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2022.3.25
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Kyoto - 6 cherry blossom viewing spots and cherry blossom lighting up

The latest information on cherry blossom viewing in Kyoto, Japan! 8 famous cherry blossom viewing spots

The cold weather is gradually easing up and the cherry blossom season is approaching! In this issue, we will introduce some of Kyoto's best cherry blossom viewing spots and light-up spots, ranging from classic hanami spots to hidden gems, where you can drop by on your days off or even after work or school.

1.[Daigoji Temple] Visit Daigo, a place of flowers loved by Hideyoshi / Daigo

Daigoji Temple, where Toyotomi Hideyoshi held his "Daigo Hanami" cherry blossom viewing party, is also known as the "Daigo of Flowers. About 700 cherry trees, including weeping cherry trees, someiyoshino cherry trees, mountain cherry trees, and double-flowered cherry trees, are in full bloom in turn, and visitors can enjoy cherry blossom viewing for a long period of time. This year, the temple will hold a special springtime nighttime viewing, as it did last year! Enjoy the beauty of the cherry blossoms at night, including the large weeping cherry trees illuminated by lights.

Daigoji Spring Night Special Viewing - Sakura Sakura Night Prayer
Best time to visit (usually): Late March - early April
Date/Time: March 19 (Saturday) to April 4 (Monday), 2022 *Except for March 26 (Saturday)
Hours of visitation / 18:00~, 18:30~, 19:00~ (limited to 150 people each)
*Final viewing ends at 20:00 (no limit on viewing time)
Places to visit: March 19 (Sat.) - March 25 (Fri.) Sanboin (Goten, Garden, Kenjinrin-en),
March 27 (Sun) - April 4 (Mon) Reihokan (Garden, special exhibition in Honkan and Heiseikan)
Entrance fee: 2,000 yen (with Godai Rikizon special guardian angel)
Pay the entrance fee at the Sanboin reception desk.

Cherry blossoms at Daigoji Temple
Cherry blossoms illuminated at Daigoji Temple

Daigoji Temple

  • great
  • 22 Daigo Higashiojicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
  • 5 minute walk from Daigo Subway Station
  • Tel.075-571-0002

2.[Hirano Shrine is famous for its cherry blossoms, which are said to be the nighttime cherry blossoms of Hirano/Kitano Hakubai-cho

Hirano Shrine is famous for its cherry blossoms, known as "Hirano no Yozakura (night cherry blossoms). About 400 cherry trees of about 60 varieties are planted on the shrine grounds, including many rare varieties that originated in this area. The blooming time of the cherry trees, including the early-blooming weeping cherry "Kai-zakura," varies from year to year, so visitors can enjoy viewing the cherry blossoms for about a month. During the special nighttime illumination, visitors can enjoy the fantastic scenery of the cherry blossom garden and grounds illuminated by lights such as bonbori (paper lanterns) and lanterns.

Hirano Shrine Cherry Blossom Viewing Special Nighttime Lighting and Nighttime Prayer
Best time to visit (usually): mid-March to late April
Date/Time: March 25 (Friday) - April 17 (Sunday), 2022
Hours of worship: Sunset - 21:00
Admission: Free (some sections charge a fee)

Cherry blossoms at Hirano Shrine
Night Cherry Blossoms at Hirano Shrine

Hirano Shrine

  • Hira-no-jinja (shrine)
  • 1 Hiranomiyamoto-cho, Kita-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
  • 3 min. walk from Kinugasa-school-mae bus stop.
  • Tel. 075-461-4450

3.[Kiyomizu Temple] Go to the stage of Kiyomizu surrounded by cherry blossoms! / Kiyomizu Road

Kiyomizu-dera Temple is one of Kyoto's representative temples, and in December 2020, the roof was re-thatched for the first time in half a century, giving the main hall, known as Kiyomizu no Butai, a new look. The main hall, known as the stage of Kiyomizu, has been redecorated. The temple grounds are filled with approximately 1,000 wild cherry trees and someiyoshino cherry trees, and the view from the main hall is exceptionally beautiful. The view from the main hall is exceptionally beautiful. During the special nighttime viewing in spring, visitors can enjoy the ethereal scenery of the main hall surrounded by illuminated cherry blossoms at night.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple Special Spring Nighttime Viewing
Best time to visit (usually): Late March - early April
Date/Time: March 4 (Fri.)-13 (Sun.), March 26 (Sat.)-April 3 (Sun.), 2022
Hours of visitation: 18:00 - 21:00 (reception closed)
Entrance fee: 400 yen for adults, 200 yen for elementary and junior high school students

Cherry blossoms at night at Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Kiyomizu Temple

  • Kiyomizudera
  • 1-294 Shimizu, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
  • 13 minutes on foot from the bus stop "Kiyomizu"
  • Tel.075-551-1234

4.[Chion-in Temple: The large bell tower, famous for the New Year's bell, is open to the public for the first time in the spring / Higashiyama

The head temple of the Jodo sect [Chion-in]. Cherry blossom trees can be seen in a wide area from Higashiyama Hwacho-san to Higashioji-dori. During the special nighttime viewing, the National Treasure Sanmon Gate, one of the largest two-storied wooden gates in Japan, the famous bell tower, which is open to the public for the first time in the spring, and various other places on the temple grounds are lit up. Monks will talk about Buddhism, and visitors will have the opportunity to touch a wooden fish and chant "Namu Amidabutsu" (Amitabha).

Chion-in Spring Light-up 2022 (special nighttime viewing)
Best time to visit (usually): Late March - early April
Date/Time: Friday, March 25 - Sunday, April 3, 2022
Hours of visitation: 17:45 - 21:30 (reception closes at 21:00)
Admission: 600 yen for adults, 300 yen for elementary and junior high school students

Cherry blossoms at Chion-in Temple
Night Cherry Blossoms at Chion-in Temple

Chion-in Temple

  • Zionin
  • 400 Hayashishitacho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
  • 10-minute walk from the bus stop "Chionin-mae"
    13-minute walk from Higashiyama Subway Station
  • Tel.075-531-2111

5.[Toji Temple] Thinking of Tohoku while admiring Fuji cherry blossoms / Toji Temple

Toji Temple was founded as a temple for national protection. The five-story pagoda, a national treasure, is one of the symbolic landscapes of Kyoto. About 200 cherry trees, including Someiyoshino cherry trees, are planted in the precincts of the temple. The beautiful red weeping "Fuji-zakura," said to be 130 years old, comes from Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture. While admiring the Fuji-zakura trees lit up against the backdrop of the five-story pagoda, the tallest in Japan, you will be reminded of the Tohoku region.

Cherry blossoms illuminated at night (special nighttime viewing of Kondo and Kodo halls)
Best time to visit (usually): Early April
Date/Time: March 19 (Saturday) to April 17 (Sunday), 2022
Visiting hours: 18:00-21:30 (reception closes at 21:00)
Admission: Adults (high school students and older): 1,000 yen, Junior high school students and younger: 500 yen

Cherry blossoms at Toji Temple
Lighting up Toji Temple

Toji Temple

  • touji
  • 1 Kujocho, Minami Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
  • 4-minute walk from the bus stop "Toji Higashimon-mae"
    11 minute walk from Kintetsu Toji Station
  • Tel.075-691-3325

6.[Gion, Gion, Gion, Hyogo, Japan

Kodaiji Temple was built by Nene Kodai-in, the wife of the feudal lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, as a memorial to him and as his final resting place. The weeping cherry trees in the garden in front of the hojo and in the Hashinniwa Garden are beautifully set up during the special spring viewing period, adding to the splendor of the temple. At 5:00 p.m., the entire temple grounds are lit up, creating a fantastic scene that differs from that of the daytime.

2022 Spring Night Special Viewing
Best time to visit (usually): Late March - early April
Date/Time: March 4 (Friday) to May 5 (Thursday), 2022
Visiting hours: 17:00-22:00 (reception closes at 21:30)
*No exchange with regular admission
Admission/ Adults 600 yen (with admission ticket to Palm Art Museum), Junior high and high school students 250 yen
Discounted admission ticket for all three places (Kodaiji Temple, Palm Art Museum, Entokuin Temple): 900 yen

Cherry blossoms at Kodaiji Temple
Night Cherry Blossoms at Kodaiji Temple

Kodaiji Temple

  • Koudaiji
  • 526 Kodaiji Shimogawaramachi, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
  • 4-minute walk from the bus stop "Higashiyama Yasui"
  • Tel.075-561-9966

7.[Nijo Castle - A World Heritage Site Adorned with Splendor / Nijo

Nijo Castle was built by Ieyasu Tokugawa and has been the setting for numerous historical events. Within the castle grounds, visitors can enjoy approximately 300 cherry trees of 50 varieties, including mountain cherry trees, village cherry trees, and double-red weeping cherry trees. During the festival, visitors are invited to enter a world of fantasy through the illumination of the cherry blossoms at night, projection mapping that takes advantage of the historical space, and other interactive content. Enjoy the World Heritage site in all its splendor.

Nijo Castle Cherry Blossom Festival 2022
Best time to visit (usually): Late March to mid-April
Date/Time: Friday, March 18, 2022 - Sunday, April 17, 2022
Opening hours/8:45-16:00 (Closing hours/17:00)
Light-up opening hours: 18:00 - 21:00 (closing hours: 22:00)
Entry fees: Adults: 1030 yen, Junior and senior high school students: 350 yen, Elementary school students: 200 yen (includes admission to the Ninomaru Palace)
*An additional fee is required depending on the project.
Light-up admission fee / Monday-Thursday (1,400 yen for junior high school students and older, 800 yen for elementary school students)
Friday-Sunday (junior high school students and older: 1,800 yen, elementary school students: 1,200 yen)
Same-day tickets are 200 yen in addition to the above light-up admission fee.
*Standard viewing and light-up viewing are interchangeable (light-up viewing is limited to a limited viewing area).

Cherry blossoms at Nijo Castle
Nijo Castle light up

Nijo Castle

  • conjugated
  • Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Nakagyo Ward, Nijo-dori, Horikawa Nishiiri, Nijo Castle Town 541
  • A short walk from Nijojo-mae Subway Station
  • Tel.075-841-0096

8.[Kyoto Botanical Garden] Enjoy cherry blossoms for a long time / Kitayama

The Kyoto Botanical Garden is Japan's first public botanical garden and one of the largest in the Kansai region. The garden is planted with 500 cherry trees of about 180 varieties, many of which are at their best from mid-April onward, so visitors can enjoy a variety of cherry blossoms over a long period of time. At night, about 250 cherry trees, including Someiyoshino and Yaebenishidare, are lit up, creating a fantastic scene different from that of the daytime.

Cherry Blossom Light-up 2022
Best time to visit (usually): early March to late April
Date/Time: March 26 (Sunday) to April 10 (Sunday), 2022
Opening hours: 18:00 - 21:00 after sunset (last admission at 20:00)
*Extended opening hours until 21:00 during the festival (no changeover).
Admission: 200 yen for adults, 150 yen for high school students

Cherry blossoms at the Prefectural Botanical Garden
Lighting up the Prefectural Botanical Garden

Kyoto Botanical Garden

  • Kyoto Furitsu Shokubutsuen
  • Shimogamohangicho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
  • 1 min. walk from "Kitayama" subway station
  • Tel.075-701-0141
*Please note that the information contained herein is subject to change without notice.
*Since this site uses automatic translation, the translation may differ from the original Japanese content.

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