Top 32 Cherry Blossoms Spots In Japan [Best Viewing Spots For Sakura Watching in Japan]
See the aesthetic sakura here at some of the best cherry blossom spots in Japan. Just visit any of these places and have the loveliest spring experience.
A lot of people know that if you want to witness the most beautiful cherry blossom flower, Japan should be the place you must go to. It’s popular for having various places that offer scenic sakura viewing that’s satisfying and pleasing to our eyes. In case you’ll visit this country during the spring season, here’s our guide for the best cherry blossom spots in Japan that you can choose from.
Cherry Blossom is world-famous for having pink or white petals that result in a magnificent feature and creates a perfect photo opportunity. A lot of tourists and photographers from anywhere in the world visit Japan just to see how beautiful these flowers are. But aside from its beauty, Cherry blossoms, or Sakura also symbolizes a time of renewal due to its quick blooming season. Sakura blooming usually lasts for a week and it signifies the beginning of the spring season.
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Table of Contents
Tokyo
1. Ueno Park
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When we say Cherry Blossom viewing spots in Japan, Ueno Park is always on top of the list. This popular park in Tokyo gives a lively atmosphere as it has over 1000 trees along the street. These trees leading towards the National Museum are such a sight to see. During the spring season, a lot of Japanese people gather here for “hanami” or the cherry blossom viewing. And at night, the park is illuminated for people to enjoy a very beautiful nighttime sakura.
2. Shinjuku Gyoen
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Shinjuku Gyoen is a large garden that also has over 1000 cherry trees with more than a dozen varieties including those that bloom early and late. This garden has 3 types; the English Landscape Garden, the French Garden, and the traditional Japanese-style Garden. It’s fun to learn the differences between these gardens and the cherry blossoms themselves since you can find different types of sakura here. If you miss the main spring season, Shinjuku Gyoen is a good hanami spot. Bringing alcoholic beverages is not allowed.
3. Sumida River and Sumida Park
Sumida Park stretches along both sides of the Sumida River. This makes this park a popular riverside viewing spot. Plus the Tokyo Skytree is also nearby so people can enjoy both the sakura viewing and the tower.
4. Mohri Garden in Roppongi
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Mohri Garden is a Japanese garden located in the center of an urban area. This is the ideal place to relax and view cherry blossoms after a tiring day of shopping in Tokyo. Tourists can also enjoy the autumn season here.
Eastern Japan – Around Tokyo
1. Sankeien Garden in Yokohama
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Sankeien Garden is a massive Japanese garden in Yokohama, Kanagawa prefecture. There are various historical buildings from Kyoto and Kamakura were relocated here. These buildings plus over a hundred sakura trees are worth a look.
2. Mitsuike Park in Yokohama
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This is probably one of the best cherry blossom spots in Japan. Mitsuike Park in Yokohama has more than a thousand cherry trees that surround the whole garden. You can also find 3 ponds inside this park.
3. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura
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A popular sightseeing spot in Kanagawa. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine also known as Dankazura has over a hundred cherry trees. People can enjoy the beauty of cherry blossoms that are blended with the aesthetics of historic buildings.
4. Lake Kawaguchi in Yamanashi
Kawaguchiko or Lake Kawaguchi is located on the foot of Mt. Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture. This spot provides a perfect view of the gorgeous mountain plus the lake and the cherry blossoms. A lot of people visit the lakeside called Nagasaki Park, to have perfect viewing of sakura with Mt. Fuji as the background.
5. Chureito Pagoda in Fujiyoshida
This cherry blossom viewing spot in Fujiyoshida attracts a lot of photographers every year for having an outstanding view. It boasts with over 600 cherry trees. It becomes a symbolic view of Mt. Fuji with the combination of Chureito Pagoda. And during the spring season, the pagoda seems like floating in a sea of cherry blossoms.
Central Japan
1. Takada Park in Niigata
Takada Park has around 4,000 cherry trees. It is located in Joetsu in Niigata Prefecture. Takada castle was built during the Edo Period while Takada Park is built on its former location. People can visit the remains of the town that blooms around the castle. At night, the park and the cherry trees are illuminated creating a very stunning view.
2. Takato Joshi Park in Nagano
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Takato Joshi Park in Nagano is a famous cherry blossom viewing spot in Japan. It is actually listed as one of the three best locations for sakura viewing in the country. The park was built in the former location of Takato Castle. And this former castle ground is covered by around 1,500 cherry trees.
3. Matsumoto Castle in Nagano
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One of the most beautiful prominent castles in Japan. Matsumoto Castle in Nagano has around 300 cherry trees that are planted around it resulting in an aesthetically stunning view during the spring season. The cherry blossoms are also illuminated in the nighttime making it perfect to visit during the evening as well.
4. Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa
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It is one of those gardens in Japan that was built in the Edo Period. Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture is also a popular spot for cherry blossom viewing all over the country. You can find a lot of old sakura trees inside plus a rare type of cherry blossom called the ‘Kenrokuen Kikuzakura’ that can only be found here.
5. Nagoya Castle
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Another famous castle that was built in the Edo Period. Nagoya Castle is located in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. There are around 1,000 cherry trees here. This place offers a lot of great photo opportunities and the view of the castle as the backdrop of the cherry blossoms is truly magnificent.
Kyoto
1. Maruyama Park
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Maruyama Park is next to Yasaka Shrine and is the oldest garden in Kyoto. This traditional Japanese garden is also the most popular park for cherry blossom viewing Kyoto. The center of attraction here is the large weeping cherry tree also called ‘Gion Yozakura’ that is illuminated at night.
2. Arashiyama
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Arashiyama is a district in Kyoto. It has around 1,500 sakura trees. The Togetsukyo Bridge which is located at the foot of Arashiyama mountains is the most popular cherry blossom viewing spot here.
3. Heian Jingu Shrine
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Known for having a lot of weeping cherry trees with deep pink-colored flowers, Heian Jingu Shrine makes one of the best cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan. These trees bloom a little later compared to other cherry trees, so visitors can visit this place if in case you missed the main season.
4. Daigoji Temple
Daigoji Temple is nominated as a world heritage. It is visited by a lot of tourists every year not only for its old buildings and paintings but also because of the beautiful cherry blossoms that create a wonderful photo along with the historic temple as a background.
Osaka and Nara
1. Osaka Castle
There are around 4,000 cherry trees that can be found in the Osaka Castle ground. The Nishinomaru Garden located at the castle’s western fort is a popular viewing spot here with over 300 sakura trees.
2. Kema-Sakuranomiya Park
One of the best-known sakura viewing spots in Osaka. Kema-Sakuranomiya Park has almost 5,000 cherry trees that stretch for 4.2 kilometers on both sides of the Okawa River. The riverside view of ships cruising combined with cherry blossoms is not to miss.
3. Nara Park
Nara Park is a famous site in Nara City. It has over 1,700 cherry trees that surround the park’s grounds. The Todaiji Temple is also located here, and just a few walks from this temple, you’ll find a large lawn surrounded by cherry trees which makes it a perfect hanami spot during the spring season. This is also the park that’s popular for squirrels and bowing deers.
4. Koriyama Castle in Nara
Koriyama Castle is also known as the ‘gotenzakura’ which means the sakura area of the palace. It’s because it has over 1,000 cherry trees and every year, the Yamatokoriyama Castle Festival is held from late March to early April.
Southern Japan
1. Senkoji Park in Hiroshima
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Senkoji Park is nearby the Seto Inland Sea. This park is a popular viewing spot not only in the spring season but at any time of the year. From here, people can enjoy the view of both the islands and the city.
2. Utsubuki Park in Tottori
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Utsubuki Park in Tottori Prefecture is located at the foot of Mount Utsubuki. Various types of flowers bloom here during the spring season. And of course, a lot of people go to this place to see the cherry blossoms. At night, you’ll see hundreds of ‘bonbori’ (paper or silk with illuminations) that illuminate the cherry blossoms giving a very stunning view.
3. Hirakiyama Park in Ehime
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There are around 1,000 cherry trees here at Hirakiyama Park in Ehime Prefecture. From here, people can get to see other sightseeing spots like the Hakata Island, Ohshima Bridge, Omishima Bridge, and the Tatara Bridge along with the cherry blossoms.
4. Kumamoto Castle
Kumamoto Castle in Kumamoto City is the city’s most popular cherry blossom viewing spot. You can find thousands of cherry trees around the castle. These pink flowers give a wonderful view together with the castle.
5. Ohmura Park in Nagasaki
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This park is blessed with 21 different types of cherry blossoms with over 2,000 cherry trees. One of the rare types of sakura that can be found here is what they call the Ohmura-zakura that has more petals than the usual sakura. A must place to visit.
6. Mifuneyama Rakuen Park in Saga
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Located in Saga Prefecture, Mifuneyama Rakuen Park has more than 2,000 sakura trees together with 20,000 azaleas that bloom. This picturesque landscape offers a dreamy atmosphere and great photo opportunities!
7. Saitobaru Kofungun Area in Miyazaki
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One of the best cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan that you shouldn’t miss. Saitobaru Kofungun Area in Miyazaki has 2,000 cherry trees and around 300,000 colzas that bloom in spring. The combination of the pink sakura flowers and yellow colzas is a must-see!
Northern Japan
1. Matsugasaki Park in Yamagata
Matsugasaki Park is located in Yonezawa, Yamagata prefecture. This park was built in the former Yonezowa Castle. Around 200 cherry trees bloom at the moat during the spring season. The reflection of the trees on the moat is such a sight to see.
2. Natsui Senbonzakura in Fukushima
Located in Tamura, Fukushima Prefecture, Natsui Senbonzakura has around 1,000 cherry trees that are aligned on each side of the Natsui River. The views here seeing the beautiful cherry trees lined up are just wonderful.
3. Matsumae Park
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You can find thousands of cherry trees around the rebuilt Matsumae Castle. This is the ideal place to visit if you miss the main cherry blossom season in Tokyo. This is because the park has a variety of cherry trees that bloom at different times. So the hanami season can last for about a month.
And that’s our overall list of the best cherry blossom viewing spots all over Japan that you should see! Have you been to any of these places? Or have you been to any place that’s not on the list? Share with us your thoughts and experience!
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About the Writer
Hi there! I’m Fatima. My first major travel was in 2016 in the beautiful city of Cebu. After that, I got interested in traveling. Now I enjoy learning languages and other country’s cultures. My goal is to visit at least one country each year and to share my experiences with other people through writing or blogging. Witness my journey by following me on Instagram.