The 15 Best Places to see Cherry Blossoms in Kyoto
- Published on : 26/02/2026
- by : Joshua
- Youtube
Kyoto Sakura
@Japan Visitor
Kyoto is one of Japan’s most culture-rich cities and most visited destinations for travelers. Seeing the city in springtime is certainly a treat, with traditional architecture and more charming, modest cityscapes accented by beautiful shades of dusty pink.
Hanami (花見) is a beloved tradition in Japan, in which people gather beneath the sakura trees and pass the time basking in their fleeting beauty with others, and the city of Kyoto boasts countless locations to do so. The question becomes, however, where exactly in this ancient city is the best place for seeing the cherry blossoms? Let’s take a look at Japan Experience’s recommendations!
Hanami at Maruyama Park (Kyoto)
@Wikimedia, royalty-free
1. Daigoji Temple
Located in eastern Kyoto, Daigoji Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the location of a hanami party organized by warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the 16th century.
Daigoji is known for its weeping cherry trees in the Sanboin Garden and near the Reihokan Hall Museum, which contains 10 national treasures. In April, the temple is the theater festival of traditional drums, Taiko (Hôtaikô Gyoretsu hanami).
2. Kyoto Botanical Garden
The Kyoto Botanical Garden is in the north of the city, just east of the Kamo River. Some 500 cherry trees, consisting of 70 different species, are now being lit up every evening from sundown until 9pm. The entrance fee is 500 yen for adults and 200 yen for children.
3. Ninnaji Temple
Ninnaji Temple is an ancient temple in western Kyoto, famed for the late-blossoming omuro-zakura. Low bamboo seats are set up beneath the blossoms. Come here after the main season is over.
4. Haradani-en Gardens
Haradani-en is a privately owned garden covering 13,000 square meters with a variety of cherry trees to see, especially the late-flowering weeping cherry blossom.
Other plants and flowers in Haradani-en include azaleas, apples, rhododendron and dogwoods.
5. Heian Shrine & Okazaki Museum District
The garden of Heian Shrine behind the main hall is known for its late-flowering weeping cherry trees known as "yaebeni shidare." Weekdays are the best time to come to avoid the crowds of viewers.
The many canals in Okazaki that feed into the Kamo River are also lined with cherry blossoms, and special boats provide tours in this season.
Heian Shrine
@Japan Visitor
6. Maruyama Koen
Downtown Maruyama Park and nearby Yasaka Shrine in Gion are Kyoto's most famous hanami locations.
The festivities at Maruyama Koen are eccentric, with many temporary food stalls set up and musicians and buskers sometimes entertaining the crowds. A large weeping cherry tree is a focal point in the park.
7. Nijo Castle
The grounds of Nijo Castle in western Kyoto are a popular cherry blossom viewing spot with evening illuminations. Check with the Tourist Office at Kyoto Station for details on times.
Sakura spots in Nijo Castle are divided into three parts: the garden with cherry blossoms, seiryu the garden and the west wing of the castle. Here, 400 cherry trees of 50 different varieties grow there.
8. Arashiyama
Further to the west, Arashiyama has been a well-known cherry blossom viewing area for centuries, ever since the retired Emperor Go-Saga (1220-1272) had cherry trees from Mt. Yoshino in Nara brought here. The riverbanks near Togetsukyo Bridge and Nakanoshima Park are good places for a hanami picnic.
9. Daikakuji Temple
Traveling west from Ninnaji, the Heian Period gardens and pond of Daikakuji Temple are one of Kyoto's best-kept secret cherry blossom viewing spots.
The springtime scenery at the temple consists of soft pink petals framing the temple’s historic halls and reflects beautifully across the calm waters of Osawa Pond.
10. Shirakawa & Takase
The Shirakawa stream in Gion is a very picturesque place to stroll day or night, especially in hanami season.
The small Takase River along Kiyamachi in Kyoto's entertainment area has a number of cherry trees and is illuminated at night.
11. Hachimangu Shrine
South of Kyoto, the sanctuary Iwashimizu Hachiman-gu has been a must for the hanami since the Heian period (794-1185). From late March to April, the festival Otokoyama Zakura Matsuri has many events as part of the festivities.
You can see ritual dances, martial arts tournaments on weekends and many other events.
12. Lake Biwa Canal
Drifting along the historic Lake Biwa Canal by boat in spring is a peaceful way to admire Kyoto’s cherry blossoms, as delicate pink petals arch overhead and reflect softly on the water’s surface.
The gentle pace of the ride allows you to fully appreciate the tunnel of sakura lining the canal, creating a scene that feels almost timeless.
Cruise on the Lake Biwa Canal
@Asturio Cantabrio on Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
13. Philosopher's Path
The Philospher's Path in the southern Higashiyama district of Kyoto is a cherry-tree-lined stream running roughly from Ginkakuji Temple to Nanzenji Temple.
It is particularly pleasant to stroll in the evening when the crowds may be fewer.
Philosopher's Path, Kyoto
@Japan Visitor
14. Keage
East of Philosopher's Walk along Sanjo, Keage has around one hundred cherry trees planted in rows along the railroad of the Kyoto Aqueduct that brought water and goods from Lake Biwa to Kyoto.
15. Shinnyodo & Yoshidayama
Off-the-beaten track Shinnyodo Temple and Yoshidayama near Kyoto University are peaceful places to admire the petals.
The Institut Franco-Japanois du Kansai has some lovely trees to contemplate over an outdoor lunch of French cuisine.
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