Best hotels in Kyoto to witness sakura season

With the imminent Sakura Season looming in a few weeks, here are some of the best luxury addresses to rest your weary soles after a day of Sakura viewing within Kyoto’s Higashiyama, Arashiyama and Gion cultural and scenic districts. If you’re planning a spring escape, now’s the time to explore the best hotels in Kyoto to witness sakura season in full bloom.

The best hotels in Kyoto for witnessing sakura season
Hyatt Regency Kyoto (Higashiyama)

One of the earliest international hospitality brands to have a presence in Kyoto, Takashi Sugimoto (founder of design house Super Potato) designed Hyatt Regency Kyoto is quintessentially a Japanese beauty set within a walled compound where visitors are wont to remember its dramatic lobby featuring ceilings capped with LED-lit openwork screens, its simply furnished rooms radiating with cultural resplendency and its serene everblooming gardens.

This wasn’t a property raised with grandeur or dripping with gilt but it is rather an elegant abode designed to last, with aspects that are so intrinsically Japanese yet so delightfully modern, it’s been the preferred address for many coursing in and out of the old imperial capital for close to two decades. Geisha performances staged every Saturday evening are now an added attraction for one to set up camp here for explorations in the cultural districts of Kyoto this spring. It’s also one of the most enduring hotels in Kyoto to witness sakura season while immersed in authentic Japanese hospitality.

Banyan Tree Kyoto (Higashiyama)

Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto stands on an elevated spot within the famed Higashiyama district, home to attractions such as Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Kodai-ji Temple which are literally just steps away from the hotel. This hill retreat is one of few within Kyoto that boasts of an onsen fed by natural hot thermal wells, which are a rarity in the imperial city.

The dramatic building was designed by prolific architect Kengo Kuma, where each room features traditional Japanese materials, including large cypress wood bathtubs, tatami mats, wooden finishings, and gold leaf accents. Certain rooms on the top floor are imbued with an expansive vista of Kyoto stretching from the Yasaka Pagoda to the Kyoto Tower, which in springtime is dotted with tracts of alluring sakura trees. For travelers chasing cherry blossoms, this is one of the hotels in Kyoto to witness sakura season from a serene, elevated vantage point.

The Shinmonzen (Gion)

Kyoto’s best-kept secret is a hospitality address tucked away in a quaint neighbourhood just minutes away from the Yasaka Shrine and the Gion district. The location of the hotel also offers easy access to prime hanami spots like Kamogawa, Heian Shrine and Maruyama Park. The Shinmonzen is a labour of love designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando; the facade is a thoughtful reimagination wrought from the past while the interior is radiantly contemporary and harbours nine sumptuous suites, as well as Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s only outpost in West Japan.

The suites are elegantly attuned to the Japanese penchant for wood and minimalism with quirky designer furniture, alluring balconies that hang above the scenic Shirakawa, which is oh so picturesque with the alluring sakuras in full bloom in the springtime, and bathrooms appointed with hinoki tubs next to white marble walls. For a more intimate Kyoto experience, The Shinmonzen is one of the most refined hotels in Kyoto to witness sakura season while soaking in cultural authenticity.

Six Senses Kyoto (Higashiyama)

Six Senses Kyoto is one of the newest luxury hotels to raise its flag within the imperial city. This freshly minted urban retreat within the Higashiyama ward was launched in March of 2024. Minutes away from the arresting allures of the cultural district, one can easily reach the many temples and parks in the vicinity for the best sakura memories. The property itself is a veritable extension of Kyoto with sublime touches including artwork panels featuring Hikihaku, a weaving technique using gold and silver thread on Japanese paper, Raku-yaki ceramic tile artwork inspired by

Kyoto’s mountains, natural stone flooring, and art inspired by Choju-Jinbutsu Giga Bronze scrolls. Enigmatic fox masks made from recycled Washi paper line every corridor. Spa moments here include well-executed massages and other thermal pleasures like Ofuro, steam rooms, and saunas, so one can always indulge in these calming hideaways after a hectic day of hanami in the city.

The Muni Kyoto (Arashiyama)

Arashiyama is one of the principal allures of Kyoto, and Muni Kyoto is raised at the core of this attraction next to the Katsura River facing the Togetsu Bridge and the splendor of these renowned landscapes. Needless to say the springtime views here, in plain sight of Arashiyama’s gorgeous terrains, are amazing. One can only imagine the romantic settings of this 21-key establishment, with the sound of the river, the light of the occasional silver moon crossing the bridge and the stunning vistas of the sakura-dotted hills across the river, the rooms afford—until one finally checks in, of course.

At the heart of the property are its meticulously landscaped gardens and water features that blend seamlessly with the natural beauty of Arashiyama right at its doorsteps. Gourmet moments await at the Alain Ducasse installations within the hotel, while the cozy spa dishes out pampering moments at this intimate retreat blessed with the best views of this scenic district. It’s undoubtedly one of the most scenic hotels in Kyoto to witness sakura season with front-row views of nature’s pink splendor.

Cherry Blossom Attractions Not To Be Missed in Kyoto’s Cultural Districts

Gion-Kamogawa, the picturesque river literally lined with hundreds of Sakura trees also stretches for miles. Maruyama Park, one of the most popular spots for Hanami picnics, offers an abundant array of street food and drinks over the cherry blossom fortnight as well as nightly illumination. Kenninji Temple, one of Japan’s most historic Zen temples, is also a beautiful landmark to explore in springtime for its many cherry trees that outline its stately gardens and architecture.

Higashiyama – Sanjusangendo, a storied temple with amazing statues of thousand arm cannons, is fronted by an elegant garden within a walled compound that features alluring cherry trees. Kodaiji, a historic landmark in Kyoto that needs no further introduction, stages nightly illumination that spotlights its pristine zen gardens in springtime. Kiyomizudera, possibly the most popular tourist destination in Kyoto, is the spot to be in springtime; the stunning sakura vistas viewed from this amazing vantage are definitely well worth braving the crowds for.

Arashiyama – Tenryuji, the temple famous for its meticulously maintained gardens dotted with prized mature cherry trees, is a must-visit. A walk along Katsura River is a must to take in the stunning views of the cherry-dotted hills the ethereal river flows next to. The Kameyama Area of Arashiyama Park is the criminally under-visited attraction of the park; in springtime, the relative quietness of this picturesque hill will make for precious hanami moments for those who venture forth.

The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.