Time your spring holiday in Japan to peak sakura blooms. And for the best seats in the house, we’ve rounded up 15 cherry blossom hotspots.
It’s probably flooding your Instagram feed right now — images of delicate cherry blossoms and the throngs of travellers who have come to see them. From March until May, sakura blankets every pocket of Japan. It’s so revered they have a forecast that tracks the precise days they bloom across the country.
Knowing the peak time helps one plan hanami, a springtime practice of heading to a viewing spot to take in the fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms with the company of friends and family. Keen to enjoy the sakura season like a local? For the best seats in the house, head to these spots.
TOKYO
Ueno Park
Located in the heart of Tokyo, Ueno Park offers a gorgeous setting of 1,200 cherry blossom trees and provides the quintessential Japanese hanami experience. Be sure to arrive early as several hundred thousand visitors come daily during the peak of cherry blossom season. If you are more of a night owl, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to know that hanami is celebrated at night too! After the sun sets, 1,000 lanterns light up the cherry blossoms and the night sky
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Another popular spot for cherry blossom viewing located in Tokyo, is just a 10-minute walk from the Shinjuku district, the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. Some 1,300 cherry trees of different varieties bloom in the former garden of the Imperial Family. After the cherry blossoms have fluttered down and covered the vast lawn, azaleas and roses take their place and welcome visitors.
Komazawa Olympic Park
Nakameguro is one of Tokyo’s most popular cherry blossom viewing spots. Escape the crowds and head to Komazawa Olympic Park, an open space dotted with 200 mature sakura trees located in the suburban sprawl of Meguro and Setagaya. Once a venue for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, you could run or cycle under the canopy of these pastel-coloured blossoms, too.
Sotobori Park
While this sliver of a park only spans 2km, it’s easily accessible as it’s between Ichigaya and Yotsuya stations. What it doesn’t have in size, it makes up for density: it has 700 cherry blossom trees and sweeping views of Edo Castle ruins. Sounds like the perfect place for a leisurely stroll.
Inokashira Park
Just a 30-minute train ride from central Tokyo, Inokashira Park is a wonderful spot for travellers looking for an authentic (and somewhat trendy) slide of the city. This park comes alive in the spring, when the sakura trees encircling the lake come into full bloom. Go all in and rent a rowboat at Inokashira Pond to get an unrivalled view of the cherry blossoms.
HOKKAIDO
Hokkaido Shrine, Sapporo
Hokkaido Shrine is known as one of the best cherry blossom viewing spots in Sapporo. Located inside Maruyama park in the center of the city, the shrine receives visitors all year round and is believed to preserve four kami (gods or spirits) including the soul of the Emperor Meiji. Besides cherries, about 280 plum trees are also grown in the precinct.
Soga Forest Park, Niseko
Soga Forest Park is home to about 50 Ezoyama cherry trees. From the park’s lawn, you can take in stunning views of Mount Yotei surrounded by cherry blossoms. Walkways weave through the trees, offering plenty of fantastic photo opportunities. Conveniently located near a 7-Eleven, the park is a popular spot for picnics and BBQs. If you’re planning to grill, be sure to use the designated BBQ areas, as cooking is only allowed on the gravel, not the grass.
Read also: Ski in the Spring: 4 Hokkaido Ski Resorts Open Until May 2025
Niseko Kaributo Shrine
The main shrine in Niseko Town, Niseko Kaributo Shrine offers a traditional Japanese atmosphere. Just 1.5km from Niseko Station, it’s easily accessible on foot or by bike if you’re up for some light exercise. The walk to the shrine is lined with cherry trees, making it a beautiful place to visit in the spring. On weekends, you’ll typically find a farmers’ market and small stalls nearby.
Arishima Memorial Park
Just a 15-minute drive from Hirafu, Arishima Memorial Park is home to many cherry blossom trees and offers stunning views of Mount Yotei and the Annupuri mountain range. The park also features the Arishima Memorial Museum, which showcases natural history and artwork. Don’t miss the museum’s lookout point, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the area.
KYOTO AND OSAKA
Kyoto Botanical Gardens
These beautiful grounds were founded in 1942 and are now the oldest and most comprehensive public botanical gardens in all of Japan. There are more than 500 cherry blossom trees growing here, but all year round are various other plants and trees in bloom, such as tulips and the Japanese Iris. The park is open from 9am to 5pm daily.
Nijo Castle
Built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Nijo Castle is one of the best-known castles in Japan. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the castle’s allure reaches its peak during the sakura season, when over 400 cherry trees, representing 50 different varieties, grace its expansive grounds.
Discover a range of early-blooming and long-lasting flowers, and as the evening falls, these become bathed in a soft, ethereal glow thanks to beautiful illuminations. This blend of history and nature makes Nijo Castle an unforgettable spot to experience cherry blossoms.
Daigoji Temple
Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, Daigoji Temple is one of the most historic and traditional spots to enjoy hanami in Kansai. It is said that the temple’s blossoms once lured the legendary warlord, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, who celebrated under their delicate blooms.
Today, Daigoji Temple enthralls a new generation of sakura spotters, who enjoy the nearly 1,000 cherry trees adorning its grounds. A breathtaking cherry blossom pathway leads visitors through its gates, while a majestic tree stands at the Reihokan Museum.
Kema Sakuranomiya Park
With approximately 5,000 cherry blossom trees lining Okawa River, this is hands down the best hanami spots in Osaka. There are different breeds that bloom at different times, which creates a pastel kaleidoscope where visitors get to witness myriad shades of pink. The seemingly endless rows of cherry trees can be viewed from a pleasant riverside promenade or from ships cruising the river.
Osaka Castle
Osaka Castle remains a highly popular spot for hanami where visitors can enjoy the sight of over 4,000 cherry trees planted within the grounds and in the parks that surround the castle park area. A particularly nice place for a picnic is Nishinomaru Park in the castle’s western citadel with wide lawns, views of the castle tower and light up in the evening.
Expo ’70 Commemorative Park
Osaka hosts the Expo for the second time this year, but if it’s sakura you’re after then make your way to the Expo ‘70 Commemorative Park (aka Banpaku Kinenkōen). This large public park is 30 minutes from the city centre, but well worth the journey as it’s home to over 5,000 cherry trees along its paths and around its spacious lawn areas. They’re also a joy to see in the evening, when the lovely trees are lit up.