An important landmark of the Meiji Era, Fushimi Momoyama Castle is also home to beautiful cherry blossom trees that frame its great structure.
Fushimi Momoyama Castle is a monument built in honor of Emperor Meiji, the man responsible for the Meiji Restoration that ended the Edo Period or “feudal era” of Japan and allowed peace for generations.
Not only is the tomb of Emperor Meiji himself located just south of the castle, but the area is also home to a beautiful garden of various flowers, bonsai trees, and of course, bright pink cherry blossoms!
A Grand Entrance
Before even entering the castle grounds, stunning cherry blossom trees can be seen on either side of the entrance gate. Don’t worry, there’s no fee for entering Fushimi Momoyama Castle, so head straight across the little orange bridge and up the staircase!
First Look At The Castle!
It keeps getting better from here on out! As you enter the gate, a brilliant path of bonsai gardens and small cherry blossom trees encapsulate the castle grounds.
There are sitting areas everywhere at Fushimi Momoyama Castle as well as open spaces on the grounds for picnics under the sakura trees. During this time of year, there are more people than usual, but far less than what you’d see at tourist hotspots like Fushimi Inari-Taisha or Golden Pavilion.
An Awesome Hangout Spot
During Spring, Fushimi Momoyama Castle attracts all kinds of people, all unified in a common love for cherry blossoms and breathtaking Japanese castles.
Photographers (professional ones too!), picnic goers, and even bush walkers all seem to emerge at this one beautiful destination to rest and recuperate.
No matter your background, one cannot resist taking a photo (or a hundred) of these aesthetic cherry blossom trees as they frame the great Fushimi Momoyama Castle of Emperor Meiji.
Crafting A Perfect Photo
The great thing about the sakura and castle combination is you can capture the perfect photo regardless of how many people are obstructing your view.
In fact, the photo you see to the right was taken with an abundance of people on the grounds having picnics and playing sports.
Yet, I was able to angle my photo in such a way as to produce this iconic shot of Fushimi Momoyama Castle framed with lush cherry blossoms and even a little bit of a sunset in the background (and not a single person to block the view!).
A Dreamy Ambiance
As the sun begins to set, the cherry blossoms give off a sort of glow to the surrounding area as the little bit of light left reflects on the bright petals.
The result is a brilliant dream-like ambiance that leaves you feeling calm with a sense of inner peace.
A well-placed vending machine is the cherry on top here, giving you the opportunity to enjoy a soothing canned coffee (or beverage of your choice) under the serine sakura trees.
Breathtaking Night View
Don’t rush home just because the sun’s on its way down, because things get even more impressive when day turns into night and the castle lights come into play! Now, you can enjoy magnificent views of Fushimi Momoyama Castle and its gorgeous cherry blossoms as they soak up the spotlight in the dead of night.
Just be sure to set your camera to “night mode” for the best results (it certainly worked for me to illuminate the dark skies). Personally, this image reminds me of scenes from old samurai war movies or anime shows when a sword fight would take place in ancient Kyoto!
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