Cherry blossom (sakura) season lasts around a month across the country (generally from late March to early April), but trees are only bloom for a week or two and those dates vary from region to region. You can see how this starts to get tricky when trying to organise a trip, especially if travelling from overseas. If you are planning to catch the cherry blossom season this year then we have some good news for you. The first official 2025 cherry blossom forecast from the Japan Meteorological Corporation (JMC) is in.

How does a flower blossoming predication work, you ask? It’s actually quite simple. There are four significant phases in a cherry blossom’s life, these are: bud formation, breaking of dormancy, flowering and full bloom. As spring approaches and the weather warms, the buds break the dormancy period and grow as temperatures increase. This is what is currently taking place in Japan and has given the JMC a clearer idea of when we can expect the soft pink splendour to take over the Land of the Rising Sun.

Sakura season is very much dependent on the weather, but traditionally you’ll see the first blossom of the season in southwestern parts of the country. It will then continue to advance northward until it hits Hokkaido, which is usually the last spot to bloom. The most popular spots across Japan for cherry blossom viewing are Osaka, Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Nagoya and Sendai. We’ve broken down when you can see the cherry blossoms at their peak per region.

One of Japan’s best cities for cherry blossom viewing. Popular spots include Kema Sakuranomiya Park and the Insta-worthy Osaka Castle. In each location thousands of trees are predicted to begin flowering March 30 and will be in peak bloom April 7.

Well, it’s a given that you expect Tokyo to be buzzing with tourists come cherry blossom season and for good reason. There’s no shortage of spots to see the trees in bloom. One of the most popular is Ueno Park where 1,000 trees come alive. The JMC predicts that cherry blossoms will begin flowering March 25 and blooming a week later, on April 2.

Some would argue that Kyoto is the epicentre of the sakura season thanks to Maruyama Park where a tall ‘shidarezakura’ (weeping cherry tree) is illuminated come nightfall. River banks are lined with flowering pink trees throughout the city that make it ridiculously picturesque. Flowering is predicted to begin March 30 and buds will be in full bloom come April 8.

In Hiroshima Hijiyama Park and Hiroshima Castle compete for the top spots for cherry blossom viewing. Not as popular as other locations throughout Japan, the city is perfect for those wanting to take in the natural phenomena while avoiding thick crowds of tourists. Flowering will begin on March 29 and full bloom will be in full swing on April 7.

There are more than one popular spots for cherry blossom viewing (hanami) in Fukuoka. Two of the most photographed is Fukuoka Castle (Maizuru Park) and Nishi Park (Nishi Koen). It’s predicted by the JMC that the cherry blossom will begin their bloom cycle on March 27 and be at peak bloom on April 4.

Don’t limit yourself to just one spot to view cherry blossoms in Nagoya. Tsuruma Park is probably Nagoya’s most popular city park’s for cherry blossom viewing. You’ll find food stands and plenty space of space to sit under the trees.The Shikinomichi (“Path of Four Seasons”) along Yamazaki River is considered of of Japan’s best cherry blossom spots. The river is lined by hundreds of cherry trees for nearly. At Nagoya Castle there are your typical cherry blossom trees, plus less commonly seen tree varieties. The blossoms will start to bloom on March 28 and will be at their prime bloom on April 6, according to the JMC.

Nishi Park, Tsutsujigaoka Park, Mikamine Park are the most popular spots in Sendai to take in the beauty of cherry blossom season. The cherry blossom season will begin later in Sendai than other parts of Japan. Buds will begin to bloom April 8 and be in peak bloom April 32. Keen for a day excursion? Head from Sendai by train to Funaoka Castle Ruins Park in Shibata where you can ride an elevated train through a canopy of cherry blossom trees.