When I help people plan a cherry blossom trip, I always stress two things: 1) Book your accommodation early, and 2) choose someplace convenient so you don’t have to fight the crowds to get to the blossoms. Here are some of the best places to stay for easy access to the cherry blossoms.
Haradani-en Garden in cherry blossom season © Chris Rowthorn
First, as noted above, if you plan to be in Kyoto during cherry blossom season, book your accommodations WELL IN ADVANCE. Ideally, book several months in advance. If you wait until the last minute, you might find all the good places fully booked.
Check Current Kyoto Hotel Availability
You can check current Kyoto hotel availability for mid-March to mid-April, when the cherry blossoms bloom, on Booking.com and Agoda.com. Please have a read of When Is Cherry Blossom Season in Kyoto? to help you decide on the exact time to go.
Recommended Places To Stay In Kyoto During Cherry Blossom Season
One thing to keep in mind is that some of the main roads in the Southern Higashiyama and Northern Higashiyama districts become gridlocked during this season. (These are two of the most popular areas visited by tourists, both domestic and foreign). Thus, you might consider staying someplace near Kyoto Station or in Downtown Kyoto or Central Kyoto. Here are the places that I consider the best choices for cherry blossom season in Kyoto. These are the places I’ve stayed in and recommend to my clients and friends.
Corner King room at the Hotel Okura Kyoto © Chris Rowthorn
Kyoto Hotel Okura
The Kyoto Hotel Okura has the most convenient location of any hotel in Kyoto (it’s right downtown and directly above a subway line). It’s a luxury hotel with reasonable prices. Check out the pic above that I took of my corner room at the Okura recently.
My room at the Genji Kyoto © Chris Rowthorn
Genji Kyoto
A short walk from downtown, this little hotel is a real gem. Some rooms have private balconies overlooking the Kamo River. You can enjoy the cherry blossoms from the rooftop garden. I was lucky enough to stay at the Genji recently and I loved it (see the pic of my room above).
Granvia Hotel Kyoto superior twin room
Granvia Hotel Kyoto
The Kyoto Hotel Granvia is not only the best hotel in the Kyoto Station area, it’s also the most convenient, since it located directly above the station itself. I stayed in a superior room here a few years back and loved it; it was quiet, spacious, clean and felt like a sanctuary above the city.
Old Kyoto Machiya Old Modern Garden Suite
Old Kyoto Machiya
Old Kyoto is a group of perfectly restored and updated traditional Kyoto townhouses (machiya). They bring together the best features of ryokan, hotels and vacation rentals. I’ve stayed in most of them and they are my favorite places to stay in the city. Visit our Old Kyoto Machiya page for all the details and pictures.
Nohga Hotel Kiyomizu Kyoto rooftop garden
Nohga Hotel Kiyomizu Kyoto
With a great restaurant and a rooftop bar that offers amazing views over the city, this well-designed hotel is within walking distance of the major sights of southern Higashiyama (but on Gojo-dori, so traffic isn’t that bad).
Shimbashi (Shirakawa) in cherry blossom season © Travelpixs / Shutterstock.com
Alternatives To Staying In Kyoto
If all accommodation is sold out in Kyoto during cherry blossom season, don’t despair:
Osaka has a lot of hotels and it’s less than 15 minutes from Osaka to Kyoto by shinkansen (bullet train) and about 45 minutes by regular express train.
:: Check availability and pricing for hotels in Osaka on Booking.com or Agoda.com.
Likewise, even Nagoya is within striking distance if you’re willing to take the shinkansen (no sweat if you’ve got a Japan Rail Pass).
:: Check availability and pricing for hotels in Nagoya on Booking.com or Agoda.com.
Nara would be another option.
:: Check availability and pricing for hotels in Nara on Booking.com or Agoda.com.
See my guide to Where To Stay If Kyoto Is Fully Booked for more suggestions and info.
Kyoto Cherry Blossoms Guide
- When Do Cherry Blossoms Bloom In Kyoto?
- Where Is The Best Place To See The Cherry Blossoms In Kyoto?
- Where To Stay In Cherry Blossom Season In Kyoto
- Where To Stay If Kyoto Is Fully Booked
- Best Places To See Cherry Blossoms Away From The Crowds
- Best Places For A Cherry Blossom Viewing Party (Hanami Party) In Kyoto
Kyoto Cherry Blossom Itineraries
- Kyoto 2-Day Cherry Blossom Itinerary
- Kyoto One-Day Cherry Blossom Off-The-Beaten-Track Itinerary
- Kyoto Evening Cherry Blossom Itinerary
- Kyoto Romantic Cherry Blossom Itinerary
Cherry Blossoms In Other Japanese Cities
- Japan Cherry Blossoms
- Hiroshima and Miyajima Cherry Blossoms
- Kanazawa Cherry Blossoms
- Kobe Cherry Blossoms
- Nara Cherry Blossoms
- Takayama Cherry Blossoms
Visiting Tokyo or Osaka?
See my guides to viewing cherry blossoms in Tokyo and the best Osaka cherry blossom spots too.
You can check availability of Kyoto hotels during cherry blossom season (mid-March to mid-April) on Agoda.com and Booking.com
Kyoto Vacation Checklist
- ESSENTIALS – For all the essentials in a brief overview, see my First Time In Kyoto guide
- HOTELS – Check Kyoto accommodation availability on Booking.com and Agoda.com - often you can book with no upfront payment and free cancellation
- BULLET TRAIN – You can buy shinkansen (bullet train) tickets online from Klook - popular routes include Tokyo to Kyoto, Kyoto to Osaka and Kyoto to Tokyo
- WHERE TO STAY – Need tips on where to stay? See my one page guide Where To Stay In Kyoto
- PACKING LIST – See my comprehensive Packing List For Japan
- SIM CARDS – You can buy an eSim to activate in Japan or buy a data-only SIM card online for collection when you arrive at Tokyo's Narita or Haneda Airports or Kansai International Airport. You can also rent an unlimited data pocket wifi router
- FLIGHTS – Compare Japan flight prices and timings to find the best deals
- JAPAN RAIL PASS – If you're making frequent train journeys during your visit, you might save money with Japan Rail Pass – see if it's worth it for you
- TRAVEL INSURANCE – World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world
- WANT HELP? – Do you want help planning your trip? Chris Rowthorn and his team of Japan experts at Japan Travel Consulting can help
Kyoto District Map
Click a Kyoto District for detailed info on attractions, places to eat and accommodation
About InsideKyoto.com and Chris Rowthorn
- Chris Rowthorn is the co-founder of InsideKyoto.com and has an unparalleled travel knowledge of Kyoto spanning three decades. Chris has written or commissioned and edited every page on the Inside Kyoto website.
- A former author of Lonely Planet Kyoto and Lonely Planet Japan guidebooks, Chris is also the director of the Kyoto walking tour company Chris Rowthorn Tours, and Japan Travel Consulting, where you can get bespoke travel advice for your Japan trip.
- InsideKyoto.com has been cited by the New York Times and The Times of London, among many other publications and websites.
