Hirano Shrine has a variety of cherry blossoms, including not only Somei Yoshino, but also Sakigakezakura, the earliest to bloom in Kyoto, Kinugasa, whose leaves and flowers unfold at the same time, Gyoikou, a pale green variety, and Hirano Imose, a late-blooming double-flowered cherry. These cherry blossoms have been loved by aristocrats since ancient times, and they continue the cherry blossom viewing culture of the Heian period to this day.

During the cherry blossom season, a "Sakura Garden" is set up, and for a fee (500 yen for high school students and above), you can enter the garden and enjoy the cherry blossoms up close. At night, the shrine is lit up, allowing you to enjoy a fantastic night view of the cherry blossoms, which is different from the daytime. There are many old trees such as camphor trees and ginkgo trees in the grounds, and it is a hidden gem that is always visited by people during the autumn foliage season.

Hirano Shrine is also deeply connected to literature and history, having appeared in The Tale of Genji. Every year on April 10th, the "Oukasai" Cherry Blossom Festival is held, a traditional event in which a procession dressed in Heian period attire parades through the parishioners' area. Within the shrine grounds is a sacred tree called "Kishoboku," which is said to bring good fortune to those who touch it.