By air. Narita (IATA: NRT) is Japan’s major international airport and it is located nearly 70km northeast of Tokyo. In order to get the best flight deals to this country from just about anywhere on the globe, I highly suggest searching through Skyscanner:
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◘◘ Fukuoka
(March 13 – First Bloom // March 21 to 29 – Best Viewing)
RELATED READ:
– Japan Itinerary
– Tokyo Itinerary
– Japan Travel Guides
Photo by: Shutterstock
Let me know how it goes for you. Enjoy!
Japan Cherry Blossom Forecast Map
- DISCLAIMER: The above data is as of March 2021 and it is based on the forecast done by the Japan Meteorological Corporation. Take note that sudden changes in temperature, rainfall, and wind strength can accelerate, delay or shorten the forecast above — but you can already use this initial forecast as a preliminary guide. Rest assured, I will keep this post updated once dates happen to change so come drop by from time to time!
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TIP: You can easily go to Chureito Pagoda by going on a day tour from Tokyo! Or if you come sometime around April to June, you can take part in the limited-time Shibazakura Festival near Mt. Fuji where you can witness a field of unique pink moss.
◘◘ Hokkaido
(Sapporo: April 27 – First Bloom // April 29 to May 6 – Best Viewing)
(March 28 – First Bloom // April 1 to 9 – Best Viewing)
Best Cherry Blossom Spots
…And as such, this is where this post comes in!
Cherry blossom trees in Japan bloom in an upward direction starting from the island of Okinawa (sometime in the middle of January) and then ending at Hokkaido (around the end of April or beginning of May).
(April 3 – First Bloom // April 10 to 15 – Best Viewing)
» Kantō Region (関東地方)
To give you an idea, you should expect to travel in Japan with an average daily cost of about USD ~ per person on a budget, or at least 0~ if you want to experience more comfort on activities, tours, hotels, and more. (Values below show low budget to medium budget ranges).
I’ve already had several trips to Japan where I got to enjoy the beauty of this season and now, it is my hope that you get to enjoy it too! So with the help of the forecast map below, you could start planning a successful Japan cherry blossom adventure as early as now.
- Chidorigafuchi: This is one of Tokyo’s most magical sights given the cherry blossoms that surround the moat in the former Edo Castle around Kitanomaru Park (as pictured above). There are even boats available for rent to better enjoy the trees up close! At night, the trees are lit up and several food stands are found nearby.
- Sumida Park: This is a great recreation space given that the trees are lined up on the sides of the river with views of the Tokyo Sky Tree in the distance. Like Chidorigafuchi, there are boats you can rent as well as surrounding food stalls. The trees are also lit up at night.
- Shinjuku Gyoen: A spacious park that has over more than a thousand cherry blossoms in different varieties! Everyone is free to put up a picnic here for doing ‘hanami‘ but take note that alcohol is prohibited.
- Ueno Park: This is Tokyo’s most crowded spot when it comes to the Japan cherry blossom forecast — this is not only because of the thousands of trees lining the street but also because of how the trees here often bloom 1 to 3 days ahead of the others in the city.
- Meguro River: For hundreds of meters, there are about 800 cherry blossom trees lining this river. It’s not a good place for doing a picnic but it’s a good place for taking photos, for sure!
- Yoyogi Park: Located near the shopping district of Harajuku, this park has over 600 cherry blossom trees in its vicinity.
Photo by: Shutterstock
There are several train passes available in Japan that will help you save on transportation costs, the best one being the Japan Rail Pass or JR Pass. And when you’re mapping out your day-to-day route, just use Google Maps because it will show in detail the fastest connections you can do (by walking, by car, by bus, and by train).
- Yokohama:
- Sankeien Garden: This is a Japanese landscape garden that has a central pond and several historical buildings (thereby giving off a great traditional look).
- Mitsuike Koen (Park): Featuring 3 ponds, this park has been listed as one of Japan’s “100 best cherry blossom spots” so it’s definitely worth visiting.
- Kamakura:
- Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine: You can get some great shots of this shrine with the nearby cherry trees that are numbering by hundreds.
TIP: From Nagoya, you can go on a day trip to the famous World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go to enjoy its picturesque traditional houses that are amidst pink cherry trees. (You can also read my travel guide here).
- Akagi Senbonzakura: It has a unique “pink-on-pink” feature given the surrounding ‘pink moss’ in the fields that are found just beside the cherry blossom trees.
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» Kansai Region (関西地方)
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» Chūbu Region (中部地方)
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» Chūgoku Region (中国地方)
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» Shikoku Region (四国)
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» Kyūshū Region (九州)
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» Tōhoku Region (東北地方)
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» Hokkaidō Region (北海道)
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» Getting in to Japan
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» Visa for Japan
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» Where to Stay In Japan
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» Japan Currency
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» Cost of Travel in Japan
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» How to Get Around Central Japan
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» Staying Connected in Japan
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» Safety in Japan
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» Helpful Japanese Phrases
Table of Contents
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As if that doesn’t make it elusive enough, it’s not always a guarantee that you can get to enjoy them at their peak — but then again, don’t fret: the Japan cherry blossom forecast that is available nowadays is close to accurate in predicting the cherry blossoms’ first opening and full bloom.