Perfect Cherry Blossoms at Yangjaecheon Stream in Seoul

If you’re looking for impossibly impressive cherry blossom trees in Korea away from the tourist hordes, the Yangjaecheon Stream cherry blossom road is a safe bet.

This is a popular local hangout and date night spot during springtime for good reason!

The cherry blossoms at Yangjaecheon Stream are simply stunning

Yangjaecheon Stream | 양재천

Yangjaecheon Stream is a 15.6-km long tributary of the Han River. It originates from Gwanaksan Mountain and flows through the districts of Gwacheon, Seocho and Gangnam, before running into Tancheon Stream.

Yangjaecheon Stream is a tributary of the Han River

According to a local folk tale, Yangjaecheon was formed when one of the 10 dragons associated with Guryong Mountain failed to ascend to the sky. It fell to the ground and turned into a stream.

In turn, this flowing water made people in the area wealthier and happier (and yes, Seocho is one of the wealthiest districts of Seoul!). It was later named Yangjaecheon, because’ ‘Yangjae’ written in Chinese characters means a group of talented people.

Yangjaecheon is a local spot for cherry blossoms and other spring flowers.

During autumn in Korea, you can admire 830 huge metasequoia trees. In spring, there are cherry blossoms, and other spring flowers to enjoy. Directly next to Yangjaecheon, you’ll find traffic-free walking paths and cycling trails that run along the banks of the stream.

Yangjaecheon Cherry Blossom Road | 양재천 벚꽃길

When spring hits Korea, Yangjaecheon Stream is lined with magnificent cherry trees which are backlit by street lamps at night. The atmosphere is wonderfully romantic, and it’s common to see young couples walking hand in hand, admiring the cherry trees by moonlight.

The walking path next to Yangjaecheon Stream is gorgeous both day and night

Aside from the walking path, there’s a bike trail, stepping stones across the stream, bridges, playgrounds and other amenities along the way.

READ NEXT: My 5 Favourite Places to See Cherry Blossoms in South Korea

Yangjaecheon Stream Cherry Blossom Festival

Festival Dates: March 29th – 31st, 2024

The first Yangjaecheon Stream Cherry Blossom and Lantern Festival was held in 2018, and has featured busking performances, fireworks, a cherry blossom stamp tour, food trucks, and flea markets.

Yangjaecheon Cherry Blossom Festival © Seocho Cultural Center

An opening ceremony with fireworks is scheduled for March 29th at 18:00. You can also enjoy an outdoor cinema, food zone, circus, and experience areas until March 31st. There will also be an outdoor sculpture garden until April 28th.

It’s free to attend. Full details here.

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How to go to Yangjaecheon Stream

Address: 504-11 Daechi 1-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul | 서울특별시 강남구 대치1동 504-11

The easiest way to get to Yangjaecheon Stream to walk along the cherry blossom road is to go to Yangjae Citizen’s Forest Station on the Shinbundang Line. From there, you can walk along the Yangjaecheon Stream and its incredible row of cherry blossom trees.

If you see this sign, you’ve arrived at Yangjae Citizen’s Forest

You can follow the path all the way to Dogok Station. This route is around 3-km long and should take around an hour to complete. If you feel tired, you can exit at Maebong Station instead. This route is around 2-km long and takes around 40 minutes to complete.

Of course, you can also do the walk in the reverse direction if you choose.

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Is Yangjaecheon Stream on your list of cherry blossom spots to visit?