late April 2026
Visiting the Wisteria Festival at Kameido Tenjin Shrine
I love wisteria flowers, so I had always wanted to visit the Wisteria Festival at Kameido Tenjin Shrine.
Kameido Tenjin has apparently been famous for its wisteria since the Edo period, and it was even depicted in ukiyo-e prints by Utagawa Hiroshige.
On a clear day in late April, my partner and I headed there together.
Near the shrine, the traditional sweets shop Funabashiya also had a wisteria trellis outside its storefront, with several clusters of purple flowers hanging down.
Even though it was a weekday, there was already a huge line outside the shop. Seeing that crowd, we prepared ourselves for how busy the festival itself might be.
When we finally arrived at Kameido Tenjin, our prediction turned out to be correct. The shrine grounds were packed with people, and it was difficult to quietly enjoy the flowers.
To be honest, the wisteria was not yet in full bloom either. We may have visited slightly too early.
There was a temporary Funabashiya stand inside the shrine grounds, so we bought a seasonal “Tenjin Fuji Anmitsu” dessert along with their regular kuzumochi.
Cooling Off at Sumida Coffee
It was an unusually hot day, so after leaving the shrine, we stopped by Sumida Coffee nearby for iced coffee.
The coffee, served in beautiful Edo Kiriko glassware, was excellent. The sake lees and chocolate scone was also delicious.
The café itself was small and quiet, the kind of place that immediately makes you want to return someday.
Tempura Lunch in Shibamata
Afterward, we walked all the way to Tokyo Skytree, then took the subway from Oshiage Station to Shibamata Station on the Keisei Line.
Wanting to eat something first, we stopped at 大和家(yamatoya)along the approach to the temple and ordered tendon.
The rice portion was a little small for an adult man, but the tempura, fried in sesame oil, was wonderfully crisp and fragrant. I finished it almost immediately, almost like eating snacks rather than a full meal.
Even after finishing, I still wanted more. I wanted seconds. But I swallowed that feeling and left the restaurant.
The regular-sized bowl cost ¥1,200, and the restaurant accepted cash only.
Discovering Shibamata Taishakuten
When we arrived at Shibamata Taishakuten, bright red azaleas were in full bloom, and they were stunning.
This was my first visit there, and I learned that “Shibamata Taishakuten” is actually a Nichiren Buddhist temple formally called Daikyoji Temple. Within its grounds stands the Taishakudo Hall, where Taishakuten is enshrined.
I had not known any of that before, so it was genuinely interesting to learn.
The exterior walls of the Taishakudo were covered with extraordinary carvings. By paying the admission fee (¥400 for adults, cashless payment accepted), visitors could examine them up close.
The ticket also included entry to the Suikeien Garden, the temple’s Japanese garden.
This garden impressed me far more than I expected.
First of all, there were very few people, which allowed us to quietly sit and admire the scenery. The polished wooden floors, the carefully maintained grass and plants, and the pond viewed from the covered corridor were all beautiful.
The clear blue sky seemed to make the garden glow even more brightly.
Comparing Gardens
After leaving Shibamata Taishakuten, we visited 山本亭 Yamamoto-tei, a historic building operated by Katsushika City.
The place seemed to function mainly as a café, and the tatami rooms were crowded with visitors. It did not really feel like the kind of place where you could quietly appreciate a garden.
There was a poster saying that Yamamoto-tei’s garden had been ranked third in a 2024 American magazine ranking specializing in Japanese gardens.
Still, personally, I found Suikeien Garden at Shibamata Taishakuten far more beautiful.
Ending the Day with Dango
We left Yamamoto-tei fairly quickly and returned to the shopping street, where we entered 髙木屋老舗(takagiya).
We only wanted to eat a little dango, so we were hesitating over what to order when a staff member kindly told us, “It’s perfectly fine for two people to share one order.”
Grateful for her kindness, we ordered the three-dango set for ¥800 and shared it together.
