"This is a beautiful temple in Shinjuku. Little quieter and not as busy. We wanted to visit a temple at night, just to see one a little different. Very few people were here at 9 pm, but they were still working, where you buy your prayers to hang. My wife has been collecting stamps, so she was able to get her booked stamp, and then they wrote some characters in it as well. There was a play going on in a tent next to it, that sounded like a lot of fun."

Anthony Couillard

"I don’t think I’ve ever been to Hanazono Shrine before. In fact, I didn’t even know there was a shrine tucked away just steps from Golden Gai. It always fascinates me how temples and shrines in Japan exist so close to the chaos, glamour, and indulgence of the city.

By pure luck, my visit to Japan happened to coincide with the Tori no Ichi festival. Even luckier, I had booked a hotel in Shinjuku that weekend. It had been decades since I last experienced a matsuri, so this was an unexpected delight.

Countless yatai (food stalls) sprawled around the shrine, lining different alleyways with a variety of foods, drinks, and sights to take in. If you don’t enjoy crowds, this festival may not be for you. I found myself moving at a snail’s pace, and once you enter the main alley, there’s no turning back. Like it or not, you’re going all the way to the shrine.

I tried wagyu skewers and classic takoyaki, but there were plenty of other festival favorites like yakisoba, okonomiyaki, and shaved ice. It was a wonderful night, bringing back nostalgic memories.

If you’re planning a trip to Japan in November, I highly recommend visiting the Tori no Ichi festival in Shinjuku."

John Kim

"Hanazono Shrine 花園神社, Hanazono Jinja in Japanese, is a large, ancient Shinto shrine in the very heart of Tokyo's Shinjuku district. It is considered the most important shrine of Shinjuku, the shrine guarding the area, its inhabitants, merchants, craftsmen and artists. Though surrounded by modern buildings, the shrine itself is quiet and serene. Its main building, the honden, stands on top of a stone staircase, overlooking the small wooded park belonging to the shrine.
It is quiet and serene on most days of the year. However, the shrine features several large festivals during the course of the year, on those days expect big crowds on the grounds. The shrine is also very popular during the sakura cherry blossom season in late March / early April due to its many cherry trees. In the evening, the shrine is colorfully lit up and invites a romantic stroll. The origins of the shrine are unknown. It is known, however, that the shrine already existed in 1590, when Ieyasu Tokugawa took over Edo, today's Tokyo. Soon after, in 1603, Ieyasu established Edo as the capital of Japan, ushering in the Edo Era (1603-1868). At that time, the shrine was at a slightly different location, however, on the grounds now occupied by the Isetan Department Store.
Located only a few minutes on foot from Shinjuku Station on the Yamanote Line and the Kabukicho entertainment district, the shrine is somewhat hidden behind buildings lining Yasukuni Dori Avenue. Take the East Exit of Shinjuku Station, walk towards Kabukicho. On Yasukuni Avenue, turn right and walk towards Shinjuku 2-chome (Tokyo's gay quarter). After about a two minute walk, you will see a small alley to your left, framed by a stone torii gate. It is located between a Family Mart convenience store and the Tsukiji Sushiko sushi restaurant. Enter the tree-lined alley. It will lead you right into the center of Hanazono Shrine. Alternatively, enter the shrine through its big red torii gate from Meiji Dori Avenue."

Doug Ho