Shiofune Kannonji Temple

For much of the year, Shiofune Kannonji is a quiet temple on the foothills of Ome, off the beaten path. However, once a year, crowds flock to see the temple grounds come to life in a vibrant array of colours during the annual azalea festival. The main attraction of this festival is the scenery: a spectacular display of 20,000 azaleas of 20 varieties that blanket a valley with a patchwork of pink, white, purple and green colours. The best time to see them is around Golden Week.  Coinciding with the bloom, the Shiofune Kannonji Azalea Festival is also hosting a fire-walking event on May 3 to pray for the blessings of the deity Fudo. The public is welcome to take on the challenge of walking over red-hot charcoal in exchange for a charm that is said to help ward off evil. There's a ¥300 entry fee (primary school children and younger ¥100) during the azalea season. Check the temple's Facebook page for the latest blooming updates.