Spring in Japan
See Japan Cherry Blossom is one of the most incredible experiences for a Japan Photo Tour. But when to travel to Japan in spring for cherry blossoms? From the moment you decided to make a Japan Spring photo tour, you will want to photograph in full bloom. But according to the area you are thinking to visit you will need to know the forecast.
Here is our completely free guide region by region to enjoy the Sakura 2024. Enjoy the pink colors of the cherry blossom and contact us if you have any doubt. Our guides will be glad to help you. Be ready to catch the best Sakura pictures!
If you think you can see cherry blossoms anytime during the Japanese spring, you are a little wrong. The full bloom is very limited to a few weeks, so each area will have different data. Even if you think March & April are the best months to see, you are again a little wrong. In some cold areas like Hokkaido, the best month usually it’s in May.
What Sakura means?
Literally, Sakura means Cherry Blossoms. But for the Japanese culture represents also a new period of renewal and optimism for the new spring. In fact, the pink flowers are the National flower of Japan and a symbol of Buddhism as a symbol of the transience of life.
What does Sakura represent in Japan?
Before thinking about your trip, it’s good to know about the history of Sakura or Hanami. Blossom viewing became popular since the Nara period (710-794) when it helps farmers to know it was time to plant their rice crops. It was during the Heian period (794-1185) when the emperor Saga started throwing picnics and flower-viewing parties.
Since that moment, it became a popular event for all Japanese to go out to enjoy the full bloom outside with friends & family. Itās typical, to find references about the Sakura or Hanami in all kinds of Japanese cultural representations. You can find kimonos, dishes, or folding screens among others.
Also in Japanese gastronomy, where you can find a large variety of desserts and dishes to enjoy the Sakura in Japan not only with your eyes. From cookies to rice balls or also drinks. Hanami food deserves another article or at least a full page to talk about it.
What month is Japan cherry blossom?
To witness the sakura in Japan, the best moment to see cherry blossom goes from early February to late May, according to the region.
Itās difficult to accurately predict the best time to see cherry blossoms since it depends on weather conditions around the spring of the year. But you can prepare a tour according to two ideas: weather and latitude.
In the south of Japan, it usually starts in the middle of March, and in the North, it starts at the start of May. The Japan Golden Route will have the full bloom between the middle of March and the middle of April.
Okinawa, the southernmost prefecture of Japan is famous for the earlier Hanami season. It can start in the middle of January and finish in the middle of February.
Opposite, in Hokkaido & Tohoku you will enjoy the last tree pinky colors of Japan. As a tourist destination, we highly recommend visiting these areas as are more unknown. Thanks to this, you will have a real Japanese experience far from tourists.
However, you also must consider the weather in certain areas. For example, the 5 lakes of Fuji, will have his full bloom later than Tokyo city. Even if these two points are close to each other, the weather and conditions can be different. So it will be a good idea to think about this point before you plan your travel.
How long does the full bloom of flowers last?
Since the first bloom, the full bloom usually takes around 10 days. So if you are looking for the perfect sakura in Japan you must check the forecast for the full bloom.
The cherry blossom usually lasts between 5-10 days after reaching the full bloom. This depends on weather conditions, so if it’s rainy or windy it can only the last 5 days. If the weather is cold and no windy, it may last more than 10 days.
Is it illegal to pick cherry blossoms in Japan?
Yes, pick the petals that feel down to earth and don’t pluck them for the cherry blossom trees. The law is very clear in this aspect, so respect the culture and the rules. You can bring from the floor, everything you want but don’t destroy the trees.
Where is the best place to see Sakura in Japan?
Any place in Japan it’s a perfect place to enjoy the Sakura. If you can visit Japan just in certain weeks we recommend you to see the table & images belong to choose your itinerary. Anyway, you will enjoy the cherry blossom from the mountains to the main cities, passing from the countrysides all around the country.
Choose the best places in Japan to see cherry blossom is a really difficult task. The full country is plenty of big and small places where you can really live a unique experience.
The country during the peak of the blooming seasons is full of festivals. People go out for a picnic at any place around the country. Japan doesnāt have a place where you not will enjoy it.
Here is our list of 10 best places to see Japan cherry blossom during 2024 from South to North! But before you will find a list of some important Sakura Festivals in some of this best spots.
Hanami Festivals
During this period you can visit thousand of sakura festivals all around the country.
Here is our list of the best Hanami cherry blossom festivals all around Japan:
- The Chiyoda Cherry Blossom (Sakura) Festival celebrates every year between late March and early April.
- Naha Sakura Festival is celebrated in Okinawa in the middle of February.
- One of the best festivals all around Japan is the Himeji Castle Sakura Festival. Usually ends in the second week of April.
- In Tokyo, don’t miss the Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival. You can expect crowds, but it’s worth a picnic there.
- Okayama is famous for the Tsuyama Sakura Matsuri (Festival) around the Tsuyama Castle.
- If you visit Hokkaido in Spring, don’t miss the Matsumae Sakura festival.
Best places in Japan to see cherry blossom
Nakameguro, Tokyo
Nakameguro is considered one of the best neighborhoods of Tokyo to enjoy the sakura in Japan. The canal that crosses the district, is covered during this season by a line of more than 800 cherry trees. During Nakameguro Sakura Festival at night, are illuminated creating a magical atmosphere. Your visit to Tokyo not will be completed if you don’t visit this canal during the evening!
- Estimated best viewing: The festival is planned from March 23rd to April 10th
- How to get there: Get off at Nakameguro Station on the Toyoko Line and Hibiya Line. The area is also a short walk from Daikanyama Station.
Shinjuku Gyoen, Tokyo
We could say that this park is a must-visit during your spring travel to Tokyo for several reasons. First, have a thousand of cherry trees in the middle of Tokyo. Second, it’s a perfect place both to go late or early during the blooming season. Third, is located only ten-minute walking from Shinjuku Station, one of the main train stations in Tokyo.
- Estimated best viewing: Mid March to early April
- How to get there: The park is just 10 minutes’ walk from Shinjuku Station.
Chureito Pagoda, Fuji Five Lakes
Probably the most famous location for photographers all around the world in Japan. Chureito Pagoda offers the perfect view during the Sakura in Japan with Mt Fuji in the background. Anyway, tripods are not allowed to use for no logical reasonā¦ But there is always a way to avoid this problem. It’s better to visit during the morning, as probably during sunset the place will be full of tourists. So it not will be so easy to get the pictures you are looking for during the day.
- Estimated best viewing: From late March to mid April
- How to get there: Chureito Pagoda is 20 minutes’ walk from Shimo-Yoshida Station.
- Best hotels around Chureito Pagoda
Philosopherās Path, Kyoto
This 2-kilometer path is one of the most beautiful spots in Kyoto. During all the way following the canal, you will be cover by hundreds of cherry trees in the middle of Kyoto. The Philosopherās Path became famous thanks to Nishida Kitaro, a Japanese philosopher, that used to walk and practice meditation in this path.
- Estimated best viewing: Late March to mid April
- How to get there: Get off at Miyanomaecho subway station. It takes around 30 minutes to walk around.
Expo 70 Commemorative Park, Osaka
More than 5,000 cherry trees fill the park, doing this spot one of the most populate all around Japan. Constructed for the 1970 World Exhibition and located in the north of Osaka. Here you will enjoy the architecture of the Exhibition to Japanese gardens.
- Estimated best viewing: Late March to mid April
- How to get there: Take the Osaka Monorail to Banpaku Kinen Koen Station.
- Best hotels in Osaka
Kumamoto Castle, Kumamoto
Located in Kumamoto city is one of the three best castles in Japan. Like other castles in Japan, its surrounded by hundreds of cherry trees. During the full bloom create an impressive contrast with the black exterior. It was built around 400 years ago, and the grand figure of the castleās black exterior is truly impressive.
- Estimated best viewing: Late March to the start of April
- How to get there: From JR Kumamoto Station, get off at Kumamotojo-mae tram stop. From Kumamoto Station to the castle is about 30 minutes walking.
- Best hotels in Kumamoto
Mount Yoshino (Nara)
Mount Yoshino is the historical place to view the cherry blossom. The first cherry blossom trees were planted over 1300 years ago, and now you will find over 30,000 in the area. The shrines, temples, and parks in Mount Yoshino help this place to create a picturesque view. You canāt miss on your trip to Japan during spring.
- Estimated best viewing: Late March to early May
- How to get there: Take a shuttle bus to visit the area, they run between Yoshino Station and the Naka Senbon area.
- Best hotels in Nara
Matsugasaki Park, Yamagata
Matsugasaki Park, located in Yonezawa, Yamagata prefecture, is a park built on the former site of Yonezawa Castle. 200 sakura trees surrounding the moat bloom in spring, attracting many visitors. The reflection of the cherry blossoms on the moat surface, and the petals floating on it, is truly a sight to behold.
- Estimated best viewing: From mid- to late April.
- How to get there: Get off at JR Yonezawa Station, from here is only 10 minutes walking.
- Best hotels in Yamagata
Mifuneyama Rakuen Park, Saga
Here you not will also enjoy the sakura trees illuminated in the nighttime, also you will find over 20,000 azaleas. The Mifuneyama Rakuen (The Paradise of Mt. Mifune), located in Takeo, is one of the best places in Japan to see cherry blossom. Here you can also enjoy all seasonal changes in the scenery. If you are looking to capture dreamy photos, you must visit this incredible park.
- Estimated best viewing: Around late March to first days of April
- How to get there: You can take a bus at Takeo-Onsen Station on the JR Sasebo Line. Get off at Mifuneyama Rakuen stop, and walk for a minute. Or you can just take a 5 minutes taxi from the station.
- Best hotels in Saga
Hikone Castle, Hikone
Another castle to finish our listā¦ Parks are great spots to enjoy the sakura in Japan, but castles will give you the perfect photo to capture the essence of this phenomenon. Located close to Kyoto and Nagano, is a must-visit in your trip to Japan.
- Estimated best viewing: Late March to middle April
- How to get there: The castle is located just 10 minutes walking from the train station.
- Best hotels in Hikone
As we say at the start of the post, there is no wrong place in Japan to enjoy the sakura. This list represents a great spots for photographers. But if you are going to visit a certain area, you will find hundreds of beauty spots.
We wanted to make a shortlist we couldn’t include other places. Here could be locations as Himeji, Osaka, Matsumoto, Takato, or parks as Nishiyama, Takada, or Suzuka as an example. Without mention all places in Tokyo & Kyoto that during the cherry blossom look amazing.
Check out our map with our 10 best places in Japan to enjoy the Hanami. Also, you can find some of these other spots which we didnāt include in this list.
Sakura forecast 2024: Calendar to See Japan Cherry Blossom by region
Using the last cherry blossom forecast, you can check the estimated data based on average best viewing times from previous years. Therefore, it can help you to prepare for your trip, as it helps to prepare our Photo Tour to Japan
When is the cherry blossom season in Japan 2024?
You can check here the Calendar of the Sakura Forecast 2024 by Cherry Blossom viewing dates update.
As you can see in 2024, the Sakura was earlier than usual. With an average of more than 5 days before the previous year. It means, that next year can be later but it will depend on the winter weather.
| Prefecture | Location | Forecasted flowering date | Flowering deviation (days) | Forecasted peak bloom date | Full bloom deviation (days) | Flowering date in average year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hokkaido | Sapporo | 4/29 | -2 | 5/2 | -4 | 5/1 |
| Aomori | Aomori | 4/15 | -7 | 4/19 | -7 | 4/22 |
| Miyagi | Sendai | 4/3 | -5 | 4/7 | -6 | 4/8 |
| Tokyo | Tokyo | 3/22 | -2 | 3/29 | -2 | 3/24 |
| Ishikawa | Kanazawa | 3/30 | -4 | 4/5 | -3 | 4/3 |
| Nagano | Nagano | 4/4 | -7 | 4/9 | -7 | 4/11 |
| Aichi | Nagoya | 3/21 | -3 | 3/30 | -3 | 3/24 |
| Kyoto | Kyoto | 3/24 | -2 | 3/31 | -3 | 3/26 |
| Osaka | Osaka | 3/25 | -2 | 4/1 | -3 | 3/27 |
| Wakayama | Wakayama | 3/23 | -1 | 3/30 | -4 | 3/24 |
| Hiroshima | Hiroshima | 3/23 | -2 | 3/31 | -3 | 3/25 |
| Kochi | Kochi | 3/2 | 0 | 3/27 | -3 | 3/22 |
| Fukuoka | Fukuoka | 3/22 | 0 | 3/30 | -1 | 3/22 |
| Kagoshima | Kagoshima | 3/29 | 3 | 4/8 | 3 | 3/26 |
Check this report often for further updates to the Sakura 2024 forecast.
2025 forecast can have different dates. So you can get an idea of the Sakura days with the past 10 years data in the main cities:
HISTORICAL SAKURA IN TOKYO
| Year | Date of first bloom | Date of peak bloom |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 21-Mar | 27-Mar |
| 2018 | 17-Mar | 24-Mar |
| 2017 | 21-Mar | 2-Apr |
| 2016 | 21-Mar | 31-Mar |
| 2015 | 23-Mar | 29-Mar |
| 2014 | 25-Mar | 30-Mar |
| 2013 | 16-Mar | 22-Mar |
| 2012 | 31-Mar | 6-Apr |
| 2011 | 28-Mar | 6-Apr |
| 2010 | 22-Mar | 1-Apr |
HISTORICAL SAKURA IN KYOTO
| Year | Date of first bloom | Date of peak bloom |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 27-Mar | 6-Apr |
| 2018 | 22-Mar | 28-Mar |
| 2017 | 31-Mar | 7-Apr |
| 2016 | 23-Mar | 2-Apr |
| 2015 | 27-Mar | 1-Apr |
| 2014 | 27-Mar | 2-Apr |
| 2013 | 22-Mar | 30-Mar |
| 2012 | 3-Apr | 9-Apr |
| 2011 | 28-Mar | 7-Apr |
| 2010 | 19-Mar | 1-Apr |
HISTORICAL SAKURA IN OSAKA
| Year | Date of first bloom | Date of peak bloom |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 27-Mar | 4-Apr |
| 2018 | 20-Mar | 26-Mar |
| 2017 | 30-Mar | 6-Apr |
| 2016 | 23-Mar | 1-Apr |
| 2015 | 26-Mar | 1-Apr |
| 2014 | 27-Mar | 2-Apr |
| 2013 | 21-Mar | 29-Mar |
| 2012 | 2-Apr | 9-Apr |
| 2011 | 31-Mar | 7-Apr |
| 2010 | 21-Mar | 4-Apr |
HISTORICAL SAKURA IN KAGOSHIMA
| Year | Date of first bloom | Date of full bloom |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 25-Mar | 9-Apr |
| 2018 | 17-Mar | 29-Mar |
| 2017 | 5-Apr | 15-Apr |
| 2016 | 27-Mar | 6-Apr |
| 2015 | 21-Mar | 31-Mar |
| 2014 | 20-Mar | 31-Mar |
| 2013 | 15-Mar | 26-Mar |
| 2012 | 26-Mar | 5-Apr |
| 2011 | 23-Mar | 5-Apr |
| 2010 | 23-Mar | 6-Apr |
HISTORICAL SAKURA IN NAGOYA
| Year | Date of first bloom | Date of peak bloom |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 22-Mar | 4-Apr |
| 2018 | 19-Mar | 27-Mar |
| 2017 | 28-Mar | 6-Apr |
| 2016 | 19-Mar | 31-Mar |
| 2015 | 21-Mar | 30-Mar |
| 2014 | 24-Mar | 31-Mar |
| 2013 | 19-Mar | 28-Mar |
| 2012 | 30-Mar | 6-Apr |
| 2011 | 27-Mar | 6-Apr |
| 2010 | 18-Mar | 2-Apr |
HISTORICAL SAKURA IN SAPPORO
| Year | Date of first bloom | Date of full bloom |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 24-Apr | 29-Apr |
| 2018 | 26-Apr | 29-Apr |
| 2017 | 28-Apr | 3-May |
| 2016 | 25-Apr | 1-May |
| 2015 | 22-Apr | 26-Apr |
| 2014 | 29-Apr | 1-May |
| 2013 | 13-May | 17-May |
| 2012 | 1-May | 4-May |
| 2011 | 7-May | 12-May |
| 2010 | 7-May | 14-May |
HISTORICAL SAKURA IN SENDAI
| Year | Date of first bloom | Date of peak bloom |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5-Apr | 10-Apr |
| 2018 | 30-Mar | 4-Apr |
| 2017 | 7-Apr | 13-Apr |
| 2016 | 1-Apr | 6-Apr |
| 2015 | 3-Apr | 9-Apr |
| 2014 | 7-Apr | 11-Apr |
| 2013 | 9-Apr | 15-Apr |
| 2012 | 18-Apr | 23-Apr |
| 2011 | 12-Apr | 15-Apr |
| 2010 | 13-Apr | 21-Apr |
We hope this post helps you to prepare your travel to see the cherry blossom in Japan. Likewise, if you want to join us during our Cherry Blossom photo tour, we will help you to capture the best pictures. You will be able to visit & photograph places as Mount Fuji, Matsumoto, Kyoto, Koyasan & Tokyo. Come with us during the best weeks to capture the sakura in Japan.
