Springtime in Japan means one thing: cherry blossoms.
The whole country watches and waits for the first sakura (cherry) trees to burst into bloom. Once they do, people flock to parks and squares for hanami or flower viewing. The romance is passionate but fleeting, lasting only a week or two.
Cherry blossom viewing has been a tradition in Japan for over a millennium. The delicate blooms have acquired a poetic symbolism of the transience of beauty (and the beauty of transience). As both the new school year and the fiscal year begin on April 1 in Japan, sakura trees have also come to represent a season of fresh starts – certainly something worth celebrating.
When is the best time for see cherry blossom viewing?
The best time to visit Japan for cherry blossoms is during the spring months. Starting from Kyūshū in the south in March, regular blossom forecasts keep the public updated as the sakura zensen (cherry-tree blossom line) advances northward, usually passing through the Kansai and Kantō regions of Honshū in late-March or early April.
English-language speakers can monitor the cherry-blossom situation with Kyuhoshi‘s online forecast. Latecomers can catch the blossoms in late-April and sometimes early May in Tōhoku, the northernmost region of Honshū.
There are countless parks, gardens and picturesque waterways across the country where you can gaze upon the beautiful blooms. Choose the best place for your hanami party with this guide to Japan’s top cherry-blossom viewing spots.
1. Yoshino in Kansai is Japan’s most famous cherry-blossom destination
The blossoms of thousands of cherry trees form a floral carpet gradually ascending the mountainsides of Yoshino in Kansai. It’s definitely a sight worth seeing – and one that many Japanese long to see once in their lifetime – but this does mean that the narrow streets of the village become jammed with thousands of visitors. You’ll have to be content with a day trip (doable from Nara, or even Osaka) unless you’ve booked accommodations well in advance. Once the cherry-blossom petals fall, the crowds depart and Yoshino reverts back to a quiet village with a handful of shrines and temples.
Best time to go to Yoshino for cherry blossoms: Blooms tend to appear early to mid-April in Yoshino and last for a few weeks.
2. Hirosaki-kōen in Tōhoku is…
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