Easily one of the most famous aspects of Japan, visiting here when cherry blossom season is in full swing is a must. The best time to see the cherry blossoms in Japan is from the end of March to mid-April. This is when the country is covered with pretty pink blooms.
Every year, both Japanese locals and tourists flock to these amazing viewing spots for hanami, or picnics beneath the cherry blossom trees. Here’s the best places to see the beautiful cherry blossoms in Japan in 2020.
Best Cherry Blossom Spots In Japan
How do these rankings work?
1. Shinjuku Gyoen – Tokyo
This central park in Tokyo is home to over 1,000 cherry blossom trees, with a mix of both early and late blooms. This makes it a perfect spot for visitors who arrive a week too early or too late for the main sakura-matsuri festival. It’s well worth planning your trip to Tokyo especially for this sight!
2. Hirosaki Castle Park – Hirosaki
This is by far of the best spots for cherry blossoms in Japan. Hirosaki Park is home to 2600 trees with over 50 different types of cherry trees, and the four-hundred-year-old Hirosaki Castle is a lovely backdrop. Over 2,000,000 visitors visit the park during the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival, which is held annually between April 23rd and May 5th.
3. Philosopher’s Path – Kyoto
Follow this beautiful cherry tree-lined canal for 2km. You’ll pass by temples, cute cafes and boutique stores under a perfectly pink canopy of pink flowers. In early April these trees explode with colour, making this one of the city’s most popular hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spots.
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4. Mount Yoshino – Nara Prefecture
Japanese cherry blossom season is the main event at Mt Yoshino. There’s around 30,000 sakura trees that bloom all over the mountain from late March to mid-April. Extra buses take visitors up to the mountain top observatories and the town comes alive.
When the blossoms reach their peak, the trees are lit up at night and many women dress in colourful kimono to stroll amongst the flowers.
5. Takato Castle Park – Nagano
Takato Castle Park is one of the most popular places in the country to see the cherry blossoms. So, while it does get busy, it’s worth it. The Kohigan cherry trees are said to have been planted here in 1875, when the park was first opened to the public.
6. Fuji Five Lakes – Mt. Fuji
The Fuji Five Lakes region has some amazing places to see the cherry trees with Mt. Fuji in the background. Just take note that you can’t climb the mountain until summer, but it’s still a top viewing spot. The cherry blossoms here start to bloom in early April and reach to their peak around mid April.
7. Meguro River – Tokyo
Chances are you’ve seen this famous sight all over social media. About 800 cherry trees line Meguro River, which all light up during the Nakameguro Sakura Festival. Start at Gotanda and walk to Meguro Sky Garden for the full 5km route. Be sure to stop by again in the evening to see the colourful lanterns.
