Each spring, Japan sees an increase in travel to the country. And rightfully so: Spring is when Japan’s cherry trees, dormant through winter, burst into a dreamy canopy of soft pink and white blooms before the delicate petals flutter to the ground like confetti after a few weeks.
As Japan’s national flower, the cherry blossom—or sakura, as it’s known in Japanese—is celebrated for its symbolism. The blooms’ brief appearance is a metaphor for the fleeting nature of life. They’re also a reminder to cherish the present moment, so each year millions of people gather under the trees for the centuries-old tradition of hanami (flower viewing), often accompanied by picnics and sake.
Whether you’re hoping to stroll beneath the famous blossoms of Kyoto, take in Tokyo’s urban sakura spectacle, or chase the late-blooming trees of Hokkaido, here’s what to know about Japan’s 2025 cherry blossom season.
When is cherry blossom season in Japan?
Japan’s cherry blossom buds first appear in February in Okinawa, the southernmost prefecture, and move northward, ending in late April in Hokkaido, the largest and northernmost prefecture.
Forecasts of the flowering and full bloom dates of trees depend on temperature patterns of the preceding autumn, but Japan’s Meteorological Corporation (JMC) monitors the trees and provides timely updates every few weeks on its site. Here’s the latest for 14 of the country’s most popular prefectures:
- Kagoshima: 3/25 (forecasted flowering date); 4/5 (forecasted full bloom)
- Fukuoka: 3/25 (forecasted flowering); 4/3 (forecasted full bloom)
- Kochi: 3/25 (forecasted flowering); 4/1 (forecasted full bloom)
- Hiroshima: 3/27 (forecasted flowering); 4/5 (forecasted full bloom)
- Wakayama: 3/28 (forecasted flowering); 4/4 (forecasted full bloom)
- Osaka: 3/29 (forecasted flowering); 4/5 (forecasted full bloom)
- Kyoto: 3/29 (forecasted flowering); 4/6 (forecasted full bloom)
- Nagano: 4/11 (forecasted flowering); 4/16 (forecasted full bloom)
- Kanazawa: 4/3 (forecasted flowering); 4/9 (forecasted full bloom)
- Tokyo: 3/24 (forecasted flowering); 4/1 (forecasted full bloom)
- Sendai: 4/6 (forecasted flowering); 4/11 (forecasted full bloom)
- Aomori: 4/19 (forecasted flowering); 4/23 (forecasted full bloom)
- Nagoya: 3/26 (forecasted flowering date); 4/4 (forecasted full bloom)
- Sapporo: 4/28 (forecasted flowering date); 5/2 (forecasted full bloom)
The Philosopher’s Path in Kyoto is a sublime spot for viewing the blossoms—and rowboats in action.
Photo by Geoff Haggray
Where are the best places to see cherry blossoms in Japan?
While you can see cherry blossoms all across Japan, some areas are more picturesque than others. Here are the top spots, listed in order from the south of the country to the north:
Mount Yoshino, Nara
Thanks to its range in elevation, Mount Yoshino’s 30,000 cherry trees bloom at different times, making it a popular place to see a variety of colors. Visitors can hike scenic trails, see various shrines and temples, and enjoy panoramic views of the Yoshino Ropeway, the oldest aerial tramway in Japan.
Kema Sakuranomiya Park, Osaka
A riverside park lined with more than 5,000 cherry trees, this is an ideal spot for a picnic with a view.
Philosopher’s Path, Kyoto
This path, known in Japanese as Tetsugaku no Michi, winds along Kyoto’s famed Lake Biwa Canal. Blushing trees hang over the walkway, making it easy to feel like you’re in a fairy tale.
Kyoto Botanical Gardens, Kyoto
This public garden—the oldest in Japan—was founded in 1924 and has an estimated 450 specimens of sakura. Afar contributing writer Latria Graham visited in 2023 and was impressed by the diversity in size and color of the cherry blossom trees, reporting that the “Kanzan variety is large and showy, with hot-pink blooms that look closer to a rose than to its much smaller Yoshino kin.”
Shinjuku Gyoen, Tokyo
With more than 1,000 cherry trees of over a dozen varieties, Shinjuku Gyoen is a sprawling park that offers a little something for everyone. (We’re partial to the somei yoshino trees adjacent to the park’s English garden.)
Kakunodate, Akita
Trees in this former samurai district were imported from Kyoto during the Edo period, between 1603 and 1868. Today, the large trees are known for their “weeping” qualities, with branches that drape from high above.
Lake Kawaguchi
One of the “Fuji Five Lakes,” Lake Kawaguchi—also known as Kawaguchi-ko—is backed by Mount Fuji. Head to the lakeside promenade on its northern shore for a view of the majestic mountain and cherry blossom trees.
Himeji Castle, Hyogo
With white wooden walls, Himeji resembles a heron in flight—so much so that it’s also known as Shirasagijo, or White Heron Castle. Come sakura season, the contrast of the white and pink is especially striking.
Hirosaki Castle Park, Aomori
This park, which surrounds Hirosaki Castle, one of the 12 remaining castle towers in Japan, is impossibly pretty. The grounds feature more than 2,600 trees and 50 varieties of cherry blossom (the oldest was planted in 1882).
Karasugamori Park, Nasushiobara
Each April, more than 1,300 Yoshino cherry trees bloom along the trails of this park that also features a Japanese garden, a French garden, and a garden that’s home to representative trees from Japan’s 47 prefectures. In late spring and summer, there are also impressive azalea and hydrangea displays.
Matsumae Park, Hokkaido
The northernmost castle town in Japan boasts 10,000 cherry trees of more than 250 different varieties that bloom at different intervals during the short season.
The Yoshino varietal comprises 80 percent of Japan’s cherry blossom population.
Photo by Geoff Haggray
The best cherry blossom festivals in Japan
Sakura matsuri (cherry blossom festivals), each with its own draws and distinguishing factors, are held throughout Japan come springtime. These are among the top ones:
Nakameguro Cherry Blossom Festival
In Tokyo’s Nakameguro district, the more than 800 cherry trees lining the Meguro River turn pink and white, typically in early April. For the Nakameguro Cherry Blossom Festival (dates vary from year to year, depending on the blooms), lanterns are lit in the evening, illuminating the trees and providing mesmerizing reflections on the water. Even better? Food stalls sell snacks and pink champagne, so you can toast to your good luck as you take in the views.
Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival
More than 1 million people descend on the Aomori prefecture for the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival, which takes place in the park around the 17th-century Hirosaki Castle each spring. (This year’s dates are April 18–May 5.) Besides simply taking in the beauty of some 2,600 trees, visitors can rent rowboats and buy food and drinks at numerous food stalls.
Takato Cherry Blossom Festival
The exclusive home of the Kohigan cherry tree, which has smaller, reddish petals, Takato celebrates the bloom of its 1,500 trees every year with a month-long festival in April. Each evening, the trees are illuminated from sunset until 10 p.m.
There is nothing quite like a cherry tree in fullest bloom.
Photo by Geoff Haggray
How cherry blossoms are celebrated in Japan
Visit Japan during sakura season, and it’s easy to see the country’s devotion to the flower. Talk shows and news reports discuss whether the blooms are opening on schedule. There are special menus and seasonal treats, like sakura soft-serve ice cream and sakura mochi (a sweet, pink rice cake wrapped in a pickled sakura leaf). The flowers also appear on merchandise ranging from postcards to kimonos.
There’s even a specific word, hanami, tied to the custom of picnicking beneath the cherry trees. It’s a hugely social time, when family and friends gather under the trees. Partaking in this pastime, popular since the 16th century, is simple: To reserve a spot, identify how many people will be in your party, and spread out a blanket. (Just be sure to not take more space than you need; doing so is considered rude.) Keep noise to a minimum, clean up your trash, and above all, never, ever touch the trees.
At night, some communities string lights and lanterns between the trees or illuminate them with LED lights, so people can enjoy the trees after dark. The events, called yozakura (night sakura) typically feature live music and stalls that sell snacks, like red bean mochi, and drinks, such as Asahi beer dyed pink.
This article was originally published in 2020. It was updated on February 28, 2025, with new information.
