Popular cherry blossoms venues, Shirakawa-dori

The most cultivated trees in Japan are the various versions of sakura, according to some statistics there are over 200 species. During the cherry-blossom period the sakura seem to be everywhere, in courtyards, on streets, in parks and even in forests... Each tree has its own beauty and you can enjoy hanami ("flower viewing") almost everywhere...

But obviously, there are some special places where the combination of flowers and architecture creates magical places, defining the traditional Japan. One of these places is this street from Gion, Kyoto, Shirakawa-minami-dori: a Shinto shrine (Tatsumi shrine), a bridge, the red wooden fence and lanterns...