When the sun lines up with the streets in Kyoto

Next Kyotohenge · sunset

Mar 18–20

In 136 days: the setting sun down 御池通 at 6:05 pm, best on Fri, Mar 19

Sunrise Mar 20–21Sunrise Sep 23–25Sunset Sep 23–25

The sun and 御池通

Drag along the year: on henge days the sun sits in the gap at the end of the street

← 17.9° left

Every Kyotohenge, 2026 and 2027

Dates	Sun	Half sun	Full sun	Looking
Mar 18–20, 2026	Sunset	Thu, Mar 19, 6:06 pm	Thu, Mar 19, 6:04 pm	west, 269.8°
Mar 20–21, 2026	Sunrise	Fri, Mar 20, 6:02 am	Sat, Mar 21, 6:02 am	east, 89.8°
Sep 23–24, 2026	Sunrise	Thu, Sep 24, 5:47 am	Wed, Sep 23, 5:48 am	east, 89.8°
Sep 23–25, 2026	Sunset	Thu, Sep 24, 5:50 pm	Wed, Sep 23, 5:50 pm	west, 269.8°
Mar 18–20, 2027	Sunset	Fri, Mar 19, 6:05 pm	Sat, Mar 20, 6:05 pm	west, 269.8°
Mar 20–21, 2027	Sunrise	Sun, Mar 21, 6:01 am	Sun, Mar 21, 6:03 am	east, 89.8°
Sep 23–25, 2027	Sunrise	Fri, Sep 24, 5:47 am	Thu, Sep 23, 5:47 am	east, 89.8°
Sep 23–25, 2027	Sunset	Fri, Sep 24, 5:50 pm	Fri, Sep 24, 5:49 pm	west, 269.8°

The half sun has its centre on the horizon; the full sun sits whole just above it. The days either side still frame the sun, a little to one side.

Where to watch

Any long, straight street in the old city on the grid works: 御池通, 錦小路通, 仏光寺通. West at sunset and east at sunrise. The farther you can see down it, the better.

Get there 20 minutes early, stay on the sidewalk, and look for a clear horizon at the street’s end. Will Kyoto’s sky be clear?

Plan your Kyotohenge shoot ›

Writing about Kyotohenge?

These dates are free to use. Each one has its own link (click a row’s date), and a line like this credits them:

<a href="https://meridian-clock.com/henge/kyoto">Kyotohenge dates</a> from Meridian Clock

About these dates

Hills, skyline at the far end and the exact block you stand on can move the best evening by a day, which is why each henge is a window, not one date.

Street directions from OpenStreetMap contributors.

Something wrong or missing here? Send feedback