FebruaryBaikasai (Plum Blossom Festival)
Kansai ・ Kyoto City
Every year on February 25 (outdoor tea ceremony 10:00–15:00)
Every year on February 25 (Feb 25 in 2027)
Cherry Blossoms · Kansai
Daigo-ji Temple
Kyoto CityTemple🌸 Typical peak: Late Mar – Early Apr
Overview
Overview
A World Heritage temple of the Shingon school spread across the foothills in southeastern Kyoto. Famous as the place where Toyotomi Hideyoshi held his lavish “Daigo no Hanami” cherry blossom party in 1598, its grounds have about 700 cherry trees that bloom one after another over a staggered period.
- Address
- 22 Daigo Higashioji-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto 601-1325
- Time needed
- About 90 min for Shimo-Daigo (lower Daigo). 3 hours or more if you climb to Kami-Daigo on the mountaintop
- Official website
- https://www.daigoji.or.jp/
Tours & tickets for this areaPR
Peak Time
When to See the Blossoms
Typical peakUsually late March to early April
February
March
April
May
According to Daigo-ji, weeping cherries usually peak in late March to early April, Somei-yoshino in early April and yaezakura in mid-April. Bloom dates shift with each year’s temperatures
Peak times are typical guides. Blooming and full bloom shift with each year’s temperatures.
Highlights
Highlights
Many varieties, including weeping cherry, Somei-yoshino, yamazakura and double-flowered yaezakura, bloom in turn, so you can enjoy the blossoms over a relatively long period. The “Hotaiko Hanami Gyoretsu” procession, recreating Hideyoshi’s cherry blossom party, has usually been held on the second Sunday of April (canceled in 2026).
📷 Best views
Sanboin
One of the areas you can visit with the combined ticket
Garan
A wide temple precinct you can visit with the combined ticket
Reihokan Museum
One of the areas you can visit with the combined ticket
Hours
Opening hours
Spring season (Mar 20 to the third Sunday of April)9:00–17:00
Reception closes 30 min before the gates close
Hours can change during the cherry blossom season and for events. Check the official website before you go.
Admission
Admission
Spring combined ticket for 3 areas (Sanboin, Garan, Reihokan)Adults ¥1,800, junior high and high school students ¥1,300
Free for elementary school age and under
Prices may change. Check the official website before you go.
Tips
Tips for travelers
- ✓Each variety of cherry peaks at a different time, so even after the Somei-yoshino are past full bloom you may still be able to enjoy the yaezakura
Access
Getting there
- Nearest station / bus stop
- Daigo Station (Kyoto Municipal Subway Tozai Line)About a 10 min walk from Exit 2
- From major stations & airports
- Kyoto Station: JR to Yamashina Station (about 5 min), then change to the Subway Tozai Line to Daigo Station (about 10 min) (About 15 min + about a 10 min walk)
- By car & traffic restrictions
- South Parking (142 spaces for regular cars, paid). On weekends, please use public transportation
Crowds
Crowds & best times
- Busiest
- Spring weekends are crowded, and the temple asks visitors to come by public transportation
Weather
Temperature & what to wear
- Typical temperatures
- Kyoto normals: March high 14.1°C, low 4.3°C; April high 20.1°C, low 9.2°C (JMA)
- What to wear & bring
- The grounds are large and involve a lot of walking, so wear comfortable shoes and a jacket that’s easy to take on and off
Rules
Hanami rules & etiquette
- !Food and drink may not be brought into the grounds (drinks with lids are allowed)
- !Tripods, monopods and selfie sticks are prohibited throughout the grounds
- !No photography inside the halls or of temple treasures
- !No pets (except guide dogs, service dogs and hearing dogs)
Facilities
Facilities
- Toilets
- 3 accessible toilets on the grounds
- Payment
- Credit cards (VISA, Master, JCB, AMEX, Diners), PayPay and cash
- Accessibility
- Most areas can be visited by wheelchair, but Sanboin has steps and access is partly limited. No wheelchair rental
Events
Events & festivals in Kyoto City
February
MayAoi Matsuri
Kansai ・ Kyoto City
Every year on May 15 (postponed to the 16th if it rains; if it also rains on the 16th, the procession is canceled). Preliminary rites such as Yabusame horseback archery (May 3) and the Saio-dai purification ceremony (May 4) are held in early May
2027: May 15 (held every year on May 15; postponed to the 16th if it rains)
May–OctoberNoryo Yuka / Kawadoko (Kamogawa & Kibune)
Kansai ・ Kyoto City
Kamogawa Noryo Yuka usually runs May 1 – October 15, and Kibune Kawadoko usually runs May 1 – September 30 (season and hours vary by restaurant). In 2026, Kamogawa Noryo Yuka runs until October 15
JulyGion Matsuri
Kansai ・ Kyoto City
Usually July 1–31 (Yamahoko procession: Saki Matsuri July 17, Ato Matsuri July 24; Yoiyama eves: Saki Matsuri July 14–16, Ato Matsuri July 21–23)
AugustGozan Okuribi (Kyoto Five Mountains Bonfires)
Kansai ・ Kyoto City
Every year on August 16 (from 20:00)
2027: Aug 16 (Mon)
OctoberJidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages)
Kansai ・ Kyoto City
Every year on October 22 (postponed to the 23rd if it rains)
2026: Oct 22 (Thu). Postponed to Oct 23 if it rains
Attractions
Attractions in Kyoto City
AquariumKyoto Aquarium
Kansai ・ Kyoto City
An inland aquarium in Umekoji Park, within walking distance of Kyoto Station. Its exhibits explore Kyoto's waterside nature and how it connects, from the "Kyoto River" to the "Kyoto Sea." With a dolphin stadium and jellyfish displays, it's an easy stop between Kyoto sightseeing spots.
ZooKyoto City Zoo
Kansai ・ Okazaki, Kyoto
A city-run zoo inside Okazaki Park, home to Heian Shrine and several art museums. In its compact grounds you can see elephants, gorillas, and wild animals from Kyoto's forests. Admission is free for junior high students and younger, and just ¥750 for adults.
ExperienceNintendo Museum
Kansai ・ Uji
A museum in Uji, Kyoto, that displays Nintendo's products through the years and lets you play hands-on exhibits. Tickets are date- and time-specific and must be reserved in advance, through a monthly lottery or first-come, first-served sales of slots that open up. If you want to include it in your itinerary, applying from the lottery 3 months before your visit is the surest way.
☂ Mostly indoors · rain-friendlyAdvance, date-specific tickets required
Theme parkUZUMASA KYOTO VILLAGE
Kansai ・ Uzumasa
Toei Kyoto Studio Park, a samurai-drama theme park that opened in 1975, reopened on March 28, 2026 as UZUMASA KYOTO VILLAGE after the first phase of its renewal. It is now an immersive park for adults built around the concept of wandering into Kyoto in the Edo period, with the second phase scheduled to open in spring 2027. It stays open until 21:00.
Cherry Blossoms
Cherry Blossoms in Kansai
RiversideShukugawa Park (Shukugawa Riverside Green Space)
Kansai ・ Nishinomiya, Hyogo
🌸 Typical peak: Late Mar – Early Apr
✦ Night sakura
Park
ParkMaruyama Park (Gion Shidare-zakura)
Kansai ・ Kyoto City
🌸 Typical peak: Late Mar – Early Apr
✦ Night sakura
Castle
Mountain
Castle
Avenue & old town
Shrine
Temple
Mountain
LakePeak periods, hours, prices and access are based on official sources such as the spot’s own website, local governments and tourism associations. Bloom conditions and event details can change, so check the official website before you go.
Last checked: 2026-10-06
