Staying in Japan During Cherry Blossom Season

Intro

Ethereal. Beautiful. Fleeting. The Japanese cherry blossom is far more than a beautiful tree; it represents the transience, fragility and beauty of human life and, as such, a visit to see the sakura bloom in their native Japan is a truly special experience.

Just imagine sitting on the grass, in a Japanese garden, looking up at the boughs of countless cherry blossom trees as iconic pink-white petals fall faintly around you. This is hanami, which translates as ‘flower viewing’ – the tradition and art of watching and appreciating the sakura when it blooms each spring in Japan. If you’re planning to visit Japan next year, this transcendent vision of natural beauty and inner peace could be yours. At JapanDen, we’re all about helping you plan the perfect stay and what could be more special than cherry blossom season? To help, we’ve put together your ultimate guide to this famous season with all the information you need, key dates, travel tips, and more expert advice, so you start planning today. 

What is sakura?

Sakura means cherry blossom, specifically the prunus serrulata, or Japanese cherry, which is native to Japan as well as Korea and China. These beautiful trees produce round pink-white petals that flutter gracefully to the ground after they bloom. The cherry blossom season is hugely important to Japanese culture and attracts visitors from all over the world. Each winter, the Japanese Meteorological Agency, Japan Weather Association and other companies track the ‘cherry blossom front’ and release the official sakura forecast for the coming year.

Of all the natural beauty and wonder that Japan has to offer international visitors, cherry blossom season is one of the most famous, economically important, and culturally significant attractions. Viewing the sakura dates back many centuries and is thought to have begun during the Nara Period (710-794). In ancient Japan, the arrival of the sakura meant the beginning of spring and with it, the rice-planting season. Therefore, it was essential for planning the year’s harvest. Beyond its practical importance however, sakura was, and remains, spiritually significant. The trees were believed to contain spirits and offerings were traditionally made with rice wine. There are varying stories about how the tradition developed from here. Some historians say that hanami (or flower viewing) began in the Imperial Court of Emperor Saga before filtering down through the Samurai classes to regular people, while others say it wasn’t until Tokugawa Yoshimune planted sakura in cities across Japan that it caught on with the general populace. Over time, these country-wide celebrations became the hanami parties, picnics and gatherings we know today.

A very interesting bonus fact about the Japanese Cherry Blossom is that all of the trees across the country were planted using the same technique, Tsukigi, and share the same DNA, which is one of the reasons why they all bloom around the same time, year after year. 

When is Cherry Blossom season?

Japan’s famous cherry blossoms bloom from late March to April each year and they are generally in ‘peak bloom’ for just two weeks. However, a lesser known fact, at least amongst international visitors, is that the sakura blooms at different times across Japan. This means that you’ll have a chance of seeing cherry blossoms as early as January and February and as late as May depending on when and where you travel in Japan. You could even follow the blossom by travelling right across Japan and staying at different places along the way (a perfect excuse to try a contemporary hotel as well as a traditional ryokan from the JapanDen selection). It all depends on the nature of your trip and how long you’re visiting for. Typically, cherry blossom season is known to run from late March to April each year in Japan and while the exact dates can vary by a couple of days here and there, it is relatively consistent. If you’re looking to base a holiday to Japan around the cherry blossom season, then it’s definitely best to check the forecast for the most accurate dates. 

The Cherry Blossom Forecast

Every year, the Japan Meteorological Association publishes the official Cherry Blossom forecast with the exact dates for when the sakura will flower. As it can vary year on year, this is the most accurate way to predict the arrival of the cherry blossom season in different locations across Japan and, in turn, plan your visit. 

Attending a Cherry Blossom festival

Today, hanami is much more than just flowing viewing, it’s a time for celebration and this particularly revolves around the cherry blossom. Hanami and cherry blossom festivals go hand in hand. Japan loves festivals with an estimated 300,000 taking place across the country every year and while many are associated with honouring temples and shrines, many others have different inspirations. Cherry blossom festivals welcome the arrival of the sakura and with it, springtime, take many forms and represent a major part of the season’s overall celebrations.  

Festivities - formal and informal - regularly involve picnics, parties and gatherings in parks, gardens, temples and at well-known sakura viewing spots. Cherry blossom season is recognised as a time to celebrate and socialise with friends, family, colleagues, and visitors from around the world, gathering together under the bough of the cherry blossom tree. You’re likely to hear more than a few cries of ‘kampai’ (cheers) during the day at hanami parties as people bring out bento food, beer, and sake, play music, read poetry and dance to celebrate. Bigger venues will often have food and drink stalls too. You may even find yourself being sold special sakura infused products from sakura chu-hai (alcoholic drinks), sakura chocolate, beer, crisps, and coffee. There are also traditional foods served at hanami such as the tri-coloured (pink, white and green) ‘dango’ dumpling snack. At night, the act of viewing is called ‘yozakura’ and sees the appreciation going on into the night under the glow of traditional lanterns and candles.

As we mentioned earlier, hanami was originally exclusive to the Japanese Imperial Court during the Nara period before becoming a national pastime. Over the years, the tradition diffused into the general culture of Japan and beyond. Interestingly, although modern hanami most commonly centres around sakura, the original practitioners celebrated under ume (plum trees). Today, Japan’s cherry blossoms have grabbed most of the spotlight, but plum trees remain beautiful in their own right and remain a good alternative to viewing the cherry blossom as they bloom a month or two earlier and it’s generally a less busy time of year to visit. Their viewing also tends to be more reserved than the lively, fun, and highly social celebrations that make up Japan’s modern day cherry blossom festivals. We’ll have more on alternatives to cherry blossom season further below. There’s truly something for every taste in Japan. 

Where to celebrate the sakura?

With more than 1,000 locations across Japan to view the cherry blossom, it can be hard to know where to start. Thankfully, here at JapanDen, we’re here to help with our expertly curated selection as a starting point for your visit:

• Shinjuku Gyo-en National Garden

Stretching through two wards (Shinjuku and Shibuya) of the Japanese capital, Tokyo, Shinjuku Gyo-en National Garden is a 144-acre national park in the middle of Japan’s busiest metropolis. Shinjuku Gyo-en is uniquely composed of gardens in traditional French, English, and Japanese styles, each comprising a different area of the park. While prominently displayed, the park’s cherry blossom trees only account for 1,500 of the park’s 20,000 trees. Additionally, the park’s greenhouses house almost 2,000 tropical and subtropical plants. Fitting for the country’s capital, hanami held in Shinjuku Gyo-en are especially remarkable.

• Meguro River 

Meguro River winds through approximately five miles of Tokyo. Over half of a mile of its bank is adorned with cherry blossom trees, and the paper lanterns arrayed along the waterway make it an ideal place to enjoy yozakura as well. Additionally, the riverside is dotted with museums and restaurants, which allow those enjoying hanami to particularly indulge in the party aspect of the tradition, as well as peaceful viewing.

• Mitsuike Park

Mitsuike Park is located in Yokohama, Japan’s second most populous city. This park offers a more straightforward experience than other popular hanami spots, mostly composed of walking trails and ponds. However, it is remarkable in that the park’s collection of Sakura represent about 80 species of the tree, many of which bloom at different times of the year. This extends the usually very short window for hanami.

• Ueno Park

Ueno Park is located in the Taitō ward of the metropolis. Ueno Park is Japan’s most popular city park. Beyond being home to approximately 800 cherry blossom trees and many species of bird, the park also boasts many museums and shrines. Some Sakura found in the park are known to bloom earlier than other varieties of Tokyo. 

• Mount Yoshino

Arguably Japan’s most famous cherry blossom viewing location, the beautiful Mt Yoshino is carpeted with 30,000 sakura trees. Unmissable. 

• Hirosaki Park

Home to the historic Hirosaki Castle, Hirosaki Park in the city of Hirosaki (Aomori prefecture) hosts a popular cherry blossom festival. Located in northern Japan, Hirosaki Sakura-Matsuri is one of the later celebrations. Beyond taking place in a cultural and economic centre, the backdrop of historical architecture adds even more charm to the already beautiful event. If Mount Yoshino is the most famous, this might be the most beautiful and spectacular. Hirosaki Castle Park in Aomori Prefecture, in the far north of Japan’s main island, boasts 2,600 sakura trees, evening illuminations and the backdrop of the three-storey traditional castle.

• Fuji Five Lakes

With a backdrop of Mt Fuji, these stunning lakes are worth seeking out by anyone visiting Japan and also boast some of the country's best cherry blossom locations. These include, the Northern Shores of Kawaguchiko, where you’ll find cherry blossom trees along the shore and the incredible Mt Fuji in the distance, and Chureito Pagoda, a stunning, vermillion red traditional Japanese tower that has become a must-visit destination for photographers and cherry blossom enthusiasts for its magical appearance; floating on a sea of pink-white flowers. 

• Nara Park

For an alternative cherry blossom destination, try the beautiful Nara Park. It also has two of Japan’s Unesco sites, Todai-ji temple, and Kasuga Taisha shrine. 

• Kyoto’s Philosopher’s Path

This beautifully named canal is lined with cherry blossom trees and is one of Kyoto’s many sakura viewing locations. Also highly recommended is Maruyama Park next to Yasaka Shrine which features a huge (and famous) tree that is illuminated at night. The weeping cherry trees (yaebeni shidare) of Kyoto’s Heian Shrine are also worth a visit. 

• Takato Castle Ruins Park

One of the country’s top three cherry blossom locations (alongside Mount Yoshino and Hirosaki Castle), the castle grounds are covered with 1,500 sakura trees.

• Kawazu

A popular getaway from Tokyo and located on the Izu-Peninsula, Kawaza is one of the most beautiful and pleasant Sakura viewing spots in all of Japan. Rows and rows of Sakura trees follow the local river, making it feel like a scene out of a fairy tale. Together with the characteristic old town and views of Fuji, Kawazu is simply a must-visit.

• Fort Goryokaku

Formally a defensive structure from the Edo period, Fort Goryokaku now is an open city park where Sakura trees are planted along all the fort moats, as well as on the inner part of the fort. The area is popular for Hanami parties and walking under the Sakura trees. There’s a high observatory overlooking the fort and makes for a fantastic photo opportunity. The visitor centre at Goryokaku sells a variety of local products and produce to enjoy the experience even more.

Naturally, with more than 1,000 cherry blossom locations across Japan, this selection is just scratching the surface and there are many more places to discover, but we’ve picked out some of the very best to help make your stay in Japan extra special. 

Alternatives to Cherry Blossom Season

Cherry blossoms are far from the only flower worth celebrating in Japan. There are a wealth of beautiful flowers to appreciate across the country and other times of year have their own benefits. For one, it can be much quieter to visit Japan outside of Cherry blossom season given how popular it is. The season also closely aligns with Golden Week in Japan - a week of back to back national holidays - that’s also known for being one of the country’s busiest periods. If you prefer exploring a country when there are fewer crowds then one of the following might be a good alternative to visit:   

• Plum Blossom season

The most obvious alternative to cherry blossom season is the plum blossom. As we mentioned earlier, this is actually where the practice of hanami originally began centuries ago before cherry blossoms became the favoured flower. Plum blossoms have been described as the ‘winter cousin’ of the sakura because they bloom when it is still cold in February and early March. These beautiful trees represent a brilliant alternative if you want to visit Japan to indulge in a spot of hanami, but would rather avoid the crowds associated with cherry blossom season. Plum blossom season tends to be much quieter while being just as beautiful and you’ll have greater flexibility in travel dates. Whereas cherry blossom season can be over in just two weeks, plum blossoms flower earlier and last longer.  And even though it’s a more reserved season, you’ll still find festivals and celebrations too - with plum blossom festivals or ‘ume matsuri’ as they are known in Japan taking place across the country. Notable plum blossom viewing locations include Tenmangu Temple in Dazaifu, Fukuoka, Kairaku-en in Mito City, Ibaraki, Osaka’s Banpaku Park, and Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, Kyoto.

• Lake Yamanaka Flower Park

Yamanakako Hanano Miyako Park, or simply said Yamana Flower park is located at the base of Mt. Fuji and close to lake Yamanaka, one of the Fuji Five Lakes. At different times of the year, there are more than one million seasonal flowers that make for the most colourful display around Mt. Fuji that you’ll ever see. Look out for stunning yellow sunflowers in particular. 

• Ashikaga Flower Park

While most people associate Ashikaga with its famous white, pink, purple and blue wisteria trees, you can also see azaleas, tulips and even lavender there. First opened in 1968, Ashikaga Flower Park has grown to become an immensely popular tourist destination in Japan for those hoping to see gorgeous Japanese flowers. The park has expanded and relocated over the years and now covers 23 acres on the outskirts of the city of Ashikaga in Tochigi Prefecture - a couple of hours north of Tokyo.

• Hokkaido’s Biei–Furano

The vivid purple of Furano’s lavender fields is truly a spectacular sight to behold and definitely worth making a trip to Hokkaido - Japan’s northernmost island - in the summer months. Lavender has been cultivated in Furano for more than half a century and the fields begin to bloom from around June each year, reaching their peak in July and continuing until the end of August. Furano is famous for many other types of flowers too and boasts several striking multi-coloured fields with poppies, blossoms, lupins, lilies, salvias, sunflowers, cosmos and more. One of the best-loved places in Furano to view the region’s lavender and other flowers is Farm Tomita. It has gorgeous fields against the jaw-dropping backdrop of Tokachi mountain range.

• The Koyo - Japan’s Autumn leaves

There is a great debate as to whether cherry blossom season or autumn is the most beautiful time to visit Japan - we would argue that they’re equally stunning and special in their own ways - so this makes another great alternative. Japan is certainly transformed into a sea of gold, red, and brown, during autumn and it’s becoming an increasingly popular and desirable time of year to visit this extraordinary country. Japan’s autumnal foliage, koyo (紅葉), has inspired and attracted ‘leaf chasers’ who follow the changing of the leaves from northeast to southwest. The custom of viewing the autumn leaves in Japan can be traced as far back as the ancient collection of Manyoshu poetry from the 8th Century. Later examples of hunting for autumn foliage can also be seen in the classic 11th Century text, The Tale of Genji, which is acclaimed as the world’s first ever novel. The Kokin Wakashu poetry collection, written in Heian times, also features many poems dedicated to autumn leaves. Over the centuries, koyo viewing and momiji-gari have become deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. In Japan, just as the cherry blossom is the symbol of spring, the momiji is the symbol of autumn. Momiji-gari or ‘red leaf hunting’ is associated with the fleeting nature of life in Buddhism and, like cherry blossom season, there are specific ways to appreciate its special beauty.

Useful Links 

Ready to plan your stay in Japan during cherry blossom season? We love Japan as much as you do and we’re excited to help you find your home away from home while visiting this unforgettable country. Alongside our carefully curated selection of hotels and ryokans, we hope to provide everything you need to plan your dream visit, from in-depth travel guides to 24/7 customer assistance, as well as our upcoming community forum. We can also point you in the right direction for the most cost-effective and enjoyable transport, portable Wifi devices, and partner services to ensure everything goes smoothly during your time in Japan:

• For the perfect place to stay during cherry blossom season, visit our Hotels page and choose from more than 2,800 hotels and 1,800 traditional ryokans.

• Meanwhile, if you want to learn more about Japan’s regions and prefectures so you can decide the best place to visit, you should check out our Destinations page. 

• If you’re looking to explore Japan then the country’s famously efficient trains are the way to go. Japan’s railways are renowned as being the fastest, cleanest, and safest in the world. The country’s rail network is so vast and interconnected that it can help you reach almost any corner of Japan you’d like to visit. Furthermore, with a Japan Rail Pass you can enjoy unlimited travel on the majority of the country’s trains, including the famous Shinkansen ‘bullet trains’. The JR Pass is by far the most cost effective and flexible way to get around Japan. Find out more by visiting our partners at www.jrpass.com today.

• Want to use Google Translate to support your language skills? Or Google Maps for live train updates? What about posting photos to social media or keeping in touch with home? For all this and more, you’ll need a PocketWifi device like those from Ninja Wifi. With unlimited data, support for five devices simultaneously, the ability to share your Wifi with your travel companions, and more, renting a PocketWifi is highly recommended. Our Pocket WiFi guide has everything you need to know.   

• If you’re looking for information about Japan and want to speak with expert travellers who have been there and done that, then you should join our Community. This welcoming and friendly forum is the place to go to share stories, knowledge, and experiences about Japan, ask questions, make new connections, and find travel inspiration.