Spring Kyoto Prefecture Travel Guide: Spectacular Spring Views Where Cherry Blossoms Meet Fresh Greenery

A walking path of Approx. 2 km stretching from Ginkaku-ji Temple to Kumano Nyakuoji Shrine.
It’s called the “Philosopher’s Path” after Kitaro Nishida, a philosopher and Kyoto University professor in the early 20th century, who is said to have walked here while lost in thought. It’s also selected as one of Japan’s “100 Best Roads.”
In spring, cherry trees—mainly Somei Yoshino—line the canal, and you can enjoy hanami as you quietly walk beneath rows of blossoms stretching their branches over the water.

Kyoto’s oldest park, lined with traditional restaurants and tea houses around a strolling-style garden. The Gion weeping cherry tree by the pond is one of Kyoto’s top photo spots.
Areas around Hyotan Pond and the stone bridge offer beautiful waterside scenery, and in spring you can enjoy a calm atmosphere as you walk under the blossoms. It’s also close to Yasaka Shrine and Chion-in Temple, so you can pair cherry blossom viewing with visits to famous temples.

A nature-rich park spread along the shore of Lake Ono Dam, where you can enjoy beautiful scenery that changes with each season.
In spring, Approx. 1,000 cherry trees planted by local residents bloom in spectacular fashion, and one highlight is driving through a tunnel of blossoms.
There are also spacious lawns and walking paths where you can relax by the lakeside, spending peaceful time with mountain quiet and fully blooming cherry blossoms.

A sacred power spot revered since ancient times. This historic shrine is registered as a World Heritage Site as part of the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto,” and both its main hall and worship hall are designated National Treasures.
The main hall, in particular, is said to be Japan’s oldest surviving Shinto shrine architecture, and the grounds, quietly set in a forest, strongly retain the atmosphere of earlier times. It’s an easy stop during a spring walk around Uji.

Amanohashidate is counted as one of Japan’s Three Scenic Views, alongside Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture and Miyajima in Hiroshima Prefecture.
Approx. 5,000 pine trees stretch along a sandbar of Approx. 3.6 km, creating a landscape woven by sea and pines. Observation points are scattered around the area, and it’s also appealing that you can enjoy a variety of views, including “Shoryukan.” As you walk along Miyazu Bay in spring, take in this beautiful natural formation.

Ride a small flat-bottomed boat down Approx. 16 km of the Hozu River’s mountain stream, from Kameoka to Saga-Arashiyama, over Approx. 2 hours.
Skilled boatmen expertly navigate between rocks, letting you enjoy both thrilling currents and calmer scenery. The mountain ranges along both banks are beautiful in spring, not only with cherry blossoms but also with fresh greenery, so you can fully enjoy nature’s beauty from the river.

Miyama Town is home to rare thatched-roof houses. In particular, the Kita hamlet, where 39 thatched-roof homes still remain, offers a classic Japanese countryside landscape colored by nature through the seasons, and it’s designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.
In the village, you can experience traditional culture while visiting places like a folk museum and an indigo-dyeing exhibition hall, and in spring you can stroll through peaceful satoyama scenery in Miyama.

A group of eight red-brick warehouses once used as facilities such as the navy’s fish-shaped torpedo storage. All are designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan, and Building No. 1 is preserved and utilized as one of the oldest surviving steel-framed brick structures.
Inside are a museum, restaurants, and shops, and in spring you can enjoy the red-brick architecture and harbor scenery as you walk along the waterfront.

Sanzen-in is known as a Tendai sect monzeki temple. Majestic halls are scattered across the grounds, and gardens spread out, offering beautiful scenery in every season.
The pond gardens, such as Shuheki-en and Yusei-en, are a highlight, and the warabe jizo statues standing in mossy gardens are also memorable.
In spring, you can take a relaxed stroll amid the calm, Ohara-like scenery.

A historic shrine enshrining Sugawara no Michizane, the deity of learning.
In spring, Kirishima azaleas that color the grounds reach their peak, dyeing the approach a deep crimson.
The scenery around Hachijogaike Pond, with its Taiko Bridge and Suijo Bridge, is also beautiful, and walking through the flower-filled grounds lets you feel spring’s unique vibrancy.

A historic shrine with a long tradition of planting cherry trees on its grounds, where Approx. 60 varieties and 400 trees bloom one after another.
At the “Ouka-sai” held on April 10, rituals and a historical parade rooted in Emperor Kazan’s imperial visit are performed, adding color and excitement to spring in Kyoto.
In the grounds, where many varieties bloom, you can feel both spring’s vivid colors and the unique atmosphere of an auspicious day of Shinto rites.

Daigo-ji, the head temple of the Daigo school of Shingon Buddhism, has a vast temple precinct stretching from Kami-Daigo to Shimo-Daigo and many halls and pagodas. It’s registered as a World Cultural Heritage Site as part of the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.” It’s known as the site where Toyotomi Hideyoshi held the grand “Daigo Hanami,” and it has long been loved as a cherry blossom spot.
In honor of that story, the “Taiko Hanami Gyoretsu” is held every year on the second Sunday of April, and the day draws many visitors.

An annual festival held every May 15 at Shimogamo Shrine (Kamomioya-jinja) and Kamigamo Shrine (Kamowakeikazuchi-jinja) in Kyoto. Along with the Gion Matsuri and Jidai Matsuri, it’s known as one of Kyoto’s three major festivals and is a beloved early-summer tradition.
A historic festival that appears in classical literature, its official name is “Kamo Matsuri.” The highlight is the “Roto no Gi,” a procession that departs from the Kyoto Imperial Palace with participants in Heian-era attire, bringing the elegant world of the Heian period to life today.

A long-established sweets shop in Gion, said to have been founded over 300 years ago during the Kyoho era of the Edo period.
Its signature sweet is “kuzukiri,” loved for its smooth, slippery texture and perfectly springy bite. Made with Yoshino kuzu from Ouda in Nara, it’s elegantly highlighted by the clean sweetness of kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup). Another specialty, “Kikujuto,” is memorable for its gentle melt-in-your-mouth texture unique to wasanbon sugar. Between walks around Maruyama Park, you’ll want to relax in the calm space and savor flavors from a true Kyoto mainstay.

A dining spot right in front of Miyama Kayabuki no Sato, where you can enjoy soba made from Miyama-grown buckwheat, stone-milled and finished by artisans as hand-cut noodles.
With over 30 years of experience, the artisan prepares soba with care every day, offering smooth slurpability plus rich aroma and sweetness. Since quantities are limited, be sure to watch out for sellouts.
From inside the restaurant, you can look out on thatched-roof scenery and spend a calm break between satoyama walks.

A Japanese tea specialty shop founded in 1854 in Uji, a nationwide-famous region for high-quality Japanese tea. In its cafe—making use of a former tea factory building—you can enjoy sweets made with Uji tea. The signature sweet “Nama Cha Jelly (Matcha)” features a smooth, jiggly jelly packed with the rich umami and aroma of premium tea leaves, perfectly paired with lightly sweetened azuki and shiratama mochi.
Surrounded by Uji’s calm atmosphere, you can take your time enjoying flavors that only a long-established shop can offer.

Founded in 1936 in Kyoto City as a catering business, it later moved to Kameoka and has carried on its noren for four generations as a long-established kaiseki restaurant. Here you can enjoy dishes unique to the restaurant, made with ingredients from nature-rich Kameoka. With seasonal kaiseki and chef’s choice courses, you can savor items that showcase the chef’s skill. Private rooms overlooking a Japanese garden are also available, offering a calm place to linger. It’s a great choice to pair with the Hozugawa River boat ride in spring.

“Amanohashidate Winery” is dedicated to winemaking using Tango-grown grapes from its own vineyards and state-of-the-art brewing techniques. At the on-site restaurant, you can enjoy a buffet featuring ingredients from Tango, and you’ll also find a wide range of wines (additional charge), including red and white as well as sweet and dry. Sweets are also available during cafe time, making it perfect for a break during sightseeing.
The gentle view of Amanohashidate from the seating area is soothing, making it a great place to stop along your journey.

A hotel in an easy-to-use location as a base for sightseeing around Kyoto City, with calming views of the Kamo River and the Higashiyama mountains.
All 32 guest rooms come with open-air baths fed by the property’s own hot spring source. As you relax in a Japanese-modern space, you’ll find a quiet that feels surprising for the middle of the city. On-site facilities are also well equipped, including large public baths with different styles of tubs and a rooftop terrace footbath, enriching your time during your stay.

Located along the Uji River, it’s a convenient base with easy access to Ujigami Shrine and Byodoin Temple.
All guest rooms are designed to overlook the Uji River, and you can also view “To-no-shima,” a sandbar island in the river. While taking in the riverside scenery from your room, you can enjoy Uji’s calm, relaxed pace. With on-site facilities including a scenic-view bath and sauna, it’s a place that comfortably supports both sightseeing and your stay.

A ryokan nestled along the Amanohashidate Canal, with the appealing location that lets you feel one of Japan’s Three Scenic Views up close.
All rooms are designed to borrow the scenery of the pine grove and Amanohashidate Canal, so you can enjoy Amanohashidate’s landscape without leaving your room. The interior balances Japanese character with modern comfort, and the bathing facilities—including a large public bath and sauna—are also well equipped, making for a stay where you can slowly reset both body and mind along your journey.