Admire White Cherry Blossoms at Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple – Pure White “Sakura” Beauty Is Surprisingly Approachable, Visible Just by Looking Up

▲ Taking a photo of the five-story pagoda from within the cherry blossom grove offers a unique perspective.

Photo & Text /MIKA’s Foodie Adventure Log

Ninna-ji Temple, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kyoto known for having the latest cherry blossom season, typically blooms about 10 days to two weeks later than other cherry blossoms in the city. This means when the blossoms at Kiyomizu-dera have fallen, those at Ninna-ji are just starting to flourish.

So if you’re visiting Kyoto in mid-to-late April, you should be able to catch the last of the cherry blossoms here. The temple is planted with white “Omuro sakura,” as well as a special variety called Uguisu-zakura, whose flowers are dark green in color and gradually turn light green as they bloom—a truly unique kind, though I didn’t manage to capture it this time… such a pity.

The majestic entrance gate of Ninna-ji Temple.


A lush expanse of cherry blossoms greets you right after entering the gate.


The place is bustling with people taking photos.

There are two entrances here. We were a bit confused about which one to use when buying tickets, but a passerby kindly informed us that this is the entrance for cherry blossom viewing.


Admission is about 500 yen per person, and you get a beautiful commemorative ticket.


The signature feature of Omuro sakura is that the blossoms start growing from the base, about 2 to 30 centimeters above the ground. This makes the blossoms feel very approachable.


The blossoms are in full bloom!! Completely covering the area…


Everyone is lining up to enter the cherry blossom path—it’s quite a crowd.


When these Omuro sakura are in full bloom, they almost completely envelop you from head to toe.


White cherry blossoms look especially beautiful in close-up shots.


I chose a high vantage point to capture both the cherry blossoms and the five-story pagoda in the same frame.


Unlike typical delicate cherry blossoms, the Omuro sakura appear lush and resilient.


With so many people, it’s really hard to move around.


An elderly gentleman was peacefully sketching amid the cherry blossom trees.


Omuro sakura are also known as “Tofuku Zakura” (Lucky Cherry Blossoms), named for their dense and vigorous appearance, symbolizing good fortune.


Ninna-ji Temple is surrounded by a beautiful Japanese garden and features elegant palace-style buildings, including a five-story pagoda, various temple halls, a grand entrance gate, a bell tower, and tea rooms. This is the five-story pagoda—since we were eager to get to the barbecue spot, we didn’t go inside for a visit and only took a photo of the exterior. How unadventurous of us~ haha！


Before leaving, I spotted a touch of purple-red and followed the color to its source. I’m not sure what kind of flower it is, but it was stunning—a captivating shade of purple.


I really like this photo, though it would’ve been better without all the other people in the background～XD


This type of flower can also be found in Taiwan, though I can’t recall the name at the moment. It has a fresh, delicate beauty and an elegant grace.


[Ninna-ji Temple]

Address:616-8092　Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Ukyo Ward, Omuro-Daikakuji, 33
Phone:075-461-1155
Admission:Regular admission: 500 yen
Hours:March–November: 09:00–16:30. December–February: 09:00–16:00
Transportation:1. Take a city bus from Kyoto Station → get off at Ninna-ji-mae. 2. Get off at Keifuku Dentetsu Omuro Station and walk for about 3 minutes

Traveling is to return to where you came from more profoundly.

MIKA’s Travel & Food Journal