Jyonangu Shrine, marvelous pink forest of plum blossom!

Plum blossoms get in full broom in Kyoto in late February. Jyonangu Shrine is well known as the plum blossoms viewing spot as well as Kitanotenmangu Shrine in Kyoto. 

Jyonangu Shrine, located in Fushimi Ward Kyoto City was used to be called 'Tobadono' or 'Jyonan Rikyu'. 'Jyonangu' literally means 'the shrine located south of the capical'. It was originally established in the 8th century. People have visited here to pray for preventing their inauspicious directions. Many drivers also come here to pray for preventing the traffic accidents. 

This shrine is also known as the place where 'Kyokusui-no-en' or 'Kyokusui-no-Utage' is held in its garden twice a year, in spring and autumn. It's an aristocratic garden party in which seven poets (5 men and 2 women) dressed in Heian (the 8th~11th century) costume compose poems. They write their poem on a piece of paper, put it in a tiny boat, and flow into the small stream in the garden, which you can see in the following picture. 

There are so many weeping plum trees in the garden.  I could also see many 'Japanese White-eye' (Zosterops Japonicus) in the trees.

You can also find many kinds of camellia flowers here. 

These plum blossoms are dark red and white. (They are not weeping plum trees.)

If you are lucky to be in Kyoto around Feb 20~early March, you may make a good memory at Jyonangu Shrine. You can take a train from Kyoto Station to Takeda Station (only 6 minutes) and walk to the shrine (about 20 minutes).