10 Best Places to View Cherry Blossoms in Japan
From South to North: Best Cherry Blossom Spots in Japan
The season of cherry blossoms or sakura in Japanese is undoubtedly the most popular in Japan, and a tourist attraction in itself. The country is dyed in shades of white and pastel pink for a short time.
There are many places where you can enjoy the beautiful sight of cherry blossoms, but visiting them all is practically impossible and it can be difficult to decide on one or several places. In this article I will compile the best places to see cherry blossoms in Japan, including emblematic cities like Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka and other less known places but worth visiting, like Hokkaido, Aomori, Saitama, etc.
In this article I’m gonna introduce you some of the best places to view cherry blossoms all over Japan. Let’s enjoy the best cherry blossom spots in Japan in this spring!
Tokyo
Contrary to what it may seem Tokyo, the capital and mega city is probably one of the places in Japan with the most outstanding places to enjoy cherry blossoms. It has several large and popular parks where you can make a Hanami (have a picnic while watching the cherry blossoms), such as Ueno Park, Yoyogi Park, Inokashira Park, Shinjuku Gyoen, etc. In addition, it also has some unique places like the Meguro River, which is beautiful both day and night with the night lighting. Or picturesque places like Aoyama Cemetery or Chidorigafuchi, the moats of former Edo Castle (now a part of the Imperial Palace) where visitors enjoy paddling on boats and viewing cherry blossoms from the water.
According to trends over the past few years you can see cherry blossoms in Tokyo blooming in mid to late March.
▶15 Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo
▶5 Best Places to See Night Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo
Osaka
The biggest city in Kansai area, Osaka is one of the most top tourist destinations in Japan. Known as “the kitchen of Japan”, Osaka is a city with a great gastronomy and nightlife.
Compared to Tokyo, there are fewer places to enjoy the cherry blossoms, but those that are there are absolutely beautiful! The best place in the whole city to see cherry blossoms is undoubtedly the famous Osaka Castle. But if you are in Osaka this Spring at the end of March, the Osaka Mint Bureau and the Expo’70 Commemorative Park are also two spots you shouldn’t miss!
▶10 Best Spots to View Cherry Blossoms in Osaka
Kyoto
Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, is obviously one of the cities with the most beautiful places to see cherry blossoms and the most popular at this time of the year. The combination of the city’s ancient and traditional buildings such as temples and shrines with the cherry blossoms is breathtaking. The most popular spot is Philosopher’s Path, but we also have the shrines of Takenaka Inari Shrine, Heian Shrine, Hirano Shrine or Kiyomizudera Temple.
For those who prefer nature, Mt. Yoshino located in Nara, near Kyoto, is undoubtedly one of the top sites in Japan for cherry blossoms. Based on the forecasts of previous years the recommended time of the year to enjoy the full blooming is the end of March.
▶13 Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms in Kyoto
Hokkaido
The northernmost region of Japan, Hokkaido is famous for its abundant nature. In Hokkaido the cherry blossoms bloom between late April and early May, almost a month later than in the Tokyo area. If your trip is later and you missed the cherry blossoms in Tokyo, Hokkaido is the perfect place to see them without the crowds.
One of the most popular sites is Goryokaku Park, in the city of Hakodate or Temiya Park in Otaru City. If you have a car or you don’t mind to pay a taxi, Nijukken Road is one of the top 100 cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan.
▶Best Cherry Blossom Spots in Hokkaido
▶Best Shibazakura Spots in Hokkaido
Kawazu
In Kawazu city, on the Izu peninsula (Shizuoka), there is a type of cherry blossom called “Kawazu Sakura” that was discovered in that city. This cherry blossom blooms earlier than the others, around the beginning of February and has a longer blooming period, almost one month. It’s the perfect spot for those who arrive in Japan before March, or at the beginning of March and the sakura is not yet in bloom in other cities.