Japan's Best Cherry Blossom Spots: Peak Times, Fees and Access

3. Tohoku and Hokkaido: late blossoms and melting snow

Hirosaki Park (弘前公園), Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture

Hirosaki Park is counted among Japan's three great spots for night-time cherry blossom viewing (日本三大夜桜). Around 2,600 trees of some 50 varieties bloom against the backdrop of Hirosaki Castle (弘前城), a sight often described as a "sea of clouds" of blossom. Don't miss the tunnel of cherry trees along the Nishibori moat (西堀), or the hanaikada (花筏, "flower rafts"), when fallen petals carpet the surface of the water. The Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival (弘前さくらまつり) runs from late April to early May in most years, with the trees lit up at night.

• Address: 1-1 Shimoshiroganecho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8356
• Typical peak: Late April to early May
• Hours:
  • Free area: open 24 hours
  • Paid area (the castle's Honmaru and Kita-no-Kuruwa enclosures, and Hirosaki Castle Botanical Garden): 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM; 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM during the cherry blossom festival
• Admission:
  • Single ticket (Honmaru and Kita-no-Kuruwa only): adults ¥320, children ¥100
  • Combined ticket (Hirosaki Castle, Hirosaki Castle Botanical Garden and Fujita Memorial Garden): adults ¥520, children ¥160
• Access: About 15 minutes by bus from JR Hirosaki Station to the Shiyakusho-mae (City Hall) stop, then about 4 minutes' walk
• Event: Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival, usually late April to early May
• Inquiries: Hirosaki City Park Greenery Association, tel. 0172-33-8739

Goryokaku Park (五稜郭公園), Hakodate, Hokkaido

Goryokaku, a designated Special Historic Site, is a star-shaped fortress whose outline is traced by around 1,500 cherry trees, most of them Somei Yoshino. Seen from above, from the observation deck of Goryokaku Tower (五稜郭タワー), the pink star is a view you won't find anywhere else. The blossoms usually peak from late April to early May, and the trees are lit up at night.

• Address: 44 Goryokakucho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0001
• Typical peak: Late April to early May
• Hours: The park is always open. The area inside the moat is open 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM from April to October.
• Admission: Free. Goryokaku Tower is charged (adults ¥1,000).
• Access:
  • About 15 minutes' walk from the Goryokaku-koen-mae stop on the Hakodate city tram
  • About 15 minutes by car from JR Hakodate Station
• Event: The trees are usually illuminated during the Goryokaku Park Cherry Blossom Festival (五稜郭公園桜まつり).
• Inquiries: Goryokaku Park Management Office, tel. 0138-31-5505

4. Chubu and Hokuriku: blossoms in a celebrated garden

Kenrokuen Garden (兼六園), Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture

Kenrokuen, one of Japan's three great gardens (日本三名園), has around 420 cherry trees. Higan-zakura and Somei Yoshino peak in early April, and then a series of named trees take over, among them Asahi-zakura (旭桜), Kenrokuen-Kumagai (兼六園熊谷) and Kenrokuen-Kikuzakura (兼六園菊桜), so there is something to see until around Golden Week. During the cherry blossom season the garden opens free of charge and is illuminated at night, giving it a completely different mood after dark.

• Address: 1 Kenrokumachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0936
• Typical peak: Early to mid-April (some varieties until around Golden Week)
• Hours:
  • March 1 to October 15: 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM
  • October 16 to the end of February: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
  • Open until 9:30 PM during the free cherry-blossom opening
• Admission: ¥320. Free for visitors aged 65 and over, and free for everyone during the cherry-blossom opening period.
• Access: About 9 minutes by bus from the East Exit of JR Kanazawa Station to the Kenrokuen-shita/Kanazawa-jo stop, then about 5 minutes' walk
• Event: Evening illuminations during the cherry blossom season
• Inquiries: Ishikawa Prefecture Kanazawa Castle and Kenrokuen Management Office, tel. 076-234-3800

5. Kansai: history and blossom woven together

Mount Yoshino (吉野山), Yoshino, Nara Prefecture

Often called the finest cherry blossom spot in Japan, Mount Yoshino is covered by more than 30,000 cherry trees of around 200 varieties. The blossoms climb the mountain with the altitude, from Shimo-senbon (下千本, the lower slopes) through Naka-senbon (中千本) and Kami-senbon (上千本) to Oku-senbon (奥千本, the innermost slopes), so the season stretches from early to late April. The panorama known as Hitome Senbon (一目千本, "a thousand trees at a glance") is breathtaking, and the trees are also lit up at night.

• Address: Yoshinoyama, Yoshino Town, Yoshino District, Nara 639-3115
• Typical peak:
  • Shimo-senbon: early to mid-April
  • Naka-senbon: early to mid-April
  • Kami-senbon: early to mid-April
  • Oku-senbon: mid- to late April
• Hours: Open to walk freely
• Admission: Free (some facilities charge a fee)
• Access:
  • About 3 minutes by ropeway from Yoshino Station on the Kintetsu Yoshino Line (check that the ropeway is running before you go)
  • In blossom season the roads are badly congested and private cars are restricted. If you drive, use the outlying car parks near Yoshino-jingu Station, the stop before Yoshino, and continue by shuttle bus or on the Kintetsu line.
• Event: Illuminations and cherry blossom festivals during the blooming season
• Inquiries: Yoshinoyama Tourist Association, tel. 0746-32-1007

6. Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu: an early spring in a mild climate

Kintaikyo Bridge (錦帯橋), Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture

Kintaikyo, one of Japan's three great bridges (日本三名橋), crosses the Nishiki River (錦川) in five graceful wooden arches, and in spring around 1,500 cherry trees bloom around it. The bridge, the blossoms and the clear river together make one of Japan's classic spring scenes. In cherry blossom season the bridge and the trees are lit up at night in a range of colors.

• Address: 2 Yokoyama, Iwakuni, Yamaguchi 741-0062
• Typical peak: Late March to early April
• Hours: The area is open to walk freely. The bridge toll booth is staffed from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (until 6:00 PM in the tourist season).
• Admission: Kintaikyo bridge ticket (round trip): adults ¥310, elementary school children ¥150
• Access:
  • About 20 minutes on a Kintaikyo-bound bus from JR Iwakuni Station (Sanyo Main Line); the bridge is right by the Kintaikyo stop
  • About 15 minutes on a Kintaikyo-bound bus from JR Shin-Iwakuni Station (Sanyo Shinkansen)
• Event: Cherry blossom illuminations at the bridge from sunset to 9:00 PM. In the season this guide was prepared, they were scheduled from the day the blossoms were officially declared open until April 19.
• Inquiries: Iwakuni City Tourism Promotion Division, tel. 0827-29-5116

Kumamoto Castle (熊本城), Chuo Ward, Kumamoto

Kumamoto Castle, one of Japan's three great castles (日本三大名城), is also a celebrated cherry blossom spot with around 800 trees. Somei Yoshino, Yamazakura and Chiharazakura frame the castle, and seeing them against a castle still being restored is a moving sight. The highlights are the cherry-lined Miyukizaka slope (行幸坂), Ninomaru Square (二の丸広場) and the square in front of the main keep (天守閣前広場). In the blossom season the castle also opens at night, with illuminations.

• Address: 1-1 Honmaru, Chuo Ward, Kumamoto 860-0002
• Typical peak: Late March to early April
• Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (last entry 4:00 PM)
• Admission: High school age and above ¥800; elementary and junior high school students ¥300
• Access: About 17 minutes by city tram from JR Kumamoto Station to the Kumamotojo/Shiyakusho-mae stop, then about 10 minutes' walk
• Event: The Spring Kumamoto Castle Festival (春のくまもとお城まつり) is held every year and includes evening openings.
• Inquiries: Kumamoto Castle General Office, tel. 096-352-5900

7. More cherry blossom spots across Japan

If you have more time, or you're traveling beyond the areas above, these spots are also well worth the trip.

• Takato Castle Ruins Park (高遠城址公園), Ina, Nagano Prefecture Around 1,500 Takato Kohigan-zakura (タカトオコヒガンザクラ) trees bloom here, a variety praised as tenka-daiichi no sakura (天下第一の桜, "the finest cherry blossoms under heaven"). Their small flowers have a slightly reddish tint. The usual peak is early to mid-April.
• Osaka Castle Park (大阪城公園), Chuo Ward, Osaka An urban oasis where around 3,000 cherry trees bloom against the backdrop of Osaka Castle (大阪城). Nishinomaru Garden (西の丸庭園) is especially famous, and you can enjoy the blossoms at night too.
• Arashiyama (嵐山), Ukyo Ward, Kyoto Togetsukyo Bridge (渡月橋) framed by blossom is Kyoto at its most picturesque. Around 1,500 cherry trees, mostly Yamazakura, bloom here, usually peaking from late March to early April. Our Arashiyama guide covers the bamboo grove and the rest of the area.
• Ritsurin Garden (栗林公園), Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture A vast garden designated a Special Place of Scenic Beauty (特別名勝), with around 300 cherry trees. Because it is a stroll garden, you see the blossoms from a new angle at every turn of the path.
• Maizuru Park (舞鶴公園), Chuo Ward, Fukuoka Spread over the ruins of Fukuoka Castle, this park has around 1,000 cherry trees. The blossoms look beautiful against the old stone walls, and evening viewing is popular.

8. Planning tips

A few practical points will help you see the blossoms at their best.

• Follow the blossom front north. In a typical year, the Tokyo spots, Arashiyama, Kintaikyo and Kumamoto peak from late March to early April, Kenrokuen and Mount Yoshino in early to mid-April, and Hirosaki and Hakodate from late April to early May. If you miss full bloom in Tokyo, the north can still give you a second chance about a month later.
• Choose spots with long seasons if your dates are fixed. Shinjuku Gyoen has something in bloom from mid-February to late April, Mount Yoshino flowers in stages up the mountain through April, and Kenrokuen's named trees last until around Golden Week.
• Plan an evening visit. Many of these spots are illuminated in blossom season: the lanterns at Ueno, the moat at Chidorigafuchi, Hirosaki, Goryokaku, Kenrokuen (open until 9:30 PM during the free opening), Mount Yoshino, Kintaikyo (until 9:00 PM), Kumamoto Castle's night openings, Osaka Castle Park and Maizuru Park.
• Check the rules before you go. Shinjuku Gyoen bans alcohol and may require advance reservations at peak time, Ueno Park closes to visitors between 11:00 PM and 5:00 AM, and paid areas such as Hirosaki Castle and Kumamoto Castle have set hours.
• Take public transport where you can. Roads to the busiest spots are heavily congested in blossom season, and Mount Yoshino restricts private cars, so drivers park at the outlying car parks and continue by shuttle bus or train.
• Budget for small fees. Many spots are free, but expect to pay for some entries: ¥500 at Shinjuku Gyoen, ¥320 at Kenrokuen outside the free period, ¥320 or ¥520 at Hirosaki Castle, ¥310 for the Kintaikyo bridge, ¥800 at Kumamoto Castle, ¥1,000 for Goryokaku Tower and about ¥800 for 30 minutes in a boat at Chidorigafuchi.
• Check the latest information. Blooming dates, festival schedules, illumination hours and fees change from year to year, so confirm them with the venue or the local tourist office (the inquiry numbers are listed above) before you set off.

For a route that strings several of these places together, see our 7-day cherry blossom itinerary.

9. Summary: plan your own cherry blossom trip

Japan's cherry blossoms take many forms: lantern-lit avenues in Ueno, boats on the Imperial Palace moat, a sea of blossom around Hirosaki Castle, a star-shaped fortress in Hakodate, a whole mountain in bloom at Yoshino and castle walls framed in pink in Kumamoto. Each spot has its own character and history, and each one peaks at a different time.

Check the forecast for your year, plan early, and choose one or two spots that suit your route and dates. Use public transport where you can, follow each venue's rules, and you'll come home with memories of one of the most beautiful seasons in Japan.

If you'd rather set your own pace between spots, you can book a rental car with OlaChill. At the busiest places, such as Mount Yoshino, where private cars are restricted in blossom season, the train is still the better choice.