Cherry Blossom in Japan
2021 forecast and everything you need for sakura seaosn

Cherry Blossom in Japan

2021 Sakura Forecast

Cherry Blossom
Forecast 2021

Sakura enthusiasts, rejoice! Japan's cherry blossom forecast is out for 2021. The sakura are expected to bloom earlier than in years previous.

Mid to late March will see most trees blooming south of Tokyo and Chiba, while more northern prefectures can expect to see the fluttering pink petals as late as early May in Hokkaido. Exact blossoming dates vary regionally, so be sure to check the area dates below.

Plan the perfect trip around these sakura dates and experience the arrival of spring in spectacular style!

Forecast

© Japan Meteorological Corporation | Updated: March 4th 2021
Current state Opening Best timing
Tokyo Finished March 15 March 22 to 30
Kyoto Finished March 22 March 28 to April 5
Osaka Finished March 22 March 28 to April 5
Nagoya Finished March 16 March 23 to 31
Fukuoka Finished March 13 March 21 to 29

Due to the pandemic, some cherry blossom events and festivals may be cancelled or scaled back in 2021 — please always check in advance with the official site.

Cherry blossom by region

Discover the dates and top cherry blossom spots in Japan, from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south. Learn more with our regional cherry blossom guides or take a closer look at the 2021 regional forecast.

Cherry Blossom in Kanto

Japan's Kanto region is home to some fantastic sakura spots, with Ueno Park, Shinjuku Gyoen, and Naka-Meguro being hugely popular. Further afield, Kamakura, Hakone, and parts of Saitama, Chiba, and Ibaraki are also worth exploring.

Cherry blossom spots in Kanto

Forecast

Area Current state Opening Best timing
Tokyo Finished March 15 March 22 to 30
Yokohama Finished March 16 March 23 to 31

Cherry Blossom in Kansai

Kyoto looks especially stunning during this time of year, with places like Arashiyama and its yo-zakura tradition of evening light-ups and hanami events amid the pink foliage. Nara's Mount Yoshino and the Osaka Castle area also promise beautiful cherry blossoms.

Cherry blossom spots in Kansai

Forecast

Area Current state Opening Best timing
Kobe Finished March 22 March 28 to April 5
Kyoto Finished March 22 March 28 to April 5
Osaka Finished March 22 March 28 to April 5
Nara Finished March 23 March 29 to April 6

Cherry Blossom in Tohoku

Tohoku sees a later bloom than most of Japan. The castle moat in Aomori's Hirosaki is one highlight. Also check out Fukushima's Hanamiyama, Iwate's Takamatsu Park, and Miyagi's picturesque Hitome Senbon Zakura that are also worth stopping by.

Cherry blossom spots in Tohoku

Forecast

Area Current state Opening Best timing
Aomori Finished April 16 April 20 to 28
Kakunodate Finished April 19 April 22 to May 1
Fukushima Finished April 1 April 4 to 12
Miyagi Finished April 2 April 7 to 15

Cherry Blossom in Chubu

Enjoy the best cherry blossom sights in Chubu, from Ishikawa's Kenroku-en Garden to the Fuji Reien Cemetery in Shizuoka.

Cherry blossom spots in Chubu

Forecast

Area Current state Opening Best timing
Nagoya Finished March 16 March 23 to 31
Nagano Finished March 31 April 6 to 10
Niigata Finished March 31 April 5 to 11
Shizuoka Finished March 20 March 29 to April 5
Yamanashi Finished March 20 March 29 to April 5

Cherry Blossom in Hokkaido

Hokkaido's cherry blossoms visit later than the rest of Japan, but they promise amazing highlights such Goryokaku Park enveloped in pink blossoms or Sapporo's many parks, such as Moerenuma Park, Maruyama Park, and Makomanai Park; there are also fantastic spots around Asahikawa (Asahikawa Park), Furano, and Otaru.

Cherry blossom spots in Hokkaido

Forecast

Area Current state Opening Best timing
Hakodate Finished April 25 April 29 to May 5
Obihiro Finished May 1 May 3 to 10
Sapporo Finished April 27 May 1 to 8

Cherry Blossom in Chugoku

Popular hanami hotspots here include the Kintaikyo in Yamaguchi's Iwakuni, Okayama's Korakuen Garden, Tsuyama Castle, Hiroshima's Senkoji Park, and Tottori's Castle Park.

Cherry blossom spots in Chugoku

Forecast

Area Current state Opening Best timing
Hiroshima Finished March 16 March 26 to April 3
Matsue Finished March 19 March 28 to April 4
Okayama Finished March 21 March 26 to April 2
Shimonoseki Finished March 16 March 25 to April 1

Cherry Blossom in Shikoku

Shikoku enjoys some spectacular cherry blossom spots when the blooms arrive in late March. As well as the view of sakura against the Seto Inland Sea from atop Shiudeyama, Ehime's Matsuyama Park, and Kochi's Hyotan Zakura—a 500-year-old tree—are considered cherry blossom highlights.

Cherry blossom spots in Shikoku

Forecast

Area Current state Opening Best timing
Kochi Finished March 17 March 26 to April 2
Matsuyama Finished March 16 March 25 to April 1
Takamatsu Finished March 18 March 26 to April 2

Cherry Blossom in Kyushu

The southern island of Kyushu is full of natural beauty and boasts many stunning cherry blossom spots waiting to be discovered, from Kumamoto's Suizenji Garden to Maizuru Park at Fukuoka's castle ruins.

Cherry blossom spots in Kyushu

Forecast

Area Current state Opening Best timing
Fukuoka Finished March 20 March 30 to April 4
Kagoshima Finished March 12 March 21 to 28
Kumamoto Finished March 16 March 25 to April 3
Miyazaki Finished March 18 March 28 to April 4
Nagasaki Finished March 15 March 24 to 31

Cherry Blossom in Okinawa

Okinawa seems some of the earliest cherry blossoms in Japan, thanks to its location to the far south. The blooms typically start in mid-January and finish by early February. There are cherry blossom festivals at various hotspots, such as Naha, Nago, Yaese, Nakijin castle ruins, and Motobe Yaedake.

Cherry blossom spots in Okinawa

Forecast

Area Current state Opening Best timing
Miyakojima Finished Jan 16 Feb 10 to Feb 25
Naha Finished Jan 4 Feb 1 to Feb 15
Photo: soi7studio / Shutterstock

What is Hanami?

Hanami—literally "flower viewing"—is the Japanese tradition of visiting and admiring the cherry and plum blossom each Spring.

Cue a rush to find the best seating position underneath the cherry trees, as half of Japan heads to the parks to go drinking under the trees! From midday family picnics to evening parties under sakura illuminations, expect Japan to be a little busier during this period.

Find out more about hanami with our guide.

How to hanami

Weather around Tokyo

  • Mar 5° - 12°
  • Apr 10° - 17°
  • May 14° - 21°
Spring weather in Japan

Learn more about cherry blossom

Find out all you need to know about Japan's cherry blossom, and the top things to do during Spring in Japan. Seeing the full bloom in Japan can be considered one of the best times of year to visit Japan, with beautiful foliage and warmer weather also playing their part. It helps to plan ahead and book as early as possible, as it is considered peak season for travel too.

Top 20 Cherry Blossom Spots in Japan

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