Japan is home to iconic landmarks such as Mount Fuji, Tokyo Tower, and Shibuya Crossing. To truly immerse yourself in the country’s authentic experience, you can plan your visit for the time when cherry blossoms bloom.
The cherry blossom, also known as a Japanese cherry or Sakura, is Japan’s national flower. Residents and visitors await the cherry blossom season yearly, as it not only adorns the country’s busy streets and lively neighborhoods, but also holds significant meanings.
Marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring, the Sakura season promises new beginnings. However, due to its fast blooming season, cherry blossoms also symbolize that life is fleeting—blink, and you’ll miss it.
Recently, the Japan Meteorological Corporation (JMC) has announced the first forecast of the dates when cherry blossoms will start to flower and reach full bloom.
The first location where cherry blossoms will likely appear would be in Nagoya and Fukuoka, with full blooms around March 31 and March 30, respectively.
For Japan’s capital Tokyo, the cherry blossoms are likely to start flowering on March 23, reaching full bloom by March 30.
Meanwhile, for Kyoto, another famous city in the country, cherry blossoms are predicted to flower on March 23, with full bloom around April 1. Below is JMC’s full forecast:
| Location | Forecasted flowering date | Flowering deviation (days) | Forecasted full bloom date | Full bloom deviation (days) | Flowering date in average year |
| Sapporo | 05-Feb | 1 | 05-Jun | 0 | 05-Jan |
| Aomori | Apr-21 | -1 | Apr-25 | -1 | Apr-22 |
| Sendai | 04-Aug | 0 | 04-Dec | -1 | 04-Aug |
| Tokyo | Mar-23 | -1 | Mar-30 | -1 | Mar-24 |
| Kanazawa | 04-Jan | -2 | 04-Jul | -1 | 04-Mar |
| Nagano | 04-Jun | -5 | 04-Dec | -4 | 04-Nov |
| Nagoya | Mar-21 | -3 | Mar-31 | -2 | Mar-24 |
| Kyoto | Mar-23 | -3 | 04-Jan | -3 | Mar-26 |
| Osaka | Mar-25 | -2 | 04-Jan | -3 | Mar-27 |
| Wakayama | Mar-23 | -1 | Mar-31 | -3 | Mar-24 |
| Hiroshima | Mar-22 | -3 | 04-Jan | -2 | Mar-25 |
| Kochi | Mar-18 | -4 | Mar-26 | -4 | Mar-22 |
| Fukuoka | Mar-21 | -1 | Mar-30 | -1 | Mar-22 |
| Kagoshima | Mar-22 | -4 | 04-Mar | -2 | Mar-26 |
“JMC has estimated the flowering and full bloom dates for Somei Yoshino (Yoshino Cherry) trees in approximately 1,000 cherry blossom viewing locations in cities from Hokkaido to Kagoshima,” JMC wrote in a statement.
“JMC has devised its own method for forecasting flowering and full bloom dates based on existing research on the forecasting of flowering and full bloom dates for Somei Yoshino (Yoshino Cherry) trees. [It] estimates the flowering and full bloom dates for each area based on low temperatures during autumn and winter, cherry tree growth status, cumulative temperatures, and past data for each area,” it added.
JMC’s next update is scheduled for January 25, when it will reveal more in-depth information about this year’s cherry blossom season.
