Cherry Blossoms in Japan: Where Can You See Them

PHOTO BY thewet nonthachai – Pixabay

Cherry trees blooming in Japan is not only a natural event … and a sudden and rapid one, too (the blooming lasts only a few days, about a week, a year) … but also a very heartfelt social ceremony. Hanami Yo-Sakura, or “admiring the cherry blossoms”, is almost a national holiday, involving entire families and tourist groups. For some years, the cherry trees blooming has become an international tourist event, as well. People from abroad book trips to Japan specifically to witness these few days of wonder. What about you? Do you want to come and admire them with us?

Cherry Blossoms: all you must know

What you need to know before booking a trip “to admire the cherry blossoms” is that this event lasts just a few days. So you have to rely on the “forecasts” of botanists and meteorologists who “hypothesize” a very specific period – from March to May – when the event should take place. Like all forecasts, the possibility of error is always lurking. All it takes is a sudden change in the weather or an unexpected storm to anticipate or ruin everything.

If you book a trip to Japan for this purpose, then, you must accept the risk of going there and not finding the cherry blossoms as you hoped. And you will have to book well in advance. When the cherry blooming begin, there is little time to organize. It takes almost 15 hours to fly from Europe to Japan. Plus, you must consider one or two flight stops and the recovery from “jet lag”.

If you are not lucky with the blossoms, don’t despair anyway. A trip to Japan is never a waste.

Another thing to know is that Hanami is an almost sacred ceremony for the Japanese people. Crowds gather under the cherry trees to celebrate, even to have a picnic, but all in full respect of nature and in a solemn atmosphere. Avoid disturbing noises, too loud talking, excessive enthusiasm. Photos and selfies are allowed, of course, but always respecting the sacredness of the moment.

The best places to admire the blooming

It goes without saying that wherever there is a park or a garden in Japan, it becomes the ideal place to admire the cherry blossoms! However, there are places and cities that have become famous precisely for this event. Because they offer expanses of cherry trees, because they host very ancient trees, or simply because the blossoming occurs with a spectacular scenery (castles, temples) around. Here are some suggestions for you.

Tokyo

In the Japanese capital, there is no shortage of green spaces and cherry trees are everywhere. But the symbolic places of this blossoming time are two: Ueno Park, which has 1000 cherry trees and Shinjuku Gardens.

Reference airports: Tokyo Haneda (HND) and Tokyo Narita (NRT).

Kyoto

The ancient capital of Kyoto, with its thousand-year-old temples and romantic castles from the samurai era, is a spectacle of cherry blossoms during Hanami. It would be almost impossible to choose a specific park where to watch the show. The ideal is to go up to the scenic district of Arashiyama and take a ride along the Sagano Railway, on the little train that even passes under a tunnel of cherry trees!

Kyoto has no airport, but is well connected to international Osaka-Kansai (KIX).

Osaka

An absolute spectacle here, in the park of the famous Osaka Castle, where over 3000 cherry trees light up the Hanami festival in pink and white.

Your airport, if you choose Osaka for your “cherry holiday” is of course Osaka-Kansai (KIX).

Miharu, Fukushima

Miharu is a tiny town, which does not boast many cherry trees in its parks. But here there is perhaps one of the oldest cherry trees in Japan, a huge tree that is over 1000 years old and has therefore become a national monument.

You shall take a local flight from Tokyo airports to Fukushima’s.

Matsumae Park, Hokkaido

The beauty record is certainly beaten by the large park of Matsumae Castle, on the island of Hokkaido. Here there are 10,000 cherry trees and the crowds of tourists they attract are immense.

To get there, take a land connection from Sapporo Chitose Airport (CTS).

Mount Fuji’s Five Lakes

At the foot of the famous volcano Mount Fuji are five lakes: Yamanakako, Kawaguchiko, Saiko, Shojiko and Motosu. Any of these lakes will be perfect for viewing the cherry blossoms, which are plentiful on these hills. Although Kawaguchiko is the most popular spot for “cherry tourists”, each lake offers a remarkable spectacle.

Reference airports: Tokyo airports.

Nara

Go to Nara, in the Kii Mountain chain, to find “the mountain of cherry trees”, Yoshino Hill. During the blossoming season, this is completely tinged with pink and white with its immense expanse of over 30,000 trees in bloom!

Reference airport for Nara: Osaka Kansai.