Admire the sea of tri-colored cherry blossoms from the highest vantage point — a must-visit hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spot on your spring excursion: Tianyuan Temple

Text & Photos /Little White Whale

The tri-colored cherry blossoms (also known as Fuji cherries) at Tamsui’s Tianyuan Temple are currently in full bloom and are a must-visit hanami destination in northern Taiwan during the Lunar New Year holiday. Many have seen the Yoshino cherry blossoms at Tamsui’s Tianyuan Temple during the annual March cherry blossom season, but you might not know that Tianyuan Temple is already beautiful in February. The tri-colored cherry blossoms begin to bloom in mid-to-late January, with a flowering period of about ten days. This year, due to the warm winter, the blooming period has been delayed, making the most stunning floral display coincide with the Lunar New Year. With nine consecutive days off for the Spring Festival this year, the northern region has enjoyed rare sunny and bright weather, and Tianyuan Temple’s dozens of delicate pink tri-colored cherry trees are waiting for you to come out for a spring walk.

In recent years, through word of mouth and beautiful blog posts and photos, more and more people have discovered the beauty of the tri-colored cherry blossoms at Tamsui’s Tianyuan Temple. To be honest, I had never heard of tri-colored cherry blossoms before visiting Tianyuan Temple. After searching online, I learned that they are commonly referred to as Fuji cherries. Their petals change color over time, transitioning from pink-white → pink → dark red, hence earning the lovely nickname “tri-colored cherry blossoms.” Taking advantage of the Spring Festival holiday, families and friends came to Tianyuan Temple for a spring walk. Traffic was inevitably heavy along the way — if you want to avoid congestion, you’ll have to be willing to wake up early. On February 9, 2016, the second day of the Lunar New Year, we set off from Neihu at 7:00 AM. There was no traffic, and we arrived at the main gate of Tianyuan Temple in just 45 minutes. There were plenty of parking spots available too.

The Supreme Tianyuan True Altar stands 200 feet tall, with a circular diameter of 108 meters. This magnificent five-story structure inspires awe and a sense of one’s own smallness. The last time I visited Tianyuan Temple was in 2013, when my camera was a non-interchangeable-lens compact: a Canon S100. This time, I upgraded to an interchangeable-lens mirrorless camera, and I was eager to see what kind of powerful images a super-wide-angle lens could capture. I’d like to ask all photography enthusiasts: For the same Supreme Tianyuan True Altar, do you prefer the horizontal composition in the photo above, or this vertical one?

The early bird catches the worm — and the early photographer gets the flowers. A row of tripods had been set up by fellow photographers, all waiting for the golden morning light to spill over the petals. Finally, sunlight poured over the mountaintop — and just listen to the rapid-fire clicks of cameras and phones, along with endless exclamations of admiration. The back hillside is planted with dozens of tri-colored cherry trees, surrounded by red ropes to keep visitors at a distance, ensuring that this beautiful view can be enjoyed every day. After taking your fill of photos on the back hillside, don’t rush down just yet — we can continue our cherry blossom adventure up to the highest point, the Juyuan Three Saints Hall. (Note: The tri-colored cherry blossoms are located in the area next to the parking lot on the left side of the map.)

See them? The entire row of tri-colored cherry blossoms along the path below the Juyuan Three Saints Hall allows us to get up close and personal with the blossoms. Now is the perfect time to admire the tri-colored cherry blossoms at Tianyuan Temple. The sunlight is brilliant, the air is mild, the frame is filled with cherry blossoms, and the mood is wonderful. Crouch down, and you’ll find the majestic Supreme Tianyuan True Altar embraced tightly by the beautiful tri-colored cherry blossoms — creating this uniquely charming scene.

Follow the stairs up to the highest point of Tianyuan Temple: the Juyuan Three Saints Hall. From this elevated vantage point, the expansive view is truly uplifting.

Note: Viewing the flowers in the morning is better, with the sunlight bringing out the blue sky. You can take overhead shots of the Supreme Tianyuan True Altar with the cherry blossoms. Many visitors, upon reaching this spot, will happily take photos with family and friends by the railing. After snapping a few pictures of my family with a beautiful background and even better mood, I spontaneously used a macro lens to capture some detailed close-ups of the cherry blossoms.

If the parking lot at the main gate is full, you can slowly drive up to the back mountain parking lot and try your luck finding a space. The blue sky, sunshine, architecture, and delicate pink tri-colored cherry blossoms give all those coming to Tianyuan Temple for a spring walk a bright and beautiful start to the new year.

Tamsui’s Supreme Tianyuan Temple
Address: No. 30, Section 3, Beixin Road, Tamsui District, New Taipei City　
Phone: (02)2621-2759
Transportation:
Bus: MRT Tamsui Station → Tamsui Bus Tianyuan Temple Cherry Blossom Shuttle, New Taipei Bus F103, New Taipei City Buses 866, 875, 876, 877, 89
Driving: (Mountain road, winding but easy to drive) National Freeway 1, Chongqing North Road Interchange → Daye Road → Daoxiang Road → (Tamsui) Xiaopingding Road → Beixin Road OR (main road, may be congested) National Freeway 1, Chongqing North Road Interchange → Dadu Road → (Tamsui) Minquan Road → Danjin Road (Denghui Boulevard) → Beixin Road

Little White Whale, who loves sharing, photography, and travel
Happy learning photography lets me see the world from different perspectives; happy trying delicious food allows me to enjoy life’s ordinary happiness.