Where to Find Sakura in Japan (by Region) 2025

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Spring is back in Japan! And we all know what that means…the pink blushes of sakura are back too!

Following previous forecasts by the Japan Meteorological Corporation and the latest news reports, the famed sakura blooms have already begun to bless the towns and cities of Japan. 

To celebrate this flower’s return, let’s take a little look at where to find these blooms around Japan’s many regions:

Kyushu

Kyushu is one of the earliest regions to bloom in Japan, with the northern end of the island actually blooming earlier than the south.

Sakura Spots

Nagasaki Peace Park (Nagasaki): A serene park filled with vivid cherry blossoms and calming memorials to peace.  

Nishi Park (Fukuoka): Broad sakura-lined avenues with a bird’s eye view over the port city.

Fukuoka Castle (Fukuoka): Sakura add a touch of life back to this ancient castle and its moat.

Isshingyo Park (Kumamoto): Home to a legendary 400-year-old sakura tree that towers over visitors at 14m. (Note: closed for the 2025 season)

Shikoku

One of the least visited regions of Japan by overseas visitors, Shikoku has plenty of hidden sakura gems to offer a curious bloomophile travelling off the beaten path. Fun fact: 2025’s earliest confirmed blooms were actually announced in the region’s Kochi prefecture on Mar 23!

Sakura Spots

Mount Yashima (Kagawa): Grand views of cherry pink and blue over the Seto Inland Sea, once a final battleground in the medieval Genpei War.

Hyotan Sakura Park (Kochi): Hills full of sakura trees looking out over sleepy villages and idyllic streams.

Mt. Shiudeyama (Kagawa): Sakura trees that overlook a picturesque archipelago or a dreamy sea of mist, depending on the weather and time of day.

Chugoku

This part of the main Honshu Island that faces Shikoku from the north is similarly underappreciated among general visitors and sakura hunters alike.

Sakura Spots

Shukkei-en Gardens (Hiroshima): Romantic, well-tended sakura garden that gets lit up at night, creating striking views.

Yonago Castle Ruins (Tottori): Known for poetic views of sakura sprouting over the foundations of a long-gone castle as well as a blossom-framed Mount Daisen.

Tamayu River (Shimane): A dreamlike display that involves cherry blossoms reflecting off the still waters of this gentle river.

Kansai

The cultural and culinary heart of Japan, this western region also provides an opulent feast of sakura sights.

Sakura Spots

Philosopher’s Path (Kyoto): A cozy canal lined with cherry blossoms that was said to be used frequently by the philosopher Nishida Kitaro.

Himeji Castle (Hyogo): Admire one of Japan’s last surviving original castles while basking in the blooms that surround its walls.

Kokawa-dera Temple (Wakayama): Crimson-dyed grand gates and temple halls form the perfect partner to the pink blush of the cherry blossoms.

Chubu

A vast central region full of Japan’s rural heartland, it is paradoxically home to some of the most and least known prefectures outside of Japan.

Sakura Spots

Ueda Castle Park (Nagano): A castle smothered in sakura trees and the smell of local cuisine wafting from countless stalls.

Takami-no-sato (Nara): Colourful waves of sakura blanket the hills, contrasting sharply with the sea of green forests around it.

Asuwayama Park (Fukui): A collection of thousands of cherry blossom trees, with a giant weeping cherry tree stealing the show.

Related: Getting Over-Tourism: Japan’s Seven Most Underrated Prefectures

Kanto

Japan’s administrative heart, the sakura spots here are some of the most popular, easily accessible, and crowded ones in the entire country.

Sakura Spots

Yoyogi Park (Tokyo): One of the capital’s many parks, its wide lawns and plentiful sakura cover make it a popular spot for flower-viewing picnics.

Castle Town Obata (Gunma): Travel back to the age of the samurai with festivals featuring period actors reenacting feudal scenes amidst a storm of cherry blossoms.

Gongendo Park (Saitama): Rows of pink sakura look over huge fields of golden rapeseed or canola flowers in this masterpiece of Mother Nature.

Tohoku

The northern portion of Honshu Island that faces Tohoku, its rugged landscapes, bitter winters and pristine sakura sights are equally famous.

Sakura Spots

Hirosaki Sakura Festival (Aomori): A park famed for its castle moat, which transforms into a carpet of sakura petals from around mid-April to mid-May.

Funaoka Castle Park (Miyagi): Soar amongst the blooming sakura petals with a picturesque ride by funicular car.

Kitakami Tenshochi Cherry Blossom Festival (Iwate): An absolutely massive strip of sakura trees with wide walkways and sweeping river surroundings.

Hokkaido

Japan’s northernmost prefecture is better known as a snowy ski paradise, but spring brings with it the whiff of sakura blooms as well. Thanks to its far northern latitude, the full blooms here come the latest during late April.

Sakura Spots

Goryokaku Park: A sakura park that sits atop a spectacular star-shaped island in the middle of urban Hakodate.

Nijukken Road: Watch this nondescript stretch of road explode into a gallery of sakura blossoms come late April.

Houkiji Temple: A gigantic standalone sakura tree is the most famous resident in this temple in Hokuto.

Thinking of exploring other places in Asia with blooms? Then check out our guide to China’s must-see spring blooms. There’s also plenty of sakura spots beyond Japan in places such Europe or even the US!

Links

Japan Meteorological Corporation – Release of 2025 Cherry Blossom Forecast (10th forecast)
https://n-kishou.com/corp/news-contents/sakura/?lang=en