Kyoto: Petals Falling

Back in the Kansai Region after yesterday's visit to Kanazawa, I today checked in on two popular cherry blossom viewing spots in Kyoto, finding that things had progressed quite a bit since last Thursday.

While my overall impression here was of the season having passed its peak and beginning to wind down, it is still not too late to get an enjoyable experience at several sites within the city known for late blossoming varieties, where best viewing is just now getting started. If you are arriving in Kyoto now, see our page about what to do if you missed the blossoms.

My first stop was at the Keage Incline - a preserved length of sloping railtrack once used to haul boats up- and downhill, today a picturesque spot lined with cherry blossom trees. Here, the blossoms had visibly thinned out, with the lower, northwestern end looking especially past its best although a few nicer patches could still be found on the way up.

My next visit was to Heian Shrine, a very distinctive shrine complex modeled on the original Imperial Palace and known for its garden, located behind the main building and requiring a fee to enter.

While a few different types of cherry trees are mixed in here, the most noticeable attraction is a double-flowered weeping cherry tree variety that blooms a few days later than the average, making the spot a good destination for those arriving in Kyoto after the peak for the season. These weeping cherries were still just coming into their period of best viewing and should remain attractive a few more days to come.