Plum blossoms in Kyoto
Plum blossoms are some of the floral stars before the main cherry blossom season begins. On the main island of Honshu - home to the major cities of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka - the plum blossom season typically peaks from end February through to mid March.
Today, I visited Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto, a well-known plum blossom viewing spot. I found that the early flowering plum trees were already very attractive and at their best viewing. With about 50 varieties and over 1500 plum trees on the grounds of the shrine, the peak of the plum blossom season is expected to start from the end of this month.
Kitano Tenmangu is dedicated to the scholar and politician Sugawara Michizane, who was posthumously deified after his untimely death. Michizane's favorite flower was the plum blossoms, and you can be sure to find plum trees at Tenmangu shrines across Japan. In fact, Dazaifu Tenmangu in Fukuoka Prefecture, where Michizane was exiled, is another famous spot to see plum blossoms during the season.
The annual Baikasai, a tea ceremony event that is open to the public, will be held on February 25, 2026. Until May 24, 2026, admission to the plum grove at Kitano Tenmangu costs 3000 yen, which includes tea and sweets. Entry to the plum grove is from 9:00 to 20:00, and the trees are illuminated in the evening.
