Cherry Blossom (Sakura) in Japan

THINGS TO KNOW

• Peak times for Cherry Blossom in Japan

• Early bloom (South) vs later bloom (North)

• Bloom may last up to a week, some longer - but it's a very short window!

• Unique activities surrounding Sakura - hanami (cherry blossom viewings), seasonal openings

• Different species of cherry blossoms that bloom at different paces/times, so even if you miss the peak by a few days, you can try to catch areas with later bloom.

• It's a tradition to picnic under cherry blossom trees :)

• Viewings at night w/ cherry blossom are arguably more beautiful

• Most iconic viewing of sakura in Japan would be either: Mt. Fuji in the background OR Yoshino, Nara, with over 30,000 sakura trees in the Kii mountains - I have yet to do these, because missed peak bloom last year!

• Sakura in the Spring coincides with LARGE crowds - so you will 1) have to pay more for travel/lodging 2) have a harder time getting reservations to food/things and 3) have to wake up early if you want to see the sights and avoid cramming everywhere

NOTE: With climate change, the bloom is earlier than years past and is becoming harder to predict - often changes days before expected. The good news is that blooms are expected to stay for ~2 weeks once occurred.

Last year, Osaka bloom happened at end of March, but some areas in the city bloomed later (this picture to the right taken April 10th)

TOKYO, JAPAN

Bloom starts: March 23, 2024 (earlier than normal)

Full bloom expected: March 30, 2024

Where to experience Sakura in Tokyo:

1. Nakameguro (pictured here): trendy cafes and shops. 800 cherry blossom trees line the street and, during Sakura, lanterns and stalls come out at night. View the trees from a bridge crossing

2. Shinjuku Gyoen: 1000 cherry blossom trees of different species (which bloom early and late) - reservations WILL be needed for 2024 season. No alcohol allowed! Cost: 500/yen per person

3. Ueno Park - one of the most popular places to see sakura in Tokyo with over 800 trees; while there, you can check out the Zoo or Kaneji temple - if you're lucky, you may be able to see a Geisha!

OSAKA, JAPAN

Bloom starts: March 25, 2024

Full bloom expected: April 1, 2024

Where to experience Sakura in Osaka:

1. Osaka Castle Park: over 3,000 trees here and there's a night illumination! Go to explore the castle, then stay around the gardens for night time

2. Kema Sakuranomiya Park: if you miss peak bloom, may not be worth it to trek it out here! I was 10 days after peak bloom last year, and all the blossoms had fallen here by then

3. Osaka Mint Bureau: only open for 1 week out of the year to public, during Sakura! Book WELL in advance (free) for tickets. Pictured on bottom left

Unique experiences during Sakura:

• Osaka Mint Bureau

• Sakura River Cruise: cruise along the river to experience a different vantage point for blossom viewing. FREE with Osaka Amazing Pass. Picks up/drops off at same place (Hachikenyahama Pier)

KYOTO, JAPAN

Bloom starts: March 23, 2024

Full bloom expected: April 1, 2024

Top places to experience Sakura in Kyoto:

1. Philosopher's Path: 2km path from Kinkaju Temple (Silver Pagoda) to Nanzen-ji Temple lined with hundreds of cherry blossom trees

2. Ninnaji Temple: lesser visited UNESCO World Heritage site in Kyoto, but absolutely stunning for Sakura - if you're late to the season, this is a good place for later bloom (top/bottom right photos)

3. Kiyomizudera: great place also for sunset, then stay for night illumination

Unique experiences during Sakura:

• Night illumination at certain temples - different nights have different illuminations! Check out various schedules in search engine 'NIGHT illumination Kyoto 2024' - such as the Kiyomizudera link above! The top left picture was a night illumination at Shoseien Garden I stumbled upon my first night in Kyoto 2023