🌸Heartfelt sharing from a Kyoto cherry blossom chaser with 24 years of experience! Please check out the 25-year cherry blossom chasing suggestions
As a "cherry blossom refugee" in 2024, I bought plane tickets every day based on the flower season forecast, and ended up becoming a special forces cherry blossom chaser😭 After this trip last year, I summarized a lot of experience and shared it with everyone. I hope that in 2025, everyone can become a "cherry blossom aristocrat" who can enjoy the flowers leisurely and take beautiful photos🌸
Kyoto's Flower Viewing Season in 2025 (Forecast)
• Flowering period: late March to mid-April
• Full bloom period: Usually enters full bloom period around early April
There are so many weeping cherry trees in Kyoto that it is surprising. They are completely different from the varieties in China. When the breeze blows, the branches sway, and the scene is so beautiful that I am at a loss for words!
Summary of the 4 cherry blossom viewing spots I checked in last year
• Oishi Shrine: The first person to discover this place is so cool! It's really worth a visit!
• Daigoji Temple: There are many varieties of cherry blossoms. Tickets are required for the three areas of Lingbao Pavilion, Sanbaoyuan, and Jialan. It is crowded and a bit messy. It is recommended to rush in early in the morning if you want to come.
• Kamogawa: It’s full of Japanese drama feel, but it’s recommended to wait until it’s in full bloom, otherwise the experience will be poor.
• Dingfa Temple (Rokkakudo): A good place to enjoy cherry blossoms in the city center, it’s relatively small, with a lot of cherry blossoms and not many people! Conan even appeared in one of his episodes~ The surrounding area has everything you need for food, drinks, and entertainment.
Let me share with you some places to enjoy the weeping cherry blossoms in Kyoto.
• Heian Jingu Shrine Gardens: There are about 300 weeping cherry trees planted in the garden, among which the "Yae Beniza Weeping Cherry" is extremely spectacular. There will also be lighting and traditional tea ceremony activities during the night cherry blossom season. In 2025, there will be a night cherry blossom concert at Heian Jingu Shrine, open for 5 days from 4/2 to 4/6!
• Maruyama Park: The oldest park in Kyoto, it has giant weeping cherry trees that are over 200 years old. It is the representative of "Gion Night Cherry Blossoms" and is perfect for night tours!
• The gate of Jisso-in Temple: a royal temple, relatively small. There is a 300-year-old red weeping cherry tree in the courtyard. When the cherry blossoms fall, the sand and stones in the courtyard are covered with petals, which is peaceful and full of Zen.
• Keage Incline Railway: A combination of abandoned railway and weeping cherry trees. Nearly a hundred Somei Yoshino cherry trees are planted next to the railway tracks. In spring, the railway tracks are covered with pink snow waves, making for great photo opportunities!
• Yoshimine-ji Temple: Cherry blossoms + mountain views, with a very wide field of vision, is a hidden cherry blossom viewing spot located in the western suburbs of Kyoto. There is a 300-year-old weeping cherry tree in the temple, but the transportation is not very convenient, so it is suitable for a half-day trip or hiking enthusiasts.
Finally, I wish you all can enjoy cherry blossom viewing in Kyoto in 2025 and take some great photos~
#Kyoto Sakura