As April 8 was the first Saturday since cherry blossoms came into full bloom in Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures, major tourist spots were crowded with people enjoying the blossoms. Despite the unfortunate rain, tourists, with umbrellas up, admired the wet blossoms in bloom.

At the Keage Incline, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, the cherry blossoms were at their peak along the railway, which was previously used to draw boats to and from the Lake Biwa Canal. The blossoms made a faint pink tunnel, and families and foreign tourists were taking pictures of it.

A company employee, accompanied by three family members, from Moriyama City, Shiga Prefecture, enjoyed the blossoms and said, "The harmonious atmosphere between the cherry blossoms and the railway is very beautiful."

According to the Kyoto Local Meteorological Observatory, it was observed that the cherry blossoms opened fully on April 7, two days later than the average year. It was warm in Kyoto City on April 8, with a high of 20.4 degrees Celsius, two degrees higher than an average year, but the weather forecast said that it would continue raining until the 11th due to a stationary front.