossom, the Edo-higan (江戸彼岸), is in full bloom at Akasaka’s Toyokawa Inari today! Birds were playing around the pink flowers delightfully. This tree usually blooms around o-higan (March 21) in Tokyo. The enshrined deity here rides on a white fox, and followers of the temple believe that foxes are attendants of the deity. After the wishes of believers are fulfilled, they offer fox statues to the temple. There are large numbers of fox statues all around the precincts.

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By Tomoko Kamishima

Community writer

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Elena Lisina 4 years ago

Tomoko-san, is it free to visit?

Elena Lisina 5 years ago

Wonderful shots! I wish I knew about this temple before my trip this summer.

Tomoko Kamishima Photographer 10 years ago

Amanda, that's an interesting idea. But you might be surprised to know that cherry blossoms don't give off a strong fragrance at all.

Amanda Callander 10 years ago

Awesome photos! I can practically smell the blossoms through my screen!

Tomoko Kamishima Photographer 10 years ago

Thanks Tom. There are many nice places for O-hana-mi. And once they start to bloom, they will finish quickly. Please check the blooming schedule information everyday!!! Sakura season in Tokyo is in early April.

6 comments in total