Japan, Asia

Kyoto in April

Early April usually catches peak bloom along the Philosopher's Path and Maruyama Park. Maximum beauty, maximum crowds, and Golden Week begins at month's end.

BestMild and beautiful, highs near 68F (20C)

Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, reflected in its pond, Kyoto — KyotoPhoto: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0

The straight answer

April is one of the best months of the year to visit Kyoto. Early April usually catches peak bloom along the Philosopher's Path and Maruyama Park. Maximum beauty, maximum crowds, and Golden Week begins at month's end.

Weather: Mild and beautiful, highs near 68F (20C)
Crowds: 5 of 5
Prices: 5 of 5

What April is like in Kyoto

April is Kyoto at its prettiest and busiest. Highs reach about 68F (20C), and early April usually brings peak bloom along the Philosopher's Path and in Maruyama Park, varying year to year. Crowds and prices are at their highest. Golden Week, Japan's big holiday cluster, begins at the end of the month and fills the city again.

It suits travelers who want the classic blossom trip and are willing to plan early and start at dawn. It is hard on budgets and crowd haters. If that is you, try mid May after Golden Week, or October.

Make the most of April

What is especially good about Kyoto this month.

Peak cherry blossoms

The Philosopher's Path and Maruyama Park are covered in pink in early April. It is the most famous sight of the Kyoto year.

Blossoms at dawn

Go to the Philosopher's Path or the Kamo River at sunrise for petals without the crowds.

Fresh spring green after the blossoms

Mid April, after the petals fall, is calmer, and the temple gardens turn bright green.

What to pack for April

A light jacket for cool evenings
Comfortable walking shoes that slip off easily
A compact umbrella for spring showers
A small picnic mat for blossom viewing

Our timing tip

Avoid arriving in the last days of April, when Golden Week starts and trains and hotels sell out across Japan.

Book Kyoto for April.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Kyoto
Opens a hotel search for Kyoto in April, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for April
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Vacation rentals in Kyoto
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
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Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Kyoto
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Kyoto for April. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in April

Cherry blossom season

Typically late March to early April, varies year to year

Maruyama Park, the Philosopher's Path, and the Kamo River banks are the classic spots. This is Kyoto's most booked window; plan months ahead.

Golden Week

Late April into the first week of May

Japan's biggest holiday cluster floods Kyoto with domestic travelers. Trains and hotels sell out well in advance.

Things to do in Kyoto

Full guide

Fushimi Inari Taisha

The thousand-gate mountain shrine, open 24 hours. Go at dawn or after dinner; by mid morning the lower gates are a slow-moving line.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)

Gleaming above its pond and busy all day. Arrive at opening or in the last hour for the calmest light.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Arashiyama bamboo grove and river

The bamboo path is short and mobbed by 9am. Come very early, then give the rest of the day to the riverside, monkey park, and Okochi Sanso garden.

Tickets and tours →

Kiyomizu-dera and the Higashiyama lanes

The hillside temple's veranda view is the classic Kyoto panorama. The preserved streets below (Sannenzaka, Ninenzaka) are best before the shops open.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Gion at dusk

Lantern-lit Hanamikoji street and the Shirakawa canal. Be respectful: photographing geiko and maiko on private lanes is restricted.

Tickets and tours →

Nishiki Market

Five blocks of food stalls, pickles, knives, and skewers. Go hungry, midmorning, before the afternoon crush.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Kyoto rewards early risers more than any city in Asia: Fushimi Inari at 6:30am and the bamboo grove at 7am are transcendent, and both are shoulder to shoulder by 10.
In blossom and maple season, hit the famous gardens at opening, then spend afternoons at second-tier temples (Shoren-in, Honen-in, Daitoku-ji's subtemples) that see a fraction of the traffic.
Stay overnight rather than day-tripping from Osaka: the magic hours are before the day-trip waves arrive and after they leave.
Skip the buses at peak season; they jam solid. The subway, JR lines, and a bike cover most of the city faster.

Know before you go

December 29 through January 3: many restaurants and shops close for the New Year holiday while shrines see their heaviest crowds of the year.
Golden Week (late April to early May) and the mid-November maple peak are Kyoto's two sold-out windows: nothing closes, everything fills. Book transport and rooms far ahead or shift your dates.
Some temples close irregularly for private ceremonies, and several famous gardens admit visitors only in short spring and fall windows. Check specific temples before anchoring a day to them.
Obon in mid August brings closures at some family-run restaurants and shops while the big sights run normally.