Where To See The Best Chrysanthemums In Tokyo
These eye-popping exhibitions will change your opinion of those humble fall flowers forever! Here’s where to see the best chrysanthemums in Tokyo:
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Life-sized historical figures, made from…chrysanthemums!
Great balls o’ chrysanthemums, each of these is ONE PLANT.
Prize specimens vie for top honors. This style requires the grower to train the plant into three stalks of exactly the same height, then coax three perfect flowers to bloom at the exact same time.
The Elvis bouffant is a Thing.
The shrine bridge, with its fancy on.
Admission: Free
Dates: November 1-23
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The most perfect of the perfect bigger-than-your-head blooms
Yes, each of these is just ONE PLANT I’m seriously not kidding.
Elvis bouffants on parade.
And if that isn’t enough. gorgeous plantings in full bloom, throughout the garden.
Admission: ¥200
Dates: November 1-15
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In addition to the bouffants, balls and prize specimens, the Kameido Shrine features this model of Skytree, with the real thing helpfully standing around for comparison in the background.
Admission: Free
Dates: October 23 – November 23
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What the Meiji Shrine chrysanthemums lack in artistic innovation, they make up in perfection. I dare the gods to find any flaw at all in those white ones.
Admission: Free
Dates: October 23 – November 23
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Nearly every big shrine (and some temples) host chrysanthemum competitions in the month of November. If you’d like to see the chrysanthemums the next time you’re in Tokyo, directions and maps to the Yushima Tenjin Shrine, Kameido Shrine, Meiji Shrine, Yasukuni Shrine, Shinjuku Gyouen Garden and Senso-ji Temple are on my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had.
Jonelle Patrick is the author of the Only In Tokyo mystery series, published by Penguin/Intermix.
