Among all the seasons throughout the year, one of the best times to visit Japan is late March through early April: the blooming season of cherry blossoms (sakura)!
In this article, we will introduce how people in Japan have traditionally enjoyed this season and the best times and spots to see cherry blossoms in 2023.
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How to Enjoy Cherry Blossoms in Japan
As the spring season brings the beginning of the school year and most of the new university graduates starts their new life in a brand-new business suit in Japan, cherry blossoms have long symbolized a fresh start, vibrance and hope. That is why Japanese people treat the blooming of cherry blossoms as so special and celebrate it every year.
Around this season, you can find festivals and small parties called “hanami” held at many locations in the country. Most festivals are organized at large parks and sightseeing spots, with small food stalls (“yatai”) lined up and beautiful attractions lit up at night. People also love to set up a small, casual gathering with family members, friends or colleagues at nearby parks to enjoy a picnic under the blooming cherry blossom trees. We will offer you a list of the best places and dates to enjoy hanami in the next section.
Forecast 2023: Best Time to See Cherry Blossoms
Cherry blossoms generally bloom during late March and early April, depending on the region, and last for about one to two weeks. The forecast for cherry blossoms is officially announced by the Japan Meteorological Corporation and here is the estimated schedule in major cities across Japan:
2023 Cherry Blossoms Forecast in Major Cities
| City | Estimated Flowering (Kaika) Date | Estimated Full Bloom (Mankai) Date |
| Sapporo (Hokkaido) | 4/28 | 5/1 |
| Tokyo | 3/18 | 3/25 |
| Kyoto | 3/23 | 4/2 |
| Osaka | 3/25 | 4/2 |
| Hiroshima | 3/24 | 4/3 |
| Fukuoka | 3/21 | 3/31 |
| Kagoshima | 3/29 | 4/9 |
Source: お天気ナビゲータ(天なび)(Japanese)
13 Best Spots to See Cherry Blossoms
Famous parks, historical castles and mountains…There are so many places in Japan where you can enjoy seeing cherry blossoms while discovering Japanese culture. Here is the list of the best spots in major cities categorized into three areas: Northern Japan, Tokyo, and Western Japan.
Northern Japan (Hokkaido and Tohoku area)
Fort Goryokaku and Goryokaku Tower (Hokkaido)
A star-shaped and Japan’s first Western-style fort, Goryokaku was completed in 1864 then became a public park in the 1910s. The fort was designated as a special national historic site and now over 1,000 cherry trees have been planted along the moats. The 107-meter-tall Goryokaku Tower built near the park offers a panoramic view of Fort Goryokaku surrounded by cherry blossoms which you can see from the deck.
- Opening Hours: 9:00am–6:00pm
- Access: 18 min walk from Goryokaku Koen Mae Station
- Website ：Goryokaku Tower
Asahiyama Park (Hokkaido)
Located adjacent to Asahiyama Zoo, Asahiyama Park stretches out on the foot of Mt. Asahi. With around 3,500 cherry trees including ezoyama-zakura and various kinds of wildflowers in spring, the park holds “Yozakura (Night Sakura) festival” each spring that offers food stalls and barbecue sites, and the trees are lit up during nighttime.
- Opening Hours: 9:00am-5:00pm
- Access: 15 min walk from Asahikawa Zoo Seimon-mae Bus Stop (Bus available from Asahikawa Station)
- Website: Asahiyama Park (Japanese)
Nijukken Road (Hokkaido)
Nijukken Road a 7km-long road lined with some 3,000 cherry trees, has been chosen as one of Japan’s top 100 cherry blossoms viewing spots, as well as one of the best 100 roads in Japan. As you stroll, you will bump into the “Flower Tunnel”, the renowned cherry blossoms corridor, on the side of the main road. The Shizunai Sakura Festival is held every spring across the road to entice visitors even more.
- Opening Hours: –
- Access: 1h 40min by car from New Chitose Airport
- Website: Nijukken Road
Kitakami Tenshochi Park (Iwate)
Kitakami Tenshochi Park is located along the banks of the Kitakami River, the fourth largest river in Japan. Planted with nearly 10,000 cherry trees and 150 varieties of them, the park was chosen as one of Japan’s top 100 cherry blossoms viewing spots. During late April to early May, the Kitakami Tenshochi Sakura Festival offers a variety of types of entertainment including a horse-drawn carriage under a flower tunnel, a boat cruise, and a night illumination to enjoy hanami culture at its fullest.
- Opening Hours: –
- Access: 20 min walk from Kitakami Station
- Website: Kitakami Tenshochi Park
Tokyo
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Planted with over 60 kinds of cherry trees, including someiyoshino, this masterpiece of Japanese garden landscapes offers visitors the beautiful scenery of cherry blossoms for as long as two months. In the middle of the Tokyo metropolis, you can also enjoy the contrast of the extensive nature garden and the skyscrapers.
- Opening Hours: 9:00am–6:00pm
- Access: 10 min walk from Shinjuku Station
- Website: Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Chidorigafuchi
Chidorigafuchi, the moats and waterways of the former Edo Castle, is located to the northwest of the Imperial Palace. About 200 cherry trees stand along the 700-meter-long walkway surrounding the moats, where you can rent a boat and paddle around and enjoy cherry blossom viewing from there.
- Opening Hours (Boat Pier): 11:00am-5:30pm
- Access: 3 min walk from Kudanshita Station
- Official Website: Chidorigafuchi
Meguro River
800 cherry trees line the 4 km-long banks of Meguro River located near Shibuya, in central Tokyo. During the hanami season, you can also find stalls selling food and drinks here, and the scenery is lit up by thousands of Japanese lanterns at night.
- Opening Hours: –
- Access: 1 min walk from Naka-Meguro Station
- Official Website: –
Ueno Park
Ueno Park has a lot of different sites and views to offer, including over 1,000 cherry trees, several museums, and a zoo. During the hanami season, many stalls can be found that offer a variety of types of food and drinks, and over 1,000 paper lanterns shine on people enjoying hanami under the trees in the evening.
- Opening Hours: 5:00am-11:00pm
- Access: 2 min walk from Ueno Station
- Official Website: Ueno Park
Mt. Takao
Mt. Takao, located in western Tokyo (just an hour from Shinjuku, a hub spot in Tokyo), is a popular hike throughout the year, and offers wild-grown cherry blossoms for us to see. An extra 30 minutes’ walk from the summit takes you to the Senbonzakura (1,000 sakura) area, which offers a spectacular view of cherry blossoms delicately coloring the mountainside.
- Opening Hours: –
- Access: 5 min walk from Takaosanguchi Station
- Official Website: Mt. Takao
Western Japan (Kansai Region)
Osaka Castle (Osaka)
With approximately 3,000 cherry trees in full bloom, Osaka Castle has been selected as one of Japan’s top 100 viewing spots. Nishinomaru Garden offers a majestic view of nearly 300 cherry trees and the castle tower (tenshukaku), which are lit up during the night.
- Opening Hours (From Mar 25-Apr 9): 9:00am-6:00pm
- Access: 1 min walk from Morinomiya / Osaka Business Park Station
- Official Website: Osaka Castle
Kiyomizu-dera Temple (Kyoto)
Registered as a World Heritage site, Kiyomizu-dera Temple is planted with a variety of cherry trees including a unique one called jishu-zakura. The panoramic view with over 1,000 cherry trees in full bloom from the stage of the Kiyomizu temple, gets even more stunning when the ground is lit up during nighttime.
- Opening Hours (From Mar 25-Apr 2): 6:00am-9:00pm
- Access: 10 min walk from Gojo-zaka bus stop (Bus available from Kyoto Station)
- Official Website: Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Himeji Castle (Hyogo)
The beautiful combination of the whiteness of Himeji Castle, registered as a National Treasure and World Heritage Site, and the pink cherry blossoms has been selected as one of Japan’s top 100 best viewing spots. About 1,000 cherry blossom trees are planted across Sannomaru Square and Nishinomaru Garden.
- Opening Hours: 9:00am-5:00pm
- Access: 5 min walk from Otemon–mae bus stop (Bus available from Himeji Station)
- Official Website: Himeji Castle
Mt. Yoshino (Nara)
Registered as a World Heritage Site, Mt. Yoshino is said to be the location where the first cherry trees were planted over 1,300 years ago. It is now covered with some 20 different kinds and over 30,000 individual cherry trees and the Yoshino Ropeway bypasses the steep path allowing visitors to enjoy a spectacular view that nature creates with ease.
- Opening Hours: –
- Access: 20 min walk from Yoshino Station (Buses and cable cars available)
- Official Website: Mt. Yoshino
Summary
We have introduced how, when and where to enjoy cherry blossoms in Japan. Hopefully you can get a chance to visit some of these spots and enjoy the exquisite beauty with your own eyes in 2023!
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