Although the Philippines doesn’t have a spring season, most of us are excited by it because it means we can plan out a trip to Japan to witness the cherry blossoms or sakura bloom. However, it is smart to plan a trip that will coincide with the flowering and bloom of cherry blossoms so we can fully get immersed in their pink and white beauty.
During this season, there are also many cherry blossom festivals that we attend. We can also simply sit back and relax, and enjoy hanami, which is the Japanese tradition of viewing and enjoying the beauty of the cherry blossoms.
Spring in Japan is already here in some regions and is around the corner with the tail-end of winter in other regions. So, to know when is the best time to go and enjoy the view of the cherry blossoms, the Japan Meteorological Corporation released the following schedule.
Based on the forecast, the best times to visit (full bloom) are expected to be around March 26 in Tokyo, April 1 in Hiroshima and Osaka, and April 2 in Kyoto.
Here’s a more detailed forecast:
Hokkaido Region (flowering date, full bloom date)
- Muroran, Hokkaido – May 4, May 9
- Hakodate, Hokkaido – April 28, May 2
- Sapporo, Hokkaido – May 1, May 5
Tohoku Region
- Aomori, Aomori – April 22, April 26
- Morioka, Iwate – April 18, April 24
- Sendai, Miyagi – April 7, April 22
- Akita, Akita – April 18, April 22
- Yamagata, Yamagata – April 14, April 18
- Fukushima, Fukushima – April 6, April 11
Kanto-Koushin Region
- Mito, Ibaraki – March 22, April 5
- Utsunomiya, Tochigi – March 28, April 4
- Maebashi, Gunma – March 26, April 2
- Kumagaya, Saitama – March 23, March 30
- Choshi, Chiba – March 29, April 5
- Tokyo, Tokyo – March 19, March 26
- Yokohama, Kanagawa – March 22, March 30
- Kofu, Yamanashi – March 23, March 31
- Nagano, Nagano – April 9, April 15
Hokuriku Region
- Niigata, Niigata – April 9, April 14
- Toyama, Toyama – April 4, April 9
- Kanazawa, Ishikawa – April 3, April 9
- Fukui, Fukui – April 3, April 8
Tokai Region
- Gifu, Gifu – March 22, March 30
- Shizuoka, Shizuoka – March 22, March 30
- Nagoya, Aichi – March 21, March 30
- Tsu, Mie – March 24, March 29
Kinki Region
- Hikone, Shiga – March 30, April 6
- Kyoto, Kyoto – March 24, April 2
- Osaka, Osaka – March 24, April 1
- Kobe, Hyogo – March 25, April 3
- Nara, Nara – March 26, April 2
- Wakayama, Wakayama – March 23, March 31
Chugoku Region
- Tottori, Tottori – March 30, April 6
- Matsue, Shimane – March 30, April 6
- Okayama, Okayama – March 27, April 3
- Hiroshima, Hiroshima – March 23, April 1
- Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi – March 24, April 2
Shikoku Region
- Tokushima, Tokushima – March 26, April 3
- Takamatsu, Kagawa – March 25, April 2
- Matsuyama, Ehime – March 24, April 3
- Kochi, Kochi – March 20, March 27
Kyushu Region
- Fukuoka, Fukuoka – March 20, March 30
- Saga, Saga – March 25, April 2
- Nagasaki, Nagasaki – March 22, March 31
- Kumamoto, Kumamoto – March 22, March 31
- Oita, Oita – March 23, April 2
- Miyazaki, Miyazaki – March 21, March 30
- Kagoshima, Kagoshima – March 21, March 30
A hanami experience in Japan can be once in a lifetime. I’ve been in Japan several times but this 2018 might be the first time I see cherry blossoms in real life. I will share with you photos and videos when I see them but I feel it is a different experience, a better one, to see them for yourself. 🙂
Don’t miss that experience!
Where are you viewing cherry blossoms in Japan this 2018? Any sakura viewing travel tips? Share them with us!
