Okazaki Cherry Blossom Viewing in Sakyō-ku, Kyoto is very popular with many Kyotoites and foreign visitors. The canal is lined on both sides with cherry trees. You can walk along the canal from Kawabata dori, following Niomon dori until you reach Shirakawa dori and the entrance to Nanzen-ji temple. At the moment there is a traditional water tour, on a Continue reading «Okazaki Cherry Blossom Viewing in Sakyō-ku, Kyoto.»
Read more ›Flower Viewing or “Hanami” is the centuries-old practice of picnicking under a blooming sakura or ume tree. The custom is said to have started during the Nara Period (710–794) when it was ume blossoms that people admired in the beginning. But by the Heian Period (794–1185), cherry blossoms came to attract more attention and hanami was synonymous with sakura. From Continue reading «Sakura (桜）Hotspots in and Around Kyoto!»
Read more ›Near Kinkaku-ji, the gorgeous cherry blossoms at this modest shrine (Hirano jinjya) have been the focus of an annual spring festival since 985. The pale pink petals contrast with vermilion lanterns lining the lanes of this Heian-style complex. The shrine was brought here from Nagaoka, the country’s capital after Nara and before Kyoto. There are 45 different species of 500 Continue reading «Emperor Kazan’s Favorite Sakura Garden!»
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Welcome to Kyoto and Nara Dream Trips, where you will be able to see a traditional and ancient part of Kyoto and Nara that not many travel guides offer. This is a community to share your experiences in Japan and to learn more about this often elusive culture. Here you will find information on popular tourist sites of Nara and Kyoto and also the not-so-popular sites which are often equally rewarding. You can also find information posted on the wall about famous Japanese peoples' birthdays, famous historical events, and different odd and widely unknown traditions. Discover a side of Japan which you never knew existed, here at Kyoto and Nara Dream Trips!
