This looks like an amazing time to visit. This area has an added bonus of the Noodle cup museum and the Yokohama Cozmo World. Toward the end of March the cherry blossom begins to emerge in the south of the country, which is celebrated by the Japanese with picnics in local parks. You can’t go wrong if you come visit between the last week of March and the first week of April. Contributed by: Nicole, Travelgal Nicole Strolling around the park will allow you to see many different types of cherry blossom, and they are all lovely when in full bloom. The gates of the Imperial Palace remain closed to visitors for the most part of the year. Thank you for sharing it with us. Read reviews and compare prices for all accommodation in Nara here. The northern island of Hokkaido experiences full bloom in May and is both easily accessible and easy to explore independently. Contributed by: Alexander, Destinavo Tokyo to Matsumoto in mid-April is an ideal journey to see cherry blossoms. To view cherry blossoms in these areas are tricky in itself. The best part, they have a Sakura Festival every year where the many cafés and restaurants bordering the river serve delicious street food and Champagne with strawberries for the occasion. Need more inspiration for Japan? It’s no surprise that visitor numbers to Japan during this season have rapidly increased from around 900,000 visitors in 2013 to 2.9 MILLION in 2019! They really are, Nicky! So why not join them? Third pin image credit: Pixabay Keage Incline. There used to be only 2 occasions on which ordinary mortals like ourselves were allowed to enter the premises. They reach full bloom in major tourist destinations like Kyoto, Osaka and Kanazawa during early April, while mid-to-late April is the best time to see sakura in the Tohoku region. And with good reason! When the cherry blossoms start blooming around the last week Read reviews and compare prices for all accommodation in Suzuka here. Super useful info. So why not join them? As well as being the best time to see the Cherry Blossom the spring is also the best time to visit this part of Japan in general. Stunning photos! Tip: to guarantee your spot, get there early in the morning, lay out your mat and make sure one of you stays there until the entire group arrives. Typically, the blossoms come alive in Japan’s south first as the climate is milder, before gradually creeping up north towards major cities such as Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo. In particular, Matsumoto Castle is simply magical. Everywhere I went, the scenic spots were filled with blooming sakura – and the best part was, many of the lesser-known destinations were less crowded than places like Kyoto or Tokyo! Prepare an itinerary to ensure you can visit all the places you want (or use my 2 weeks in Japan and 3 weeks in Japan itineraries to get you started). Of course, the country’s buzzing capital of Tokyo is a major attraction with many great spots to view cherry blossoms. Depending on a number of varying factors every year, the cherry blossoms can come into bloom anywhere from mid-March to the beginning of April. Kanto is also home to Japan’s second largest city after Tokyo, Yokohama. A professional language hoarder, she can usually be found burying herself in travel books and Wikipedia articles. The “stairs” are actually ladders in a couple places and there are no shoes allowed in Matsumoto Castle so you’ll be ascending in your socks or barefoot. While Tenryuji temple, located in Kyoto’s Arashiyama district, is not specifically a cherry blossom viewing spot, I came across the lush blossoms in the temple’s gardens, at the end of April 2019 and left mesmerized. I would love to visit one day, I can imagine that the perfume of so much blossom is truly intoxicating! Japan’s Cherry Blossom – January to February. The cherry trees have a unique blossoming time that is different than other cherry trees found around Japan. So awesome! The street is lined with 103 cherry streets of 31 varieties and is opened for 5 consecutive days in late March or early April. Contributed by: Smita, Smita Bhattacharya Like the cherry blossoms in DC, this is something I’ll have to enjoy from photos only – I pretty much avoid crowds at all costs and try to travel in the off season whenever possible! Osaka Castle is one of the best places to take part in the annual Hanami and view the cherry blossoms in Osaka. Read on for more! The castle park has more than 4000 varieties of cherry trees planted within its premises. Hirosaki Castle Park – … The best time to see the blossom is the first week of May and the best places include the main city of Sapporo and the beautiful countryside around the towns of Biei and Furano. That’s great news, Jayda! 2 weeks in Japan | Tokyo Itinerary | Kyoto Itinerary | Osaka + Nara Itinerary | Miyajima Day Trip by Ferry | Hiroshima Itinerary, Hidden Gems in Kyoto | Kurashiki: The Venice of Japan | Takayama’s Hidden Jewel, Hida Folk Village | Snow Monkey Park in Summer | Japan Off the Beaten Path Destinations, Crucial Do’s & Don’ts in Japan | Best Japan Travel Guide Books | Japanese Phrases for Tourists | Meaningful Japanese Souvenirs, Authentic Kyoto Cooking Class | Traditional Kyoto Tea Ceremony | Hidden Local Bars in Kyoto. Found around Japan s buzzing capital of Tokyo is a major attraction with many great spots to cherry. To enter the premises trees found around Japan cherry trees planted within its.! Unique blossoming time that is different than other cherry trees found around Japan reviews and compare prices for accommodation. In May and is both easily accessible and easy to explore independently Castle park has more than 4000 of. 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