Sakura season in Kyoto city (mid March ~ early April)

"Sakura" season is coming soon!
We have many kinds of "sakura (桜）," cherry-blossoms in Kyoto city.
Usually, we can see sakura flower during mid March to early April.
According to the sakura forecast, sakura flower will be blooming from March 28th in Kyoto.
We have various sightseeing places for the night illumination for sakura here.

Illuminations with Sakura in Kyoto

Maruyama Koen (円山公園）
March 14th - April 13rd
Sunset ～25:00
*Bonfire: March 28th - April 6th
Access: City bus #206 "Gion"

Nijojo Castle（二条城）
March 21st - April 13rd
Reception hour:　18:00～21:00
Admission fee Adult 400yen, Elementary & Junior high shool & High shcool students 200yen
*If you are in Kimono, the entrance fee will be free!
Access: City bus #101 "Nijojo-mae"

Toji temple　（東寺）
March 22nd - April 13rd
Reception hour: 18:00 - 21:00
Admission fee: 500yen
*You can not enter the halls in the temple.
Access: Kintetsu Kyoto line "Toji"
  
Gion-Shirakawa （祇園白川）
March 28th - April 6th
Time: Sunset ～22:00
* Photography event with Geikos & Maikos on April 2nd
You can see the small liver lined with sakura trees.

Kyoto Botanical Garden (京都府立動物園）
April 3rd - April 13rd
Time: Sunset ～21:00
Admission fee: Adult 200yen, High school student 150yen, Child younger than Junior high school Free
Access: Subway Karasuma line "Kitayama"

Kiyomizu temple （清水寺）
March 29th - April 13rd
Reception hour: 18:30 ～21:30
Admission fee: 400yen
Access: City bus #206 "Gojozaka"

**Please note that the best sakura season will depend on each place in the city.


We still have many other places for the illuminations with sakura in the city!
We have a special map for sakura in Kyoto city for our guests at the reception in Kyoto Hana Hostel.
We hope this will be helpful for you when you will arrive here.

Kyoto Art Flea Market

Big flea market is happening this month from 21st for 3 days!

The places are all located in the city center where you could just drop by
while sightseeing around.

Many artists and small private shops will be there to sell their goods:)
Shame I cannot make it there, but if you are around, it's worth checking out!

Japanese site:
http://web.kyoto-inet.or.jp/people/kafm/index.html

Video in Japanese too but you could get the rough idea:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGyIwJIvAyI

Rainmaking Festival at Kifune Shrine

Amagoi （Rainmaking）Festival at Kifune Shrine

 March 9th

After offering sacred water and food to the deity (at 10:00), a Shinto priest will purify the shrine grounds with sacred water; The God of Rain is worshiped and people pray for a good autumn harvest.

Access: Kyoto City Bus #17, get off at Demachiyanagi-eki-mae and take Eizan Railways to Kibune-guchi Stn. (then walk for 30 min. to the shrine); Tel: 075-741-2016; kifunejinja.jp/

Onsen (Hot Springs) in Arashiyama

Only 10 minutes walking from JR Saga-Arashiyama station, there is a new hot springs!

---Fu Fu no Yu---
12:00 - 22:00
1000 yen (weekdays), 1200 yen (weekends)

There is shampoo and body soap, you can borrow towel.
They have got sauna and open air bath.

HP (Japanese)
http://www.hotespa.net/spa/fufu/


And, there is a unique cafe near JR Saga-Arashiyama station. The building is used to be a local public bath and now it is redesigned as a cozy cafe. It's named 'Saganoyu'.
When you get tired from walking around this beautiful Arashiyama area, this is a place to sit and have a cup of coffee.

HP (Japanese)
http://www.sagano-yu.com/index.html

Godairiki-san

Godairikison ninno'e, also known as "Godairiki-san" is held on Feb 23rd every year at Daigoji-Temple.
Monks are empowered by Godai Myo’o (5 great powers) including Fudo Myo’o and pray for peace, health and happiness of the country and people.

This origin goes back to 907, Emperor Daigo’s time.

Prior to the festival, more than 1000 monks from all the mountains in Daigoji gather and stay in a hall for a week up until the day of the festival to thoroughly pray with paper charms called Mie. 

In recent years, “Mochi age riki hono” (dedication of power by lifting a rice cake) has been famous. In this event, male participants try to lift a 150 kg piece of rice cake and female visitors try 90 kg to dedicate power and pray for their health and happiness.
 

Access : 15min walk from Daigo Sta. of subway.

www.daigoji.or.jp/

 

Toji ~ Special Exhibition ~

Toji Temple, known as Goju-no-tou (five-stories pagoda), is one of the famous attracting places for sightseeing in Kyoto city. The tower is also known as the highest wooden tower in Japan.
The temple has originally prospered as the main Dojo for Shingon Shingon Esoteric Buddhism.
It is now one of world cultural heritages in Kyoto. 

Toji Temple at night

Now, there is a special exhibition in Toji, where you can see some national treasures.

Special Exhibition in Toji
January 10th - March 18th
 * Five-stories pagoda & Kondo/ Kodo (main hall)
    Time  9:00-16:30 (Entrance by 16:00)
    Fee: Adult 800yen/ High School Student 700yen/ Junior High School Student 500yen

* Kanchi-in House
   Time 9:00-16:30 (Entrance by 16:00)
   Fee: Adult 600yen/ Child (～Elementary school) 300yen


Then, there is Kobo market (弘法市） once per month (on the 21st of every month), where you can find many street stalls in and around the temple. 
Kobo market day may give you happiness if you visit the temple on that day!

If you visit Kyoto, please come to see Toji Temple!!

Village Vanguard--exciting book store--

 If you are crazy about something funny,cute and fashionable,I'd love to recommend you 'Village Vanguard'!
They are book store but they sell not only books but also some funny things.
you will see what you can meet when you get there and it would be fun to go there without much information.
I am actually a big fan of the store since I was high school students and I still like it even though I go there often.
You can find some branches in Kyoto and the best access one is located at Kyoto-Yodobashi building which is very near to Kyoto tower.
open/9:30-22:00
Kyoto-Yodobashi 5th floor

Village Vanguard