Cherry trees of the courtyard of the Kyoto Prefectural Office Old Main Building　

The Kyoto Prefectural Office Old Main Building, completed in 1904, is a designated National Important Cultural Property. It is Japan’s oldest government building that is still in use today as a working office. Featuring a grand Neo-Renaissance style, it represents a unique fusion of Western architecture and Japanese craftsmanship. It is also famous for its beautiful weeping cherry tree in the courtyard, making it a peaceful, historic landmark in the heart of Kyoto.

The courtyard features a legendary weeping cherry tree known as ‘Katamori-zakura.’ It is named after Matsudaira Katamori, the last Kyoto Shugoshoku (Military Commissioner of Kyoto), whose residence once stood on this very site. This unique tree is a hybrid of the ‘Yamazakura’ and ‘Satozakura’ varieties, and it’s rare to find such a specimen in Japan. In addition to this main tree, the courtyard is home to six different types of cherry trees, including descendants of the famous Gion-shidarezakura, creating a breathtaking floral canopy every spring.