Nara is famed for its free roaming deer and ancient temples. However, what many travellers might not know is that Nara is also home to some of Japan’s most spectacular cherry blossom destinations. If you’re planning your next trip to Japan for the 2021 cherry blossom season, here are five of the most beautiful cherry blossom viewing spots in Nara, all easily accessible by train.
We acknowledge the current situation regarding travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the serious impacts it is having across the world. For any travel being planned for the future, we encourage all travellers to continue to follow official health advice and closely monitor government advisories.
In this unprecedented and evolving situation, we hope the destinations featured in this media release can act as a source of inspiration for those seeking new experiences and adventures to embark upon when it is safe to recommence travelling.
1. Nara Park
While Nara might be well-known for having more than 1000 free roaming deer, in springtime the park’s deer are outnumbered by blooming cherry trees. With approximately 1,700 cherry trees, Nara Park is also one of the most spacious places to view cherry blossoms in the whole Kansai region, including Kyoto, Osaka, Mie, Nara, Hyogo and Wakayama.
The large park covers 660 hectares meaning there is plenty to space to find the perfect Hanami (cherry blossoming view) spot. Visitors also have the opportunity to see Nara’s prefectural flower, the Naranoyaezakura cherry, which can be found blooming in the park.
How to get there: Nara Park can be reached in just over 45 minutes from Kyoto or Osaka with the Kintetsu Railway, with the park’s entrance is a short 10-minute walk from Kintetsu-Nara station.
2. Koriyama Castle
Located just 20 minutes from Nara Park by Kintetsu Railway, Koriyama Castle is considered one of Japan’s top 100 cherry blossom sights. Train travellers will first spot the cherry trees from the train windows, with weeping cherry blossoms spilling over the castle walls into the moat beside the train tracks.
One of the top spring attractions at Koriyama Castle is the Oshiro Festival, held from late March to the beginning of April. A highlight of the festival is the night-time illumination, where the castle and cherry trees are lit up with hundreds of Japanese lanterns.
How to get there: Koriyama Castle can be reached in just over 45 minutes from Kyoto or Osaka with use of the Kintetsu Railway. The castle grounds can be accessed by foot in less than 15 minutes from Kintetsu Koriyama Station.
3. Tsubosaka-dera Temple
The Asuka region is home to some of Japan’s first temples, shrines and stone monuments. The area also served as one of Japan’s first cultural hubs around the 5th and 6th centuries.
Built in 717AD, Tsubosaka-dera Temple is a mix of Japanese and Indian styled architecture. The temple is considered a place of healing, and in spring the grounds bloom with cherry blossoms, falling softly on the shoulders of some the ground’s historic giant Buddha statues.
How to get there: Tsubosaka-dera Temple is accessible in around 1 hour and 20 minutes from Kyoto or Osaka with the Kintetsu Railway. The temple grounds can be reached by local bus from Tsubosakayama Station in under 15 minutes.
4. Hanayagura Observatory
Hanayagura Observatory offers visitors some of the best views of mount Yoshinoyama, a mountain covered with close to 30,000 cherry trees. The observatory provides a bird’s eye view of the mountain ranges below, with the cherry blossoms creating the illusion of a winding pink ribbon throughout the trees.
How to get there: Hanayagura Observatory is accessible in just over 1 hour 30 minutes from Osaka and just over two hours from Kyoto. The observatory can be accessed by foot or by local bus from Kintetsu Yoshino Station.
5. Chikurin-in Temple & Garden
Chikurin-in is a Buddhist temple in Mount Yoshino known for its beautifully landscaped gardens. The carefully groomed gardens surround a large pond which is lined by cherry trees. The back garden named “Tennin-no-sakura” houses 220 year-old weeping cherry trees, which are said to be some of the oldest in the region.
How to get there: Chikurin-in temple can be reached in just under two hours from Kyoto or Osaka. The temple can be reached using the shuttle bus bound for Nakasenbon from Kintetsu Yoshino Station.
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