Kyoto

My day-by-day itinerary for 3 days in Kyoto during cherry blossom season. Covers Arashiyama at sunrise, a full kimono day through Higashiyama and Fushimi Inari, and the best cherry blossom spots in the city.

My favorite cherry blossom spots in Kyoto, from the Philosopher's Path at sunrise to the weeping cherries at Oishi Shrine. Plus timing tips and why waking up early is the single best thing you can do during sakura season.

Renting a kimono in Kyoto was one of the best decisions of my trip. Here is what the rental process is like, the best photo spots in Higashiyama and Fushimi Inari, and practical tips for cherry blossom season.

A guide to the best photo spots in Kyoto, with real crowd levels, best times to visit, and why waking up early gave me empty bamboo groves, torii tunnels, and cherry blossom paths.

Oishi Shrine in Yamashina has a 160-year-old weeping cherry tree, paper lanterns, and almost no tourists. Just one train stop from Kyoto Station, it was one of my absolute favorite cherry blossom spots in Kyoto.

The Kimono Forest is 600 glowing silk pillars lining a tiny train station in Arashiyama, and it is one of the prettiest things I saw in all of Japan. Here is everything you need to know before you visit.