Through late March to early April the cherry blossom season makes a visit to Japan an absolute must. You have not seen Japan in full living colour, until you have seen the Cherry blossoms in spring. This makes Japan an incredible destination for families and corporate visitors alike.
Japan’s southern regions explode with pink petals during this time of year. You have to be in it, to witness it, with cherry blossom season traditionally lasting seven to ten days.
March and April are the best time to cherish the cherry blossoms. Across its parks, shrines and temples crowds flock to marvel at the the beauty of this season making this item a must for a Plan Japan bucket list!
To assist your holiday plans bloom we feature four of our most memorable stops to mesmerise your senses this spring:
Tokyo
In Tokyo we highly recommend hiring a boat and gently rowing down the moat of the majestic castle Chidorigafucu. Here you can see the enchanting blossoms in full bloom by gently lapping jade waters. There is noting quite like the magical festival atmosphere at Ueno. Devour culinary delights with Japanese sushi or mouth watering Wagyu beef amongst hanami season before cruising the Sumida river before dusk. One of our top tips for vantage viewing is Shinjuku Gyoen where plush blankets of pink blossoms are also a sight to behold. I have found the happy atmosphere at this time of year is contagious, spreading smiles wide across across Japans capital. This is one of the most exciting cities in the world, and a must to visit for any traveller to Japan!
Kyoto
I can’t recommend more highly enough a cherry blossom visit to Kyoto. The Philosophers path is a magical place and one of my favourite destinations to watch the blossoms fall. Lovely sakura lie in wait by the Silver Temple where people in traditional kimono wait to guide you and offer a friendly local greeting. This is a perfect place to see tradition and spring meet in resplendent colours. We highly recommend staying in a traditional Ryokan with your family to receive the royal treatment. Kyoto is one of the most famous destinations for the season winning hearts and minds across the spring months. Make the magic of your visit to Japan by visiting Kyoto to match your plan japan experience!
Osaka
Famous also for its picturesque castle Osaka’s enchanted setting offers majestic flowers to enjoy amongst its well maintained parks and grounds. Osaka Castle Park can be crowded in Spring so flower loving travellers can also see blossoms spring at Kema Sakuranomia Park. This is the picture perfect place for a picnic. The best time for viewing is around late March to mid April so now is the time to make the most of a spring adventure!
Iwate
On the northern shores of Japan, Iwante plays host to the Kitakami City Park Tenshochi. Here a flourish of carp banners gracefully fringe the sky as horse-drawn carriages trotter the cherry tree roads and ferryboats when the flowers are in bloom. Notably the cherry trees stretching over two kilometres along coral bridge is a famous view. This creates a magical playground where families can laugh and stroll through this enchanting natural environment. Perfect for picnics or a mindful appreciation of some of Japans ancient architectural marvels.
The cherry blossom are Japan’s unofficial national flower with dozens of different cherry tree varieties flourishing in Japan. Our top tip to travellers is that the season is relatively short, so make the most of the season as cherry blossoms are only on show for a few weeks at most in spring. Full bloom (mankai) is typically reached within a week after the opening of the first blossoms (kaika). Within a week the blossoms start to fall from the trees gently caressing a cascade of pink flowers ending the hanami or ‘flower viewing’ season.
Witness the true magic of a plan japan adventure. Late March to mid April the countries iconic blossoms capture the attentions of visitor, making this the time to cherish the cherry blossoms in spring. Bring in a new season in spring, we would be happy to guide you to the beauty of Japan’s most magical season!
