Kyoto Sakura Report, April 3, 2015

Hello Everyone!

Today was another busy day of sakura blossom hunting in Kyoto! Here is my cherry blossom report for today.

I went with friends to five places, today. We went to Kaege Incline, Nanzen-ji Temple, Eikan-do Temple, and Shinnyo-do Temple, and then walked along the Philospher’s Path. We saw sakura blossoms in full 100% bloom wherever we went. It is peak time, now, for sakura in Kyoto.

Kaege Incline

We started off going to the Keage Incline. This is an old abandoned railway line that runs just east of the Tozai Line Keage Station. The most famous spot for viewing sakura there is on the east side of Niomon Dori, which runs northwest from Kaege Station. The trackbed is up on the embankment that runs along that side of the street.

There are many magnificent, old sakura trees there, and they are at their peak right now. Lovely.

During sakura season, you can see couples there in formal clothes and gowns being photographed. Look closely at my pictures below, and see if you can find them!

Nanzen-ji Temple

From there we walked to nearby Nanzen-ji Temple. This is one of my favorite temples in Kyoto for seeing both sakura, and “koyo”, the red maples leaves in the fall. The entrance to the temple is a huge wooden gate called Samon, or three gates. There are three massive wooden doors there between very large log columns.

I love wooden buildings, and I love how old wooden masterpiece temples are preserved in Japan. It is rare to see wooden structures of this size anywhere in the world nowadays. Nanzen-ji’s Sanmon Gate is an amazing wooden structure. I love the size of the log columns! They were cut from some very large trees!

Not only is this gate a work of art by itself, during sakura and koyo seasons, these huge doorways frame some of nature’s most beautiful trees! The combination is breathtaking.

Eikan-do and Shinnyo-do Temples

Walking from Nanzen-ji to the Philosopher’s Path, you pass many temples. Here are two that I especially like. Eikan-do Temple is in the left picture, and Shinnyo-do Temple is in the right one.

Philosopher’s Path

Then we came to the Philosopher’s Path (Tetsugaku no michi). This is one of Kyoto’s most famous places to see cherry blossoms. It is a path that wanders along a small canal that runs roughly north-south along the mountains of the Higashiyama District. The small street begins next to Eikan-do Temple on the south end, and ends near the entrance to Ginkaku-ji Temple on the north end.

It is always a very peaceful walk along this path for me, even when it is full of camera pointing tourists who come the see the many beautiful sakura trees here! Joe and I come here several times every year to walk along the path and see the cherry blossoms, or autumn leaves.

The sakura tress here were in full bloom, today.

We had some rain today, and it was cloudy most of the day. Still, when the sakura are in full bloom like they are right now, you can’t help but have a wonderful day!

I hope you enjoyed my photos! Please leave a comment, or ask me a question, below. Where would you like to go in Kyoto?

I’ll see you here, tomorrow!

Bua and Joe