Dec. 03, 2018 UPDATE
Yamashina Canal
- 山科疏水 -Traveler Friendly
This place is not easy to access, but it is easy to enjoy and nice for leisurely strolls.
Information
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Languages spoken
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Story & Recommendation
Yamashina Canal is a nice quiet place for a stroll where in spring you can see cherry blossoms and rapeseed flowers both at the same time
The Yamashina Canal is a 10-minute walk from JR Yamashina Station. This canal is a part of the bigger Lake Biwa Canal, and the Yamashina part of this canal is four kilometers long, and to this day the slowly flowing canal brings water to Kyoto from Lake Biwa. This is also a little-known spot to see the cherry blossoms, and in spring many people go to the canal to see the 600 cherry trees lining it in full bloom. Also, under the cherry blossoms, you may see yellow rapeseed flowers which contrast with the pink cherry blossoms nicely. The canal is in suburban Kyoto and there are not many tourists here so you may enjoy the blossoms at your own leisure. And in autumn you may enjoy the autumn leaves, so the Yamashina Canal can be enjoyed all year through.
1Highlight
Cherry blossoms and rapeseed flowers
There are pink cherry blossoms, both Somei Yoshino and wild cherry trees, growing on both sides of the canal, which look wonderful together with the yellow rapeseed flowers. Here it is easy to feel that spring is coming.
2Good Experiences
Get on the canal boat
You can get on a boat ride and enjoy the spring-scenery from the boat, and the best way to do this is on a canal in Kyoto, either at the Yamashina Canal or at the Okazaki Canal. At Yamashina Canal there have been boat rides from the Meiji period, but the tradition stopped once in the year 1951. Lately this tradition has been revived, and the boat rides are run on a trial basis in spring and autumn, and there is a travel company that also has boat ride tours.
