Check out these articles
-
Video article 5:14
Mt. Yoshino in Nara Prefecture – Experience a Panoramic View of 30,000 Beautiful Cherry Blossoms at One of the Most Famous Cherry Blossom Viewing Locations in Japan
TravelNature- 45 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 5:47
Cherry Blossoms at Daigoji Temple in Kyoto - Enjoy Cherry Blossoms at a Temple Where Japanese Warlords Once Did the Same. Tourist Information & More for This Popular Hanami Spot
NatureTravelArt & Architecture- 58 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 8:21
Mt. Yoshino, Nara: One of the Best Cherry Blossom Spots in Japan and a World Heritage Site! Discover the Beautiful Flowers, With Ties to Mountain Religions in Japan, via Video!
NatureTravel- 223 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 5:49
Enjoy the Mystical Beauty of Mount Yoshino, a World Heritage Site in Nara Prefecture, Brimming With Beautiful Cherry Blossoms!
Travel- 81 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 9:35
The Great Cherry Blossom Buddha at Tsubosakadera! Beautiful Drone Footage of the Cherry Blossoms the Famous Temple in Nara!
TravelArt & ArchitectureNature- 66 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 6:56
There's So Much Nature in Shinjuku, Tokyo, a City Filled With Skyscrapers! The Beautiful Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden Are Magical!
Nature- 52 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 3:19
Chidorigafuchi's Famous "Chiyoda Cherry Blossom Festival"! One of the Best Sakura Viewing Locations in Tokyo, With 1.3 Million Visitors Annually. Lit up at Night, It’s a Must-See!
Travel- 250 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 4:57
Check Out This Rare Nighttime Footage of Sensoji Temple! Enjoy the Popular Sightseeing Spot in Taito, Tokyo, Illuminated Beautifully at Night!
Travel- 105 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 3:32
A Cherry Blossom Passage at the Japan Mint Bureau in Osaka! Check Out This Video of Cherry Blossoms at the Mint in Spring 2022, and Learn the Best Time to See the Cherry Blossoms in 2023!
NatureTravel- 21 plays
- YouTube
Experience the Large Weeping Cherry Blossoms at Joenji Temple in All Their Beauty in the Metropolis of Shinjuku, Tokyo! Enjoy Beautiful Cherry Blossoms Lit up to "Sakura Sakura," a Japanese Folk Song!
Joenji Temple, a Hidden Gem for Cherry Blossom Viewing in the Skyscraper District of Nishi-Shinjuku
This video, titled "[Sakura] Joenji Temple - Tokyo - 常圓寺 - 4K Ultra HD," was uploaded by "TokyoStreetView - Japan The Beautiful."
There are places to view cherry blossoms in Tokyo, and Joenji Temple, located in Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo, in Japan's Kanto region, is one of them.
The area around the cherry blossoms is lined with high-rise office buildings and luxury hotels, and the weeping cherry blossom standing majestically in the midst of the metropolitan skyscrapers is a hidden gem for viewing cherry blossoms.
From 0:08 in the video, the cherry blossoms can be seen lit up at night, a sight that will make you forget that you're in the middle of a city.
Surprisingly, there are many temples and shrines in the Shinjuku area, and once you begin to look for them, you'll find many power spots where the hustle and bustle of the city seems to disappear.
The temple shown in the video, Joenji Temple, is located along the busy Ome-Kaido (Ome Highway), but once you set foot on the approach, you'll feel as though you've stepped into another world.
Joenji Temple – The History of Shinjuku’s Hidden Gem for Cherry Blossom Viewing
Joenji Temple is located just six minutes from Shinjuku Station on foot, and is said to have a history dating back 600 years.
The temple was moved from Hatagaya, Shibuya, to its current location in Nishi-Shinjuku on September 13, 1585.
The precincts of the temple are approximately 1,100 tsubo (~3,600 Sq. m) in size, and include the main hall, the soshi-do (founder's hall), a large study, Naka-mon Gate, the bell tower hall, the storehouse, and other halls.
The large weeping cherry tree that appears in the video is planted near the temple gate, and when it is in full bloom, the cherry blossoms can be seen from the Ome Kaido that runs beside Joenji Temple, attracting many visitors every year.
The large weeping cherry tree has been called one of the "Three Trees of Edo" and "One Hundred Cherry Trees of Edo" since the Edo period (1603-1868).
Unfortunately, during WW2, most of the temple was destroyed by air raids, but in 1952, thanks to the contributions of the temple's parishioners, the temple was rebuilt after the war.
Since Joenji is a Nichiren-Shu temple and its scripture is the Lotus Sutra, the Shoin (temple office) also serves as the Joenji Institute of Nichiren Buddhism, and there are gravesites of historical figures such as Tsutsui Masanori (a historical site designated by Shinjuku Ward) on the temple grounds.
The current head priest is Genichi Oikawa, who inherited the Triratna from the 40th head priest of Joenji.
Sakura, Sakura – A Traditional Japanese Folk Song
The background music used in the video is the folk song "Sakura, Sakura," which any Japanese person knows. (It is commonly known in Japanese as simply "Sakura").
There is a theory that this song was originally written as a Koto exercise, but the author is unknown. It was not until the Meiji Period (1868-1912 A.D.) that the song was popularized as "Sakura Sakura," and in the Showa Period (1926-1989) it was selected as a song for elementary school music lessons.
In addition, there are two versions of the lyrics, one written in the Meiji Period (the lyrics used in this video) and the other revised in 1941.
The 1941 version seems to be the one adopted in most school education today.
The lyrics can be translated as follows:
Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
In fields, mountains and villages
As far as the eye can see.
Is it mist, or clouds?
Fragrant in the rising sun.
Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
Flowers in full bloom.
Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
Across the spring sky,
As far as the eye can see.
Is it mist, or clouds?
Fragrant in the air.
Come now, come now,
Let's go and see them.
(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakura_Sakura#Lyrics)
Summary of Joenji Temple, a Hidden Gem for Cherry Blossoms in Shinjuku, Tokyo
Joenji Temple is about a 6-minute walk from Shinjuku Station on the JR and private railway lines.
The temple is located along the Ome Kaido, a main highway, making it very accessible.
The large weeping cherry trees on the temple grounds are a must-see!
The cherry blossoms bloom at about the same time as the Someiyoshino cherry trees, and when they're in full bloom, you can see them together.
Please note that the bloom season is short and there is a slight time lag in updating bloom information on bloom tracking websites.
There are many other shrines and temples in the area between Nishi-Shinjuku and Higashi-Shinjuku where Joenji Temple is located, so be sure to check them out when visiting Tokyo, and collect your goshuin stamps!
【TripAdvisor】Joenji Temple
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g14133673-d8036422-Reviews-Joenji_Temple-Nishishinjuku_Shinjuku_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html
AccessMap (Google Maps)
-
Video article 3:32
1,015 Steps to the Top of Risshaku-ji Temple in Yamagata, Yamagata Prefecture. A National Site of Scenic Beauty, With a View That Moved Even the Famous Poet Matsuo Basho!
Art & Architecture Travel- 143 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 19:29
Japan's Skilled Thatchers Work Hard To Preserve the Traditional "Gassho-zukuri" Architecture of Shirakawa-go, a World Heritage Site in Gifu Prefecture. The Large Houses, Built by Highly Skilled Craftsmen, Use Techniques That Have Been Passed Down for Generations
Art & Architecture Traditional Culture- 384 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 14:51
Koyasan Is a Holy Land for Japanese Buddhism Which Was Founded by Kukai. Come Purify Your Mind and Body at This Mysterious Power Spot in Wakayama Prefecture!
Art & Architecture- 32 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 3:33
Okayama Castle Attracts Many Tourists to Okayama, Okayama Prefecture With Its Beautiful Black Figure! The Historically Valuable Exhibits of the Warring States Period Are Guaranteed to Captivate!
Art & Architecture- 54 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 3:33
Aizuwakamatsu Castle: One of Japan’s Top 100 Castles. Enjoy the Magnificent Stone Walls of the Impregnable Castle and the Red-Tiled Castle Tower in Fukushima- The Only One of Its Kind in Japan!
Art & Architecture Travel- 209 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 5:24
Simply Gorgeous! The Breathtaking Architecture of Akasaka Palace – Enjoy Perusing the Guesthouse in Minato, Tokyo That Provides Service to Key Figures From Around the World!
Art & Architecture- 101 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 3:19
Gifu Castle Is Something You Have To Cover When Talking About the History of the Warring States Period! Discover the Secrets of the Historical Castle in Gifu Prefecture That Even the Famous Warlord Oda Nobunaga Became Lord Of!
Art & Architecture- 378 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 3:04
Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine: The Setting for a Popular Anime, This Shrine in Kumamoto Prefecture Is a Must-See for Anime Fans. Enjoy the Mystical Atmosphere That Will Transport You to Another World!
Art & Architecture Travel- 587 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 11:12
The Kyoto Imperial Palace Was Once the Center of Japanese Politics. Enjoy the Historical Atmosphere of a Sightseeing Destination Where the Architectural Techniques of the Imperial Court Have Been Preserved in Their Original Form
Art & Architecture- 83 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 8:07
Kirishima Jingu Shrine - A Popular Power Spot in Kirishima, Kagoshima With a Sacred Atmosphere. This Nature-Rich Shrine Is Known as the "Nikko of the West" for Its Gorgeous Shrine Architecture!
Art & Architecture- 78 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 4:19
Nangu Taisha Shrine, Located in Gifu Prefecture's Fuwa District, Has a Long, Rich History! Drop by the Shrine To Receive Good Fortune With Money!
Art & Architecture- 55 plays
- YouTube
-
Video article 2:22
Kyoto's Kifune Shrine, Dedicated to the God of Water, Is One of Japan's Leading Power Spots! Enjoy the Beautiful Deep Greenery of Early Summer at Kifune Shrine!
Art & Architecture- 184 plays
- YouTube
2 Comments