Sakura: Cherry Blossom Season in Japan

Cherry blossoms open in Japan between late March and early May, moving south to north. Kyushu, Tokyo and Kyoto reach their main window from late March into early April; Tohoku follows in mid to late April, and Hokkaido closes the season in early May. Peak bloom lasts about a week in any one place, and roughly another week before the petals drop — which is why most travellers plan around a cherry blossom forecast rather than a fixed date.

When do cherry blossoms bloom in each region of Japan?

Sakura arrive as a wave. It starts in the subtropical south and works up the archipelago over about four months, so “cherry blossom season” means a different fortnight depending on where you are standing.

• Okinawa — January to February. Early, and a different tree: the deep pink kanhizakura rather than the pale someiyoshino everyone pictures.
• Kyushu, Tokyo and Kyoto — late March to early April. The main window, and the one the forecast headlines refer to.
• Tohoku — mid to late April. Hirosaki Castle and the Kitakami riverbank come into their own after the Tokyo petals have gone.
• Hokkaido — late April to early May, with Sapporo and Matsumae closing the season. That window overlaps Golden Week, so the northern blossom weeks carry holiday crowds and prices.

That spread is useful. A trip that misses full bloom in Kyoto by a week can still catch it in Kanazawa or Nagano, and moving north is far easier than moving your flights.

Why is the cherry blossom forecast hard to predict?

The window is short. Roughly a week passes between the first flowers opening and mankai, full bloom, then about another week before the petals drop. That is ten days or so of the thing you came for, and one night of rain or a windy afternoon can end it early. The petal fall is worth seeing in its own right, but it is the end.

Forecasts are published from January and revised every week or two through the spring. The Japan Meteorological Corporation forecast is the standard reference, mapping first-bloom and full-bloom dates city by city. Check it when you book, and check it again a fortnight before you fly.

What is hanami, and what is yozakura?

Hanami is a picnic under the trees rather than a walk past them. Groups lay out sheets in the large parks from late morning, the convenience stores stock seasonal food and drink for it, and the well-known spots in Ueno or Osaka Castle Park are claimed early in the day. Yozakura is the evening version: the major sites light the trees after dark, which is a different picture entirely and usually a quieter one than the same place at noon. The bigger sites run stalls and lanterns for the season — a spring cousin of the summer matsuri.

How far ahead should you book for sakura season?

This is the year’s peak for both. Room rates in Tokyo and Kyoto climb through late March, and the well-placed hotels go first. Three to six months of lead time is realistic for the main window. If your dates are fixed, book the accommodation long before anyone knows what the blossoms will do — the forecast can be revised, but the rooms cannot be recovered. Choosing the right base, and judging the hotels once you are looking at them, is covered in our guide to where to stay in Japan, and the rest of the pre-departure list — Visit Japan Web, rail passes, connectivity — in our trip checklist.