Kyoto Cherry Blossom Hiking【Yamashina・Keage・Nanzenji・Tetsugakunomichi】

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There are many good cherry blossom spots in Kyoto, I will show you two cherry blossom hiking courses.

Please enjoy cherry blossom watching and walking!

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Kyoto Cherry Blossom Hiking Map

Long Hiking Course

Long course hiking map

If you click red marks on google map, you can see the information.

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Walking distance and time according to Google teacher,

  • Yamashina station (山科駅) to Keage station (蹴上駅) 5km 70min
  • Keage station(蹴上駅) to Tetsugakunomichi(哲学の道 / philosophy road) 1km 18min
  • Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道 / philosophy road) to Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the silver temple) 2km 24min

Total 8km, 112min.

You can check start-finish points, distance and time if you click on the blue line on the map.

But I think it will take 3-4 hours to walk 8km because of congestion, watching cherry blossoms, taking photos and so on.

There are many tea houses and restaurants on this hiking course.

If you take rest and get a meal, you need more time.

Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the silver temple), a world heritage, is the end of this hiking course.

There are no cherry blossoms there, but I recommend to go to Ginakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the silver temple) to see the beautiful Japanese garden.

It will take 30 min to 1 hour to visit Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the silver temple).

If you decide to visit the Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the silver temple), the total hiking time will be about 5-6 hours.

If you want to see more cherry blossoms, there is Daigoji temple (醍醐寺), also a world heritage, 4 stations from Yamashina station (山科駅).

Daigoji temple (醍醐寺) is known for the cherry blossom party ‘Daigo no hanami’ held by the very famous samurai ‘Toyotomi Hideyoshi’ about 400 years ago.

According to Google teacher, the round trip from the Daigo station (醍醐駅) to the temple is 1.8 km / 24 min.

If you want to enjoy cherry blossoms all day long, it may better to start from Daigoji temple (醍醐寺) and continue to the long hiking course.

Short Hiking Course

Short course hiking map

OPEN BY GOOGLE MAP

The best cherry blossom point in Yamashina is around Anjyubashi bridge (安朱橋).

So after enjoying cherry blossoms around Anjyubashi bridge (安朱橋), return to the Yamashina station (山科駅) and take the subway from there to Keage station (蹴上駅).

Walking distance and time according to Google teacher:

  • Anjyubashi bridge (安朱橋) and Yamashina sosui (山科疎水)  1.8km 24min
  • Keage station(蹴上駅) to Tetsugakunomichi(哲学の道 / philosophy road) 1km 18min
  • Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道 / philosophy road) to Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the silver temple) 2km 24min

Total 4.8km, 66min.

By taking the subway, you walk 3.2km / 46min less.

Enjoy your cherry blossom hiking!

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Cherry Blossom Hiking Photos

Start hiking from Yamashina station (山科駅).

Anjyubashi bridge (安朱橋) and Yamashina sosui (山科疎水)

The yellow flowers are rape blossoms, Yamashina has both cherry blossoms and rape blossoms.

Flowers and Anjyubashi bridge (安朱橋).
Flowers and Anjyubashi bridge (安朱橋).
Standing on the Anjyubashi bridge (安朱橋).
Standing on the Anjyubashi bridge (安朱橋).

Walk west along the river to see Seichakubashi bridge (正嫡橋), near Honkokuji temple (本國寺).

Seichakubashi bridge (正嫡橋)
Seichakubashi bridge (正嫡橋)
Standing on the Seichakubashi bridge(正嫡橋).
Standing on the Seichakubashi bridge(正嫡橋).

You can walk along the river until The Third Tunnel(第3トンネル).

Please refer to the Long Hiking Course google map.

Map near 2nd bridge
Map near the second bridge

I couldn’t make the line to the Keage incline (蹴上インクライン) appear on the google map.

Please turn at the star mark on google map before Keage station to go to Keage incline (蹴上インクライン).

The top of the Keage incline (蹴上インクライン)
The top of the Keage incline (蹴上インクライン)
The top of the Keage incline (蹴上インクライン)
The top of the Keage incline (蹴上インクライン)
Keage incline (蹴上インクライン)
Keage incline (蹴上インクライン)
Keage incline (蹴上インクライン)
Keage incline (蹴上インクライン)
Keage incline (蹴上インクライン)
Keage incline (蹴上インクライン)

These rails were used for hauling boats and their merchandise between Kyoto and the Lake Biwa Canal.

Nanzenji temple (南禅寺)

Nanzenji temple Sanmon (南禅寺三門).
Nanzenji temple Sanmon (南禅寺三門).
Nanzenji temple Houdou (南禅寺法堂)
Nanzenji temple Houdou (南禅寺法堂)

Nanzenji temple Suirokaku (南禅寺水路閣) in front of Houdou (南禅寺法堂).

The aqueduct was built in 1890 to carry water from the Biwa Lake.

Nanzenji temple Suirokaku (南禅寺水路閣)
Nanzenji temple Suirokaku (南禅寺水路閣)
Nanzenji temple Suirokaku (南禅寺水路閣)
Nanzenji temple Suirokaku (南禅寺水路閣)
Nanzenji temple Suirokaku (南禅寺水路閣)
Nanzenji temple Suirokaku (南禅寺水路閣)
Nanzenji temple Suirokaku (南禅寺水路閣)
Nanzenji temple Suirokaku (南禅寺水路閣)

Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道 / philosophy road).

You can see cherry blossoms along the river for 2 km.

Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道  / philosophy road)
Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道 / philosophy road)
Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道  / philosophy road)
Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道 / philosophy road)
Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道  / philosophy road)
Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道 / philosophy road)
Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道  / philosophy road)
Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道 / philosophy road)

Thanks to the rain, sometimes you get those special photos…

Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道  / philosophy road)
Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道 / philosophy road)

Sorry!

Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道  / philosophy road)
Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道 / philosophy road)

Other flowers.

Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道  / philosophy road)
Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道 / philosophy road)
Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道  / philosophy road)
Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道 / philosophy road)
Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道  / philosophy road)
Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道 / philosophy road)

Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the Silver Temple)

Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the Silver Temple)
Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the Silver Temple)
Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the Silver Temple)
Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the Silver Temple)
Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the Silver Temple)
Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the Silver Temple)
Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the Silver Temple)
Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the Silver Temple)

The moss is beautiful after the rain.

Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the Silver Temple)
Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 / the Silver Temple)
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Summary

How long did it really take?

  • Yamashina station (山科駅) to Keage station (蹴上駅) 5km 2hours
  • Keage station (蹴上駅) to Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道 philosophy load) 1km 1hour
  • Tetsugakunomichi (哲学の道 philosophy load) to Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 silver temple) 2km 1hour
  • Ginkakuji temple (銀閣寺 silver temple) 30min

With little rest time – but quite a few photo breaks – the long course hike took 4 hours 30 min.

I love hiking and walking, but I felt a bit tired after this long walk.

So it may be better to take the train between Yamashina station (山科駅) and Keage station (蹴上駅) for people not used to walk long distances.

Or consider it’s a good exercise and a way to see more blossoms!

Enjoy the cherry blossoms!

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