Book your flights! Here's the exact date Japan's cherry blossom season is expected to start this year
Spring is coming and it means one thing in Japan—sakura season! For those who want to visit the country while cherry blossoms are in full bloom, mark your calendars because the pink flowers will be coming in March.
For 2023, the Japan Meteorological Corporation said cherry blossoms are expected to bloom in Tokyo starting March 14. Full bloom, meanwhile, is predicted for March 22.
The pink flowers are forecasted to start blooming in areas south of Tokyo beginning in the early months of the year. Meanwhile, regions north of Japan can expect sakura season by April and May.
According to Live Japan, the best places to see cherry blossoms in Japan are Moerenuma Park in Sapporo, Kakunodate Bukeyashiki-dore in Akita, and Ueno Park in Tokyo, and more.
Here's the forecast of flowering and full bloom dates for each area:
- Tokyo - flowering: March 14, full bloom: March 22
- Sapporo - flowering: April 26, full bloom: April 30
- Sendai - flowering: March 30, full bloom: April 4
- Kanazawa - flowering: March 27, full bloom: April 1
- Nagoya - flowering: March 20, full bloom: March 29
- Kyoto - flowering: March 22, full bloom: March 30
- Osaka - flowering: March 23, full bloom: March 31
- Hiroshima - flowering: March 22, full bloom: March 31
- Fukuoka - flowering: March 19, full bloom: March 28
Japan will also have a variety of cherry blossom festivals for the sakura season called hanami that you can join.