Best Places to See Sakura in Kyoto

From late March to early April, Kyoto’s cherry trees would bloom. To see the magnificent sea of Sakura, many shrines, temples, and parks in Kyoto are best choices.
 

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Flowering period: late March – early April
Unique Experience: Special Night Viewing for about 9 days from late March

In Kiyomizu-dera Temple – one World Cultural Heritage, there are more than 1,500 cherry trees. Unlike the commonly seen pink flowers, the Sakura in the Temple are mainly white. From late March, hundreds of lights would be turned on at night. With the soft lighting in the darkness, the clusters of white flowers close to your eyes, the red three-storied pagoda in the distance, and the shining moon in the sky contain another beauty than in the daytime.

Sakura in Kiyomizu-dera Temple

How to get there: Take Kyoto City Bus 58/80/86/207, get off at Kiyomizu-michi bus stop, and then you can walk to the Temple in 8 minutes.
Ticket fare: 400 yen 

Opening hours: 6:00 a.m. – 18:00 p.m. (prolonged to 21:30 p.m. during Special Night Viewing period)

Philosopher’s Path

Flowering period: early April

Once selected as one of Japan’s 100 paths, Philosopher’s Path is the most classic site to see Sakura in Kyoto. Along the 2-kilometer-long path, two rows of cherry trees grow on the two sides of the shallow ditch. As the weather gets warm, the long branches with blooming pink flowers on one side of the ditch extend to the other side, forming a natural flower arch. When the breeze blows on clear days, the tiny flowers drift with the wind slowly, finally down the water's surface, bringing the distinctive aroma of Sakura to the noses of visitors.

Philosopher Path's Cherry Flowers

How to get there: Take Kyoto City Bus 32/ 105, get off at Honen-incho bus stop, and then walk to the Path in 5 minutes.

Ticket fare: free
Opening hours: all year round

Heian-jingu Shrine

Flowering period: early April

To appreciate the distinctive peach color Sakura, Heian-jingu Shrine should be visited first. There are about 20 varieties of cherry trees. When the weeping cherry trees in Heian-jingu Shrine bloom in early April, the thin and long branches, decorated with tiny flowers densely growing, would hang down from the tree top. In the distance, they look like long dresses. At light, a row of cherry trees with full blooming flowers stand along the bank of the pond, surrounding the wooden house in the center of the water, which composes the beauty of Japanese gardens.

Heian-jingu Shrine

How to get there: Take Kyoto City Bus 5/32, get off at Okazaki Koen bus stop, and you can walk to the Shrine in 4 minutes.

Ticket fare: free
Opening hours in spring: 6:00 a.m. – 18:00 p.m.

Arashiyama

Flowering period: late March – early April

Arashiyama is another good place to appreciate Sakura in spring. Togetsukyo Bridge and Sagano Scenic Railway are very popular among visitors when Sakura is in bloom. Sitting by the bank, you can listen to the water flowing slowly under the long wooden bridge and watch the low green hills at a distance. Or, take a Scenic train traveling through the pink “tunnel” formed by the cherry trees on the 2 sides of the track. 

Arashiyama Sakura

How to get there: Take Sagano Sight-Seeing Tram and get off at Torokko Arashiyama. Or you can take Randen Railway and get off at Arashiyama Station. 

Maruyama Park

Flowering period: late March – mid-April

As the most ancient park in Kyoto, Maruyama Park is also well-reputed for its distinctive weeping cherry trees. Compared with those in Heian-jingu Shrine, the flowers are denser. The brown branches are hidden in the densely growing flowers, almost unseen. From afar, it’s like a magnificent pink rainfall.

Sakura in Maruyama Park

How to get there: Take Kyoto Subway’s Tozai Line, get off at Higashiyama Station, and then walk for 11 minutes to get there.

Ticket fare: free
Opening hours: all year round

Daigoji Temple

Flowering period: late March – early April

To experience the traditional Sakura appreciation culture, you can go to Daigoji Temple. Since the 16th century, there has been a Sakura parade in the Temple. On the second Sunday in April, about 300 performers would wear splendid customs in the parade and bring performances to visitors in the Temple. 

How to get there: Take Kyoto Subway’ Tozai Line, get off at Daigo Station, and then walk for 10 minutes to get there.

Fare ticket in spring: 1,500 yen
Opening hours in spring: 9:00 a.m. – 17:00 p.m.

Ninna-ji Temple

Flowering period: early April – mid-April

Visiting Ninna-ji Temple in early April would make you feel like being exposed in the sea of Sakura. There are about 500 cherry trees in the Temple, most of which grow lower than common trees, thus you can observe Sakura closely. Apart from seeing flowers, the ancient black buildings dating back to the Edo Period (1603 – 1868) like the 5-storey pagoda are also worth seeing. 

How to get there: Take City Bus 10/26/59, get off at Omuro Ninnaji Station, and then walk for 4 minutes to get there.

Fare ticket: 500 yen
Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. – 17:00 p.m. 

Nijo Castle

Flowering period: late March – late April

Nijo Castle – Japan’s National Treasure attracts people to see Sakura by its 50 breeds of cherry trees. From late March to late April, the famous Nijo Castle’s Sakura Festival would be held at night. Matched with pink sakura, the shining light makes the castle more mysterious. 

How to get there: Take Tozai Line of Kyoto Subway, get off at Nijojo-mae Station, and then you can arrive at Nijo Castle in 3 minutes. 

Basic fare ticket: 800 yen
Opening hours: 8:45 a.m. – 17:00 p.m. 
In spring, the opening time would be extended to night.

Kyoto Gyoen National Garden

Flowering period: late March – early May
Full blooming time: from March 29th to April 1st

Kyoto Gyoen National Garden has always been famous for its long flowering period of Sakura. The different breeds of cherry trees enable visitors to see different Sakura in this once royal palace. In addition, in the Garden, there is one type of cherry tree, whose flower can change its color from pale pink to dark.

How to get there: Take Kyoto Subway’s Karasuma Line, get off at Marutamachi Station, and you can get there in 2 minutes’ walk.

Ticket fare: free

Opening hours: all year round

Concerning the blossom dates in Kyoto and other places in Japan, you can click and read Japan Cherry Blossom Dates Forecast in 2025.

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