Kyoto is Japan’s celebrated ancient capital, and during cherry blossom season visitors
from all over the world flock to this special city, eager to take in the breathtaking sakura
displays around its abundant shrines, temples and gardens.
Kyoto boasts among the highest concentration of sakura spots in all of Japan, with peak
sakura season typically occurring around one week in early April, but can start as early
as late March or last into mid-April depending on temperatures in the preceding weeks.
With so many choices when it comes to cherry blossoms in Kyoto, we thought we’d make
planning your perfect, petal-filled trip a little easier by giving a quick rundown of
our Top 10 sakura locations in Kyoto.
Number 10: Ninnaji Ninnaji is famous for its grove of locally
cultivated, late blooming “Omuro” species of cherry trees, that bloom a few days after
Japan’s ubiquitous Some Yoshino cherry tree variety.
Because of its hundreds of late-blooming sakura, Ninnaji is a great place to visit towards
the end of Kyoto’s cherry blossom season.
Number 9: Kiyomizudera The large grounds of Kiyomizudera offer breathtaking
views of a sakura-filled valley and hillsides dotted by temple structures.
There are various spots to take in the cherry blossoms within the complex, and especially
nice is around a pond near the exit.
The temple also has nightly light-up events during cherry blossom season, in which the
sakura trees are beautifully illuminated.
Number 8: Daigoji At this ancient temple visitors can see spectacular
sakura displays alongside majestic relics, with some parts of the temple dating back
hundreds of years, like its five-storied pagoda which was first constructed in 951.
In the sixteenth century one of modern Japan’s founding fathers, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, held
a famous cherry blossom viewing party at Daigoji, making it an important part of Japan’s hanami
culture.
And still today it is a worthwhile place to admire the beautiful blossoms.
Number 7: Botanical Garden This flower-abundant garden contains a beautiful
forest full of weeping cherry trees and Somei Yoshino (Japan’s most common variety of
cherry tree).
Providing spectacular views of cherry trees in spacious, tranquil surroundings, Kyoto
Botanical Garden is a great place to have a picnic and for families wanting to see cherry
blossoms.
Number 6: Okazaki Canal and Keage Incline The Okazaki Canal is a section of waterway
that connects Kyoto with nearby Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake.
The Keage Incline historically was used to transport vessels from the Okazaki Canal to
a network of waterways at a higher elevation.
Both the Okazaki Canal and the Keage Incline are lined with hundreds of cherry trees that
produce breathtaking displays in spring time.
During the sakura season there are also boat tours along the Okazaki Canal, which make
for a fun and picturesque petal-viewing experience.
Number 5: Haradanien Located in the hills in the northwest of Kyoto,
Haradanien is a beautiful garden which boasts a large numbers of weeping cherry trees.
Typically reaching full bloom a few days after trees in the rest of the city, the beautiful
paths of Haradanien are a fantastic spot to see the sakura for visitors who are a little
late for Kyoto’s main season.
Number 4: Arashiyama The quaint Arashiyama District in the northern
outskirts of Kyoto becomes alive with color and activity during sakura season.
The riverside Nakanoshima Park located directly next to the iconic Togetsukyo Bridge is an
especially popular spot to enjoy the cherry trees and from here visitors can also admire
surrounding petal dotted hillsides and the famous bridge.
Lastly, the area is also home to numerous beautifully designed temples that provide
for atmospheric spots to take in the blossoms.
Number 3: Heian Shrine The popular Heian Shrine was constructed at
the end of the 19th century, and behind its main buildings is a beautiful garden boasting
a large number of weeping cherry trees that bloom a few days later than most other trees
in the city.
The garden’s picturesque paths and spectacular spring displays make it one of the best places
to catch the cherry blossoms at the tail end of Kyoto’s sakura season.
Number 2: Maruyama Park Located next to Yasaka Shrine in the foothills
of the mountains to the east of Kyoto, Maruyama Park is the city’s most popular park for
cherry blossom viewing.
A giant weeping cherry tree stands in the center of the park, which is made even more
beautiful by the illumination events each evening.
During sakura season various temporary restaurants pop up purveying a variety of dishes and drinks,
and the park takes on a vibrant, carnival-like atmosphere with hanami parties continuing
into the night.
Number 1: Philosopher’s Path Our top pick of all the places to see the
cherry blossoms in Kyoto is the Philosopher’s Path which is a unique canal-side path
in the city’s Higashiyama District that stretches around 2 km, connecting Ginkakuji
(the Silver Pavilion) and the neighborhood of Nanzenji Temple.
This pleasant walkway is lined with hundreds of cherry trees that explode into color every
year around early April making it our number one sakura spot in the entire city.
So there you have it, our top ten cherry blossom spots in Kyoto.
Hopefully this video helps you plan an enjoyable sakura-filled trip for yourself.
More in-depth information on the cherry blossoms can be found in the dedicated section of our
website including this year’s forecast, lists of the best sakura spots, tree varieties,
and during sakura season, daily cherry blossom reports from around the country.
For more information or to watch another video, click the links on the screen below now or
head to japan-guide.com, your comprehensive up-to-date travel guide first hand from Japan.
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