Best Early Blooming Cherry Blossom Spots in Japan 2024
Where to Enjoy Early Blooming Kawazu Cherry Blossoms in Japan
Did you know cherry blossoms in Japan have many varieties? The most common type of cherry blossoms in Japan is Somei Yoshino which usually starts blooming in mid to late March in most cities across the country. Somei Yoshino is known for having pale pink petal and its blooming time lasts about 2 weeks.
While the peak season of cherry blossoms in Japan is packed with tourists and relatively expensive, you can actually enjoy cherry blossoms in a off-peak season.
Kawazu Zakura (河津桜) is a type of cherry blossoms that blooms in late winter (early February to early March). In comparison to Somei Yoshino, Kawazu Zakura has deeper pink and larger petals as well as longer blooming period which lasts about a month.
There are many places in Japan where you can enjoy early blooming cherry blossoms ahead of the peak season in spring. In this article, I’m going to introduce some of the best Kawazu Zakura spots in Japan!
Kawazu Town, Shizuoka
As you might guess from the name, Kawazu Zakura blossoms are originated in Kawazu Town on the Izu Peninsula of Shizuoka Prefecture. It’s a top Kawazu Zakura spot in Japan, boasting about 8,000 cherry trees in the town and 850 of them stretch for 4km along the Kawazu River.
The Kawazu Zakura starts blooming in early February and displays an astonishing scenery together with yellow rapeseed flowers on the riverbank. During the season, a cherry blossom festival is held annually since 1980s, featuring numbers of food stalls, fun events and light-up of cherry trees at night.
More info: Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival
Miura City, Kanagawa
Miura is a city situated on the southern tip of the Miura Peninsula, Kanagawa Prefecture. It’s a site for the popular event, Miura Kaigan Cherry Blossom Festival which is held from early February to early March every year.
The festival celebrates the early blooming cherry blossoms with over 1,000 Kawazu cherry trees, stretching along the railroad between Miura Kaigan Station and Komatsugaike Park. You can capture the unique scenery of trains passing by a row of cherry trees. During the festival, there are stalls selling local products and delicious food, and also a light-up of cherry blossoms held after 17:00.
More info: Miura Kaigan Cherry Blossoms
Matsuda Town, Kanagawa
To enjoy the view of early blooming cherry blossoms and Mt Fuji, visit the Matsuda Cherry Blossom Festival which is held at Matsudayama Herb Garden inside Nishihirabatake Park in Matsuda Town, Kanagawa Prefecture. The festival features about 360 pink Kawazu Zakura cherry trees with yellow rapeseed flowers creating a beautiful contrast on the mountain slope.
During the festival, there are some stalls selling local products as well as the Furusato train, a mini sightseeing train running through the park. And if it’s good weather, you can enjoy the captivating view of Mt Fuji and Sagami Bay together with the blossoms.
More info: Matsuda Cherry Blossom Festival