What other travelers are saying about Hirano Shrine
It is quite far from the city centre and does not attract too many tourists so we can have many spaces to walking around and enjoy it. Visiting the sakura garden costs 500Yen/person but doing so to the main shrine and its small adjacent garden is free, and of course, extremely beautiful with cherry blossoms are in their peaks.
Hirano Shrine is beautiful in spring. The flower garden is filled with sakura and yellow rape flowers. There are musical performances inside the shrine and long lines of people waiting to pray for good luck.
Updated on 30 March 2024
More Cherry Blossom trees are in full bloom at this Shrine than other places in Kyoto.
A mixture of Cherry blossoms and small yellow flowers create an amazing picture. You will spend at least half full day there. Along the flower path, there are chairs for resting.
Apart from a lot of beautiful flowers, there are a lot of tall old trees. Compared to other popular Shrines, most visitors are from local residents.
Furthermore, there is no entrance fee. You may make voluntary donation to the Shrine. You also make a wish at the Shrine.
Highly recommeded.
While it's a lovely shrine, they block off a majority of the grounds to charge tourists and Japanese alike to see the cherry blossoms. There are places to view all over Kyoto. So unless you want to have a secluded picnic within a red and white barrier, it's not worth paying. I went around the outside and took photos over the top of the barrier. The shrine is still fully accessible.
