SAKURA EXPERIENCE: FIVE CHERRY BLOSSOM VIEWING SPOTS IN JAPAN
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SAKURA EXPERIENCE: FIVE CHERRY BLOSSOM VIEWING SPOTS IN JAPAN

In a few weeks Japan is set to experience one of its most beautiful and famous spectacles: the Sakura season. The Cherry Blossom in Japan is worldly known and gathers people from all over the country to celebrate the beginning of springtime in Japan. Maybe the most beautiful time of the year in Japan, Sakura season impresses people for the ephemeral beauty of Cherry Blossoms and the traditions involved in the season. In this guide, I will show you five beautiful Cherry Blossom viewing spots in Japan where you can dive into this important aspect of Japanese culture.


Sakura, mostly commonly known in the West as Cherry Blossom, is the season that marks the beginning of the spring season in Japan. The country is transformed into a canvas of delicate hues of the Sakura as gradually temperatures starts to warm up, the transition is widely celebrated in Japan with Hanami picnics and Cherry Blossom festivals. Cherry blossoms hold profound cultural significance in Japanese society. Renowned for their ethereal beauty and brief lifespan, these delicate flowers symbolize the transient nature of life, a concept deeply rooted in Japanese philosophy. Known as "mono no aware," the appreciation for the impermanence of things, cherry blossoms serve as a reminder to cherish the fleeting moments and appreciate the beauty in ephemeral experiences.


The Hanami Tradition:

The most popular way to enjoy the Sakura season in Japan is the Hanami picnics, where families and friends get together under the Sakura trees to appreciate the beauty and celebrate the coming of spring by appreciating the ephemeral beauty of the Cherry blossoms. Hanami, which means flower viewing, is widely practiced by all people in Japan. If you visit Japan during the Sakura season, you will certainly see a lot of people enjoying good food and drinks under the famous Sakura trees. It is said that, if a petal of Sakura falls into your tea during the Hanami picnic, you will have lots of luck. The experience is a dive into the Japanese culture and an unforgettable moment to keep. Enjoying the Cherry Blossom culture in Japan is a gift, so if you are scheduled to visit Japan in March and April, be sure to participate in this alluring experience.


The Cherry Blossom Festivals:

Along with the Hanami tradition, another important tradition during the Sakura season in Japan is the Sakura Festivals. The communities get together and organize festivals and events to celebrate the beginning of springtime. In these festivals you will find food stalls, performances and also the night illuminations. In many places they illuminate the Sakura trees in the evening, forming a magical ambiance to enjoy the beauty of the Cherry Blossom also at night. The food stalls are a must see (and eat), as they offer the Japanese street food in its most pure state, the smell of the freshly made food, the joy of the people, the warmth of spring, the sense of collective celebration mixed with the magnificent beauty of the trees is an experience worth taking.


Cherry Blossom forecast

The Sakura season is an ephemeral moment, which means the time frame to see and enjoy the experience is very narrow, the season normally lasts for two weeks, and the peak days (when the Sakura trees are in full bloom) are about three or four days. So if you would like to see a particular location for the Cherry Blossom viewing, be sure to plan in advance and to follow up the year's Cherry Blossom forecast, as the peak bloom varies each year. The good news is, as Japan has different temperatures for different locations, a lot of places offer Sakura viewing in different weeks. As forecasts get more accurate as the season approaches, be sure to check them on a time basis. I am also constantly updating the Cherry Blossom forecast in my social networks and on this site as well. The forecast below is first prediction of this year, so you can start planning your trip in advance.

Sakura Season Forecast 2024
Cherry Blossom Forecast 2024

After listing the most important aspects of the Cherry Blossom culture. I will suggest five of the most beautiful places to enjoy the Sakura season in Japan. Some of them are hidden gems. These places are fascinating, so I highly recommend including them in your itinerary.



UENO PARK


The Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival is one the biggest and most crowded in all Japan. The festival happens in Ueno Park, a renowned park in Tokyo, that is home for one thousand Sakura trees. During the Cherry Blossom season the park is transformed into a sea of hues of pink and white that attracts nearly two million people to enjoy the beauty of the Sakura. The Main Street, which is about half kilometer long, gets packed with people enjoying the Sakura traditions. Ueno Park holds an interesting fact – the first cherry trees there were planted by Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third Shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate. After the daylight is gone, the celebration continues as lanterns along the pathway illuminate the Sakura trees, and people continue their Hanami picnics into the night. A famous and accessible Sakura spot in Tokyo, as you can ride the Yamanote line and get off at Ueno station and head to the Park Exit. This exit will take you directly to the park.



HIROSAKI PARK


If you are searching for a late Sakura viewing, Hirosaki Park might be the best choice, located in Aomori prefecture, the Sakura season there happens from late April to early May.

Considered one of the top three Cherry Blossom viewing spots in Japan, Hirosaki Park impresses for its massive amount of cherry trees, around 2,600, some are over 300 years old. In the park is possible to see more than 50 varieties of cherry trees, including the shidare-zakura, the weeping cherry trees. Using the same techniques Aomori famous apple farmers use, it was possible to make trees with more buds than ordinary cherry trees, so the volume of flowers on Hirosaki Park trees is almost the double than in other parts of Japan. At night, Hirosaki Park Sakura trees are illuminated and so is Hirosaki Castle, what adds an extra layer of beauty and magic to the famous Park. Enchanting, Hirosaki Park is the most famous Sakura viewing spot in the Tohoku area, ideal for those who are looking for a late Sakura.



TAKATO CASTLE RUINS PARK


Also one of the top three Sakura viewing locations, considered a hidden gem as it is mostly known by domestic tourists. The park is located in a mountain in Ina city, Nagano and is home for the breathtaking "Takato Kohigan Zakura" cherry trees that transform the park into a sea of delicate pale pink flowers. The sight of these cherry blossoms in full bloom is considered one of the most beautiful in Japan. Together with the iconic Sakura trees, a Cherry Blossom festival is held during the Cherry blossom season with food stalls around the park. At every night, an illumination event happens from sunset until 10pm. The park is lit up, creating a magical atmosphere, and visitors can enjoy the cherry blossoms in a different light. A different way to enjoy Sakura season, that might as well be a dive into Japan rural area culture, it will certainly be a remarkable experience for those who look for a more culture rooted celebration.



THE PHILOSOPHER'S PATH


One of the most famous Sakura viewing spots in Kansai area, The Philosopher's Path, named after the renowned Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitaro, is a scenic canal-side trail lined with hundreds of cherry trees. During the Sakura season these trees burst into bloom, creating a captivating tunnel of pink and white petals. You will find restaurants and cafes, as well as boutiques along the canal. The path is about two kilometer long, starting around the famous Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion). In an ambiance of peace, this place is inspiring and relaxing, as you can as the Philosopher Nishida Kitaro and meditate while walking by the canal. With the historic surroundings and the beauty of cherry blossoms reflected in the canal, the Philosopher's Path Sakura Festival provides a serene and culturally rich experience, encapsulating the essence of springtime in Kyoto.



NARA PARK


You have probably seen a picture of deers together with Cherry Blossom trees on the internet, as the photography taken in Nara during Sakura season gets really viral because of its inherent beauty. You will have the opportunity to not only take beyond amazing pictures but also to dive into a magical scenario. Like a movie scene, the combination of the sakura trees and the free-roaming deers is something captivating to the eye, I would describe the experience as magical and fun as you can immerse yourself in it, by feeding the deers (with appropriate rice crackers sold at the park) and by taking amazing photos of the moment. As the park is walkable distance to many famous spots in Nara, including famous temples, shopping malls, local restaurants and some Shotengai, it is a great opportunity to enjoy Sakura and sightseeing at the same day.




BONUS: Hidden Gem

GOJO RIVER - IWAKURA


One of Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Viewing Sites, Gojo River is mostly known by local Aichi residents. Located very near Nagoya, in the heart of Japan, the river is home for about 1300 Sakura trees adorning the banks of both sides for about 7,6 kilometers. The magic lies in the arch formed by the trees on both banks, along with the size of the trees and their branches, some even touching the water. On the street side of the trees, a large amount of food stalls feeds the event with delicious Japanese street food. In this place, you will also find the warmth and joy the spring festivals brings to Japan, as the Sakura season arrives renovating and refreshing everyone's feelings after the long winter. If you are interested in seeing how locals enjoy the Cherry Blossom season together with a mystic scenery of the Sakura, I highly suggest you taking a trip to this hidden gem.



Sakura is by far one of the most beautiful time of the year in Japan, not only because of the beauty of the iconic Sakura trees but also because of the festivals and the feeling everyone gets with the arrival of spring. If I could suggest you one time of the year to visit Japan I would certainly recommend the Cherry Blossom season, as it something so deeply rooted in Japan's culture. So if you are intending to come to Japan in late March, April and early May, be sure to include one famous Sakura viewing spot in your itinerary, as peak season differs from each region, you will definitely find one you can see the sakura trees in full bloom. It will be a magical moment which you can only experience in Japan.


Hope you enjoy the Sakura season at its peak of beauty and magic.


Michelle Motoki



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