Arashiyama Cherry Blossoms in Kyoto: Peak Season, Best Spots, and Tips

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Kyoto's Arashiyama area is one of the best places to enjoy the beauty of cherry blossoms. We introduce the best time to visit, information on events and night illuminations, and access tips.

Written by

Yokohamabe

I have worked as a writer for travel brochures and in-flight magazines for Japanese airlines, as well as hotel features for newspaper companies, Swiss companies, advertising agencies, and production companies. I have been participating in MATCHA since 2024. I love watching travel YouTubers' videos, so I always check them out. We specialize in hotels, airlines, gourmet food, etc.

Cherry Blossoms in Kyoto's Arashiyama

Picture courtesy of PAKUTASO

Arashiyama, Kyoto's famous sightseeing location, is also a popular cherry blossom spot. When the cherry blossom season arrives, it's bustling with many people.

The blossoms near Togetsukyo, the bridge crossing over the Katsura River, are especially splendid. This is also famous as a photo spot.

This article introduces the best times to see Arashiyama's cherry blossoms and their highlights. We also feature information on Arashiyama's evening illuminations, so please use this as a reference when planning your Kyoto trip!

Cherry Blossom Viewing in Arashiyama

Arashiyama's First Blossoms and Best Viewing Times
Arashiyama's Cherry Blossom Highlights
Arashiyama Access and Crowd Information
Arashiyama Cherry Blossoms: Frequently Asked Questions

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Arashiyama's First Blossoms and Best Viewing Times

Picture courtesy of PAKUTASO

Arashiyama's 2025 cherry blossom season is expected to start on March 27.

First, the Somei Yoshino cherry trees in the Togetsukyo Bridge area will start to bloom. This will be followed by other cherry tree varieties such as the Yamazakura and Yaezakura which will gradually begin blooming.

The best time to see the cherry blossoms is forecast to be on or around April 4, one week after they start blooming. So those who want to see the blossoms in full bloom should plan their visit in April.

Arashiyama's Cherry Blossom Highlights

Next, we introduce three great places to see the cherry blossoms in Arashiyama.

1. Togetsukyo Bridge

Picture courtesy of PAKUTASO

The Togetsukyo Bridge area is an especially popular cherry blossom viewing spot in Arashiyama. From the bridge, visitors can enjoy the sight of 1,500 cherry trees planted along the Katsura River. This is truly a breathtaking sight.

Standing on the bridge is a good spot for taking a photo, but we also recommend leaving the bridge and going a short distance away, so that you can capture both the bridge and the blossoms together.

There's also an evening illumination event that's typically held from about March 20 until early April. You can enjoy a mystical kind of atmosphere that's different from the daytime so please come out and take a look!

2. Tenryuji Temple

Tenryuji Temple is the head temple for the Tenryuji school of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism and is also a famous spot for Shidarezakura (weeping cherry trees).

In particular, you can enjoy the spectacular view of the Shidarezakura near Tahoden Hall (Hall of Many Treasures) where Emperor Go-Daigo is enshrined. Also, from Bokyo Hill (Bokyo no Oka) to the west of Tahoden Hall, you get a commanding view of the city of Kyoto.

On the temple premises, in addition to Shidarezakura, there are about 200 different varieties of cherry trees in full bloom. So we recommend taking your time and going for a leisurely walk as you enjoy looking at these blossoms.

3. Randen Night Cherry Blossom Train

The Randen Night Cherry Blossom Train passes through the Randen Sakura Tunnel (between Narutaki and Utano Stations on the Kitano Line), a spot where passengers can experience the mystical and enchanting mood of the evening cherry blossoms.

This special train is different from your typical train. The interior lights of this tram car are turned off, so passengers can relax and look out at the night blossoms.

The train's 2025 schedule has not been announced yet, but in 2024 it operated from 18:30 to 20:30 during the period from late March until early April.

For the latest information please check the official homepage.

Arashiyama Access and Crowd Information

It's possible to get to Arashiyama from Kyoto Station by public transit, such as by train and bus, as well as by car.

Transportation	Access
By Train	From Kyoto Station - Take the Hankyu Arashiyama Line to Karasuma Station or Arashiyama Station, disembark and walk for five minutes. - Take the JR Sanin Line (Sagano Line) to Saga-Arashiyama Station and disembark. - At Shijo Station transfer to the Keifuku Randen Tram Line and disembark at Randen Arashiyama Station.
By Bus	Take a Kyoto City Bus from in front of Kyoto Station and disembark at Arashiyama Park.
By Car	From the Kyoto-Minami Interchange (IC) on the Meishin Expressway, take National Route 1, Prefectural Route 181, and Prefectural Route 186, then take Prefectural Route 29 towards Arashiyama for 13 kilometers.

When the cherry blossom season arrives, the roads in the Arashiyama area become congested, so we recommend taking public transit. However, if you must come by car, it's a good idea to use one of the parking lots listed in the chart below.

Hankyu Arashiyama Station Area

Name of Parking Facility	Time Required To Get to Togetsukyo Bridge	Parking Fare
Kyoto City Arashiyama Tourist Parking Lot	About 12 minutes on foot	Weekdays: One hour, 220 yen (maximum of 550 yen), Weekends and holidays: 30 minutes, 220 yen (maximum of 990 yen)
Fruit Park Hankyu Arashiyama Station Parking Lot	About 8 minutes on foot	Weekdays: 30 minutes, 200 yen (maximum of 500 yen), Weekends and holidays: 30 minutes, 400 yen (maximum of 900 yen)

Togetsukyo Bridge Area

Name of Parking Facility	Time Required To Get to Togetsukyo Bridge	Parking Fare
Times Hankyu Arashiyama Ekimae Parking Lot	About 4 minutes on foot	1 Day 1,000 yen
Arashiyama Kita Tsukurimichicho Parking Lot	About 6 minutes on foot	Weekdays - Up to a maximum of 600 yen, Weekends and holidays 1,000 yen

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Arashiyama's cherry blossom season begin?

In 2025 Arashiyama's cherry blossoms are forecast to start blooming about March 27.

When is Arashiyama's cherry blossom illumination held?

There are several spots in Arashiyama where visitors can enjoy illumination events. In the Togetsukyo Bridge area, illuminations are typically held from around March 20 to early April, and in the area in front of Randen Arashiyama Station they are usually held mid-March until mid-April. For the most up-to-date information please refer to the official homepage.

Which are the best spots for cherry blossom viewing in Arashiyama?

The best spots are the three that were recommended in this article: Togetsukyo Bridge, Tenryuji Temple, and the Randen Night Cherry Blossom Train.

Enjoy Spring in Kyoto

This article introduced the best times to see the cherry blossoms in Arashiyama, the blossom highlights, as well as illumination event information.

There are many great cherry blossom viewing spots in Arashiyama including the Togetsukyo Bridge, Tenryuji Temple, and the Randen Sakura Tunnel (Randen Night Cherry Blossom Train). So by all means please come out here for a visit!

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Written by

Yokohamabe

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