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Keage Incline 蹴上インクライン

Checked October 2026 · next check January 2027 · 1 post since 2013

Open in Maps

Visiting Keage Incline today

  • What it is: A 582-metre disused inclined railway, built in 1890 to carry boats along the Lake Biwa Canal, with a 36-metre drop. About 90 Somei Yoshino cherry trees line it.
  • Getting there: Exit 1 of Keage Station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway Tozai Line is about 2 minutes' walk away.
  • Admission: Free, and open to walk at any time.
  • Best time: The trees start flowering in late March and usually peak in early April.
  • Tip: Start at the top, Keage Funadamari, and walk downhill towards Nanzen-ji. Stepping stones beside the rails make the walk easier, and the Biwako Sosui Museum nearby covers the canal's history.
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Cherry blossoms, late March to early April

Checked against: Keage Incline: Disused Kyoto Rail Line Now a Spot for Sakura Lovers - nippon.com. Check opening times and prices before you go.

Keage Incline on Shibuya246

Photos and stories from our visits, as they were written at the time.

Living in Japan

Sakura at Kyoto Incline

The Incline at Keage in Kyoto is the old train line where barges would come down from Lake Biwa to Kyoto. Close to Nanzenji, where you can still see the Aquaduct, the Incline is a popular place in Spring due to all of the beautiful Sakura trees planted here. On a spring sunny day in Kyoto, this is one of the magical places to visit.