On the evening of March 12, prior to the spring special evening opening, an illumination test was held at Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto. The temple's veranda and cherry trees with buds emerged from the darkness.

The spring special evening opening usually starts in late March, but this year, the temple brought it approximately two weeks forward to concur with the March 13 start of "Kyoto Higashiyama Hanatouro," an event where the paths to temples and shrines in the Higashiyama area are lined with lanterns.

Approximately 500 lights have been placed in the temple's precincts. There are still plum blossoms, and the cherry blossoms will come into flower in late March as usual.

The special evening opening is March 13 to April 11, from 6:30p.m. to 9:30p.m. The admission fee is 400 yen for adults and 200 yen for elementary and junior high school students.