Nezu Shrine

Nezu Shrine in northern Tokyo's Bunkyo ward is among the city's ten most important shrines, the Tokyo Jissha. The present complex was commissioned in 1705 by the fifth Tokugawa shogun Tsunayoshi after his chosen heir was born on the site, making it a rare fully preserved example of Edo-period Gongen architecture. The vermilion-lacquered Honden, Haiden and Romon gate are protected as Important Cultural Properties of Japan. The shrine is best known for its annual Tsutsuji Matsuri in late April, when about 3000 azalea bushes in 100 varieties bloom on the hillside, and for the photogenic tunnel of densely packed small torii. Close to the University of Tokyo and the Yanesen neighbourhood, Nezu Shrine is a quiet stop on a walk through old Tokyo.