Kansai by month · 11–20°C
Blossoms, soft light and the year's liveliest streets
April is Kansai at its most celebrated. The first half is usually cherry-blossom season, with parks full of picnics, riverbanks turned pink and a cheerful buzz everywhere. As the petals fall, fresh green takes over and the weather becomes some of the most pleasant of the year.
It's perfect for first-time visitors, photographers and anyone who wants Japan at its most iconic. The honest trade-offs: it's one of the busiest and most expensive months, famous spots are packed, and stays sell out months ahead. Golden Week starts on the 29th.
Osaka Castle Park and the Philosopher’s Path
Picnics under the blossoms (hanami) are Japan’s favourite spring outing. In Osaka, Osaka Castle Park; in Kyoto, the canal-side Philosopher’s Path.
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Gion
Kyoto’s geiko and maiko (the city’s geisha and their apprentices) perform a spring dance show in a theatre in Gion. Tickets can be booked in advance.
Getting there · 10 min walk from Gion-Shijo Station
Open in Google Maps ↗This is peak season. Homes and trains fill up weeks ahead.
For about a week in mid-April the Japan Mint opens its riverside lane, lined with dozens of late-blooming cherry varieties. Check whether advance reservation is needed that year.
Osaka Japan Mint (Zoheikyoku), Temmabashi
Cherries climb the mountain in stages from the lower slopes to the top, so there are often blossoms here into mid-April.
Nara Mt Yoshino, southern Nara
The shrine's strolling garden has famous weeping cherry trees that usually bloom a little later than most.
Kyoto Heian Jingu Shrine Garden
A long promenade of cherry trees with river cruises and food stalls. It's easier to find space than at the castle.
Osaka Kema Sakuranomiya Park
A local favorite with many cherry varieties, lanterns and food stalls in the evening.
Kyoto Hirano Shrine, near Kinkaku-ji
