You might be familiar with the lyrics, “Tie a yellow ribbon round the ole oak tree,” but at Sakura Jingu, people tie pink ribbons onto the branches of a cherry blossom tree instead. The reason? They’re praying for love.
February Cherry Blossoms
Located in Tokyo’s Setagaya Ward, Sakura Jingu is one of the places where people can appreciate kawazu sakura—a type of cherry blossom that blooms in February. While Tokyo has popular cherry blossom spots that draw crowds in March and April, there are only a few spots where early-blooming sakura trees can be found. The cozy shrine has two of these trees, one of which is designated as an enmusubi tree.
What is Enmusubi?
The word en in enmusubi refers to relationships. Most commonly it is associated with love, but it can also refer to other kinds such as friendships or work relationships. You can also have en with a company or organization. The Japanese expression, “Goen desu ne,” means “It was meant to be,” and is commonly uttered when commenting about relationships or people landing their dream schools or jobs.
The second word, musubi, means tie or bond. Put together, enmusubi means to tie or bind one person to another, similar to the English expression, “tying the knot.” In the case of enmusubi, however, while marriage ties may be the most associated with the word, it’s not the only connotation. It can apply to all ties that bind and depends on the person wishing upon it.
Hanaobi: Pink Ribbons of Love
One of the most popular activities at Sakura Jingu is tying pink ribbons to the shrine’s enmusubi tree. The pink ribbons are called “hanaobi” and cost ¥500 each. To get one, you must go to the reception office located to the left when you enter the shrine. There is a table with markers where you can write your wish on the pink sash, after which you can tie it onto a branch.
The hanaobi is available all year round, but it is undoubtedly most photogenic when the sakura are in full bloom. This usually occurs around late February to early March.
How to Pay Your Respects at Sakura Jingu
While many people come to see and take pictures of the cherry blossoms at Sakura Jingu, the shrine is first and foremost a site of worship and it is considered good manners to pay respects at the altar before anything else. To do this, toss a few coins into the offering box. ¥15 yen is considered lucky, but five or ten will do. Ring the bell and bow twice. Clap your hands four times and on the last clap say your prayer silently. End with a bow.
Bow x 2
Clap x 4
Pray
Bow x 1
Most Japanese shrines follow a bow twice, clap twice, bow once pattern of praying, but some shrines have specific ways of doing this. Shrines like Sakura Jingu usually have a sign at the altar indicating their preference.
Shinto is largely non-committal, and unlike other religions that are community-based, it does not require baptism, frequent attendance, or adhering to only one religion. As the expression goes, “Japanese people are Shintoists at birth, Christians when wed, and Buddhist upon death.” Many Japanese people follow only the customs, but not so much the faith. Personally, I find that doing the prayer ritual is more or less a sign of respect rather than worship. Of course, I wouldn’t recommend doing it if your personal faith or religion goes against it.
Not Just a Shrine for Love
There are a total of 19 gods deified at Sakura Jingu. The benefits of a Shinto shrine depend on the gods enshrined and for this reason, people come to Sakura Jingu not just for love, but also for longevity, good health, childbirth, protection from disasters, and safe travel among other things.
How to Get to Sakura Jingu
Sakura Jingu (桜神宮, さくら じんぐ)
3-minute walk from Sakura-shimmachi Station, Den-en-toshi Line
09:00 to 17:00
Official Website (Partially in English and French)
