Spring time in Japan is one of the best seasons to visit.
One of the peak travel seasons in Japan is obviously cherry blossom season.
Here’s a random selection of great cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan.
Obviously there are a lot more and I intend to do more lists like that in the future.
I hope you’ll enjoy it!~.gif)
1. Ueno Park (Tokyo)
This photo is obviously quite old (2008). Taken with a camera that I don’t possess anymore, so the quality is not that good.
Ueno Park is always worth a visit, but in spring it’s especially beautiful. It’s also one of the most popular sakura viewing spots in all of Tokyo.
2. Matsuyama Castle (Ehime Pref.)
I was so lucky that year (2009). In Shikoku the cherry blossoms were at their peak and the weather was clear as well.
For me there’s nothing more beautiful than a blue sky, cherry blossoms and a castle in the background.
Around the castle are millions of cherry blossom trees, so it’s a great hanami spot.
3. Matsuyama Central Park (Ehime Pref.)
Ocean and cherry blossoms are also one of my favorite sceneries to take photos of.
Matsuyama in Ehime is really a great spot for cherry blossoms. Apart from the castle I recommend Matsuyama Central Park.
4. Naruto City (Tokushima Pref.)
Naruto is famous for the whirlpools near the Naruto Ohashi Bridge which is connecting Awaji Island with Shikoku.
But there’s more to discover than just that.
For cherry blossoms, I recommend the Myokensan Park around Okazaki Castle. From there you’ll also have a nice view onto the ocean.
5. Hiroshima, A-Bomb Dome
The area around the A-Bomb Dome in Hiroshima also has a lot of cherry blossom trees.
When I visited it was a rainy and grey day, but it added to the sad atmosphere around the dome.
6. Shukkeien Garden, Hiroshima:
Gardens are always a great way to enjoy cherry blossoms.
In the photo above you see a bridal photo shooting at Shukkeien, a Japanese-style garden in Hiroshima.
7. Miyajima (Hiroshima):
Miyajima is beautiful in any season. After all it’s one of Japan’s Top 3 Views.
However, I recommend either going in spring or autumn.
And of course the deer enjoyed the cherry blossoms on Miyajima, too!
8. Onomichi (Hiroshima Pref.)
Onomichi is a very beautiful place – not only in spring.
You’ll have the pink cherry blossoms and the blue ocean in the background.
Onomichi is the starting point of the famous Shimanami Kaido cycling tour from Hiroshima to Ehime.
9. The Philosopher’s Path in Kyoto
The Philosopher’s Path in Kyoto is located near the famous Ginkakuji.
It’s truly a cherry blossom paradise. Be aware that it can become very crowded!
10. Arashiyama in Kyoto
Arashiyama is a very popular destination in Kyoto.
It becomes especially beautiful in autumn and spring, but that’s also when it’s very crowded!
11. Gion (Kyoto)
You’ll find one of the most photographed cherry blossom trees in Kyoto, Gion (near Yasaka Shrine).
Can you see the crow that posed especially for that one photo?
12. Kotohira (Kagawa Pref.)
Konpira-san in Kagawa Prefecture (Shikoku) is a sacred place. You have to climb up many stone steps.
But in spring you’ll be accompanied by many sakura along the way which makes the whole trip worth it even more!
13. Yashima (Kagawa Prefecture)
Yashima is very beautiful and worth a visit all-year-round.
2011 I was very unlucky and missed the cherry blossoms for the most part. They were blooming much later than usually.
14. Tsuyama (Okayama Pref.)
Tsuyama Castle is probably one of the most famous cherry blossom viewing spots in the Chugoku area.
But there are other places of interests as well where you can enjoy sakura. One of them is Shurakuen Garden (displayed in above photo).
15. Hamamatsu Castle (Shizuoka Pref.)
Shizuoka makes a good day trip from Tokyo. And it’s also a good place for enjoying cherry blossoms in spring, usually a bit earlier than in Tokyo!
One good place to check out is Hamamatsu Castle.
16. Himeji Castle
Himeji Castle in Hyogo makes a good day trip from Kyoto. It’s always worth a visit, but it becomes especially beautiful during cherry blossom season.
Don’t worry. The reconstruction works have long finished and you can enjoy the castle in its full beauty again!
Cherry blossoms over the moat of Himeji castle.
You can say what you want but cherry blossoms look the best with blue sky in the background!
Spring is one of my favorite seasons in Japan, but recently I like autumn even better. .gif)
The great thing about spring is that there are so many limited sakura (cherry blossom) related items!
Tea, snacks, sweets, body lotions! I’m obsessed with cherry blossoms and because they’re limited I can’t resist to buy some of those items!!!
How about you?
A beautiful post with lots of lovely photos, I really enjoyed it! I can see how much work you put into this portrayal of what is arguably “the” season to be in Japan.
Also, I notice that judging from your photos, we must have visited Matsuyama-jō on perhaps the exact same day in 2009 (a few photos included in my attached gallery) – really fantastic hanami spot indeed :thumbup:
Schön, dass die schlimme Phase unmittelbar nach deinem Umzug jetzt überstanden ist. Viele Grüße ;P
Hallo Norbert! Vielen Dank für deinen Kommentar!
I had a look and your photos and was amazed to see where you’ve been to!
You even visited Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Great! :thumbup:
And you were able to get Himeji Castle shots with cherry blossoms before the reconstruction started! I’m jealous!! ^-^
I can clearly tell from your photos that you truly spotted the best cherry blossom spots in Japan. I’ve been to all of those places, too, but mostly never during spring, so I really envy you!
Also, your photos are truly professional and beautiful!!! :kyah:
I hope some day I can take awesome photos like that, too!!
Viele Grüße zurück in die alte Heimat! :music2:
The pictures are beautiful, simply stunning. My favorite hanami place so far was Miyajima, I really love the hanging sakura trees there! So beautiful! Sadly my two trees at home produced none or only very few blossoms this year… sigh.
I agree with you though, I’ve really grown to appreciate autumn more. The mix of colors is simply stunning. Still, the simple beauty of the white and pink cherry blossoms always catch me off guard. There’s just something heart touching about them.
Some of my readers said that it’s not good to plant cherry blossom trees in your garden if nobody else can see them. Then, the woman of the house will get sick or die early.
Have you ever heard of it? I need to ask Japanese friends if that’s really a common idea here or not.
Can others see your trees? :D
Isn’t it too cold yet for them to bloom?
Interesting, I never received that comment. My cherry blossom trees are visible as I’m on the ground floor. My mothers grew larger than the surrounding bushes without troubles and delights the neighbourhood as well.
After seeing those pictures of the shidare zakura trees in Miyajima I’m tempted to make her plant one in her garden. She just pulled a tree out in front of the house and it would be a perfect spot!
I noticed that you don’t subscribe to all of the posts you left a comment. Maybe this was one of them?
Haha, good luck! ^___^
If it’s a success, I’d love to see some photos!
Some beautiful pictures of the cherry blossoms. You’ve been lucky to have seen them in so many different places :)
Japan Australia
Thanks for the gorgeous sakura post! Absolutely lovely photos! (*^_^)v
! :) Your Ueno Park photo is almost exactly like mine! We must have been standing in exactly the same spot (probably a few years between us though)!! :D
All of these photos are just beautiful! Enjoy your travels and I can’t wait to hear all about them! ;P
Hehe. Good to know that it hasn’t changed much in the past few years, I guess! ^__^
Thanks so much! :D
Spring is my favorite season to be in Japan because I love SAKURA! :heart:
Thank you for posting these pictures. They’re so beautiful. I like the pink cherry blossoms. I can’t wait for the cherry blossoms in Suwa Lake to bloom. I’m going to Matsumoto Castle this weekend for hanami and I’ll share some pictures too.
So in Chubu they’re not blooming properly yet?
Aww, Matsumoto Castle is one of my favorite castles ever!!!! I’d kill someone to see the castle AND cherry blossoms!! :kyah:
I hope you’ll post some photos of it!! Can’t wait to see them! :happy:
Here, they started falling!
I had a short walk today along a path plastered with cherry blossom petals on the ground and more coming falling down. Hanafubuki is the best about sakura season if you ask me.
I was so fascinated that I forget to take a video. Stupid me! :stressed:
I’m trying again tomorrow, but it was windy and rainy today, so there might not be much left anymore! :hum:
P.S.: You being such an Arashi addict, I first thought you wrote Sakurai and not Sakura! XD
In some parts of Nagano the cherry blossoms opened already but not yet here in my place. I’m going tomorrow instead of going on Sunday since I don’t have OT at work. I saw from the news Matsumoto Castle will start lighting up cherry blossoms tomorrow unti the 27th, so it’s a perfect timing. I’ll post the pictures as soon as possible. :peace:
I’ve experiences hanafubuki before and felt like walking under the rain of sakura of petals. :fan:
Hehehe, I love them both. :heart:
*I’ve experienced……rain of sakura petals. (I’m getting “boke” :notamused: )
These are such lovely pictures! Thanks for sharing! So cool you’ve been to so many different places, too. I’m jealous. :)
Thanks! Glad you like them. :D
I’ve been to most places in Japan. Just a few prefectures are still left and I hope to be able to visit them this year! :thumbup:
Why are you jealous? Don’t you get to travel sometimes? :(
Als Kirschblütenfee werde ich mich auch wie blöd mit KIrschblütenkram eindecken. Bei meinem letzten Besuch war ich schon im Ito Yokado am quicken, als ich all die Kirschblütendeko sah… :luvit:
Ich kann’s nicht erwarten, bis der Body Shop wieder all seine Kirschblütenprodukte rausbringt.
Ich habe gehört, in anderen Ländern gibt es die das ganze Jahr, aber hier in Japan ist es mal wieder “limited” für die jeweilige Saison!
Thank you! Can’t wait .Action right now