Japan’s Top 100 Blossoms: Daigo-ji Temple (Kyoto)

Sengoku-period leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi hosted a lavish hanami party and procession at Daigo-ji in 1598, for which he planted 700 additional cherry trees and ordered the renovation of various buildings and the laying out of gardens. The Sanbōin garden, which he designed, has been designated a national historic site and place of scenic beauty, while the Omote-Shoin (main drawing room) from where the entire garden can be viewed, has been cited as one of the finest examples of Momoyama architecture and named a national treasure. The tea party is reenacted each year as Hōtaikō Hanami Gyōretsu (Hideyoshi’s Hanami Parade) on the second Sunday of April.

Daigo-ji (Kyoto)

• Varieties: Shidarezakura, somei yoshino, yaezakura, etc.
• No. of trees: 1,000
• When: Late March to early April
• Hours: Shimo Daigo (Sanbōin, Reihōkan, main hall, and pagoda) 9:00–17:00 (closes at 16:30 December–February); Kami Daigo (upper Daigo) 9:00–16:00 (closes at 15:00 December–February)
• Admission: Shimo Daigo ¥1,500 (March 20 to May 15; October 15 to December 10), ¥800 at other times; Kami Daigo ¥600
• Address: 22 Daigohigashiōjichō, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto
• Website: Daigoji Temple

Related article

• Kyoto’s Cherry Blossoms: Spring 2018

Nearby hanami sites

• Arashiyama
• Ninna-ji Temple
• Kasagiyama Natural Park
• Kyoto Gyoen National Garden: A Stroll Among the Cherry Trees
• Kurumazaki: Kyoto’s “Cherry-Blossom Shrine”
• Keage Incline: Disused Kyoto Rail Line Now a Spot for Sakura Lovers
• A Lone Cherry in a Zen Garden: Kyoto’s Kōdaiji
• Maruyama Park and the Weeping Cherry of Gion
• Memories of the Ancient Imperial Court at Kyoto’s Heian Jingū
• Kyoto’s Ninnaji: Pagoda in a Sea of Blossoms
• A Blossom-Viewing Stroll Along Kyoto’s Philosopher’s Walk

Near Daigo-ji Temple

• Foreign Tourists Flock to the Gates of Fushimi Inari Shrine
• The Million Yen Temple Experience: Kyoto’s Ninnaji
• Best Kyoto Spots for Ume Flower Viewing: Kitano Tenmangū, Jōnangū, and Umenomiya Taisha
• Amanohashidate: The Flying Dragon of “Kyoto by the Sea”
• Getting Around Kyoto: The Randen, Eizan, and Sagano Scenic Railways
• Kyoto’s Yasaka Shrine Combines Elements of Shintō and Buddhism
• Kyoto’s World Heritage: Kamigamo and Shimogamo Shrines

Sakura 100: Japan’s Best Blossoms

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)