As I stood beneath a canopy of cherry blossoms gently swaying in the breeze, I couldn’t help but feel giddy. After five trips to Japan, I finally experienced this bucket list moment for myself – witnessing the remarkable bloom of the cherry blossoms in Tokyo.
It isn’t an easy feat; the cherry blossoms only bloom for a short period, and the dates can vary every year depending on the weather. Luckily, despite blooming earlier than expected in 2023, I managed to catch the cherry blossoms in full bloom in Tokyo.
We spent an incredible few days exploring the best spots across the city and capturing them all with my camera.
Read on for all you need to know on where to see cherry blossoms in Tokyo, including the best photo spots, advice on timing and other insider tips for capturing the magical sakura bloom.
Best Places for Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo
Meguro River
This was one of the first spots we visited, and in my opinion, is the best place in Tokyo to see cherry blossoms due to the endless stretches of sakura lining the river in thick clusters. It made for the most magical sight, especially when the petals begin to fall and float downstream.
I recommend getting the subway and getting off at Meguro Station. Walk along the river in a north-easterly direction, towards Shibuya and Naka-Meguro Station.
You’ll pass several bridges that make for great photo spots.
We chose to visit earlier in the day to enjoy the river before it got too busy, but there are also nightly illuminations held during cherry blossom season with pink lanterns and food and drink vendors.
- Location: Meguro River
- Open: 24 hours
- Fee: Free
- Special Events: Annual nightly illuminations from mid-March to early April until ~8 pm
Sakura Street Shibuya
I hunted down this picturesque street in Shibuya, and it paid off.
With the winding street, pink lanterns and tunnel of cherry blossom trees, this was another of my favourite spots for cherry blossoms in Tokyo.
You’ll find it a short walk from Shibuya Station.
This is another spot that is better visited earlier in the day as it is a busy street for traffic. However, if you visit at night, you’ll find the lanterns illuminated which makes for a photogenic sight.
- Location: Sakura Street
- Open: 24 hours
- Fee: Free
- Special Events: Nightly illumination during cherry blossom season
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Amongst the urban sprawl of Shinjuku, you’ll find one of Tokyo’s largest parks. Shinjuku Gyoen covers over 58 hectares with spacious grassed areas and an abundance of cherry blossoms, making it perfect for hanami picnics.
Shinjuku Gyoen is one of the best cherry blossom spots in Tokyo, as there are an estimated over 70 varieties among the 1000 trees. Each variety has slightly different blooming times.
This means you have a good chance of seeing cherry blossoms, even if you are slightly earlier or later than the typical “full bloom” period. The winter flowering blooms of the Kawazusakura and Kanzakura can be seen from as early as February!
As expected, Shinjuku Gyoen is a popular spot, with many locals setting up picnic blankets to enjoy hanami. There was a line to enter the park even when visiting mid-week on our trip in March 2023.
For the 2025 Tokyo cherry blossom season, reservations will be required to enter the park on weekends and national holidays to manage the crowds.
Insider Tip: You’ll find a few cafes and even a Starbucks within the park, however, lines were very long during our visit.
- Location: Shinjuku Gyoen
- Open: 9 am – 5.30 pm daily from March 25 to April 24 (closed Mondays outside of cherry blossom season)
- Fee: 500 Yen
If it’s your first time in Japan, make sure to read my tips for first-timers guide before you go!
Chidorigafuchi Moat
I think Chidorigafuchi Moat might take the spot as the most picturesque cherry blossom spot in Tokyo!
The moat is part of the Imperial Palace Outer Gardens and comes awash with the pink haze of cherry blossoms as they line the moat. During cherry blossom season you can rent paddle boats to admire the cherry blossoms from the water.
Like many other of these beautiful and easily accessible spots, it gets understandably busy – especially as it is free to visit during both the day and at night when illuminations take place. Rental fees apply for the row boats.
- Location: Chidorigafuchi Moat
- Open: 24 hours
- Fee: Free
- Special Events: Nightly illuminations from 6 pm to 10 pm
Yoyogi Park
Every year, thousands of visitors come to Yoyogi Park to view the beautiful cherry blossoms and enjoy hanami among the trees.
In Shibuya, near the Meiji Shrine and Harajuku, there are around 500 beautiful Somei Yoshino trees to view, photograph, and enjoy. Visitors can buy food from the stalls or food carts set up throughout the park.
You can also bring food and alcohol (from a nearby 7-11 or Lawson) to enjoy in the shade of the trees.
There’s no entrance fee for Yoyogi Park, but during cherry blossom season, it can get extremely busy and crowded. Get there early to place your blanket and secure your hanami spot.
If you don’t have your own blanket, you can find the tarps that locals use in the Daiso on Takeshita Dori Street (this is also a great place to find snacks and drinks).
Insider Tip: During this time the lines for toilets can also get insanely long. Search out local public bathrooms outside of the park or be prepared to wait in line.
- Location: Yoyogi Park
- Open: Open 24 hours
- Fee: Free
- Special Events: None, but a very popular hanami picnic spot
Contributed by Mackenzie of A Wandering Scribbler
The next five cherry blossom spots were on my list to visit if time allowed, but unfortunately, 5 days in Tokyo just wasn’t enough to see them all!
Since I spent countless hours researching them anyway, I’ll share them with you. Please let me know if you end up visiting these and what you thought!
Inokashira Park
This spot is one of the furthest on the list from central Tokyo, however, it is easy to get to from Shinjuku on the Chuo Line. This famous hanami spot is popular with locals, and similar to Chidorigafuchi Moat, has a small lake with row boat rentals.
Insider Tip: This is closeby to the popular Ghibli Museum if you are planning to visit it during your time in Tokyo.
- Location: Inokashira Park
- Open: Open 24 hours
- Fee: Free
- Special Events: None
Sumida Park
You’ll find this park lining the Sumida River in Asakusa, with over 600 cherry blossom trees scattered throughout. A great spot for Hanami, but not as busy as some of the others in my top five.
Located just a short walk from the famous Senso-ji Temple. You’ll also get great views of the Tokyo Skytree.
- Location: Sumida Park
- Open: Open 24 hours
- Fee: Free
- Special Events: Sumida Park Cherry Blossom Festival: Take a ride on a traditional yakatabune boat along the river or enjoy the nightly illuminations
Discover more bucket list experiences in Japan here!
Ueno Park
As one of the largest parks in Tokyo, including over 1000 cherry blossom trees, Ueno Park is one of the most popular cherry blossom spots in Tokyo. During cherry blossom season, you’ll find food stalls selling street food.
As one of the more crowded spots, make sure to visit on a weekday and early morning for a more relaxed viewing experience.
- Location: Ueno Park
- Open: Daily from 5 am – 11 pm
- Fee: Free
- Special Events: Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival with nightly cherry blossom illumination
Shiba Park
Another spot in Tokyo that features the early blooming cherry blossoms.
Visit this park for a stunning view of the Tokyo Tower with cherry blossoms in the foreground. This is a much quieter spot compared to others like Yoyogi Park and Shinjuku Gyoen.
Insider Tip: Visit the nearby Zōjō-ji Temple for another photo opportunity with the Tokyo Tower in the background
- Location: Shiba Park
- Open: Open 24 hours
- Fee: Free
- Special Events: None
Sakura Jingu Shrine
This small and quiet shrine is an underrated spot for seeing early blooming cherry blossoms in Tokyo, with its early blooming Kawazusakura.
Whilst there aren’t many trees, the cherry blossoms with the shrine in the background make for an iconic photo. You can buy a pink ribbon, write down your wish and tie it to the tree which adds to the charm. Check out some photos here.
Full bloom is usually a month earlier than the other sakura to visit (end of Feb, early March), so this is a worthwhile spot to visit if you’re in Tokyo before the peak bloom.
Insider Tip: You can grab a Goshuin temple stamp here if you are collecting them.
- Location: Sakura Jingu Shrine
- Open: Open daily 9 am – 5 pm
- Fee: Free
- Special Events: None, but you can purchase a pink ribbon “Hanabi” to tie onto the tree
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Bonus 11: Random Streets
Whilst I came prepared with my well-researched list of the best places to see cherry blossoms in Tokyo, what took me by surprise was the number of beautiful spots we’d stumble across just on our day-to-day exploring of the city.
From this spot in Gotokuji Temple to a random backstreet in Harajuku – you really don’t need to look too hard to find breathtaking sakura during the full bloom in Tokyo.
Keep your eyes open and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the presence of cherry blossoms even in the most random of places within the urban sprawl of Tokyo.
When Do Cherry Blossoms Bloom in Tokyo?
I’m not exaggerating when I say I planned our month-long trip to Japan around when the Yoshino Cherry full bloom was expected in Tokyo.
I booked our arrival in Tokyo to coincide with just before the expected peak.
However, as we know, nature is unpredictable. In 2024 the cherry blossoms in Tokyo bloomed the latest they have since 2012 due to a late cold snap, whereas in 2023 they bloomed about a week earlier than expected due to warmer weather.
From mid-February, the blooming predictions are updated weekly and will be more accurate based on the latest weather trends.
Best Time to Visit Tokyo for Cherry Blossoms
My advice is to look at the latest forecast from the Japan Meteorological Corporation (JMC) for when the cherry blossoms will start to flower and reach full bloom.
Try to plan your arrival within this period, or as close to full bloom as possible. Full bloom is usually a week after the first flower.
The latest and final official forecast will be issued by the Japan Meteorological Corporation in early March 2025.
In 2024, the JMC predicted the flowering would begin in Tokyo on March 23, with full bloom on March 30. However due a sudden cold snap, the cherry blossoms were delayed from the final official forecast. First bloom began on 29 March, 2024 with full bloom on April 4.
This is the latest bloom in over a decade since 2012, showing that once again, it’s important to plan your cherry blossom season travel to be flexible if possible.
The good news is that as these dates are based around the bloom of the Yoshino cherry, you may still see other varieties of cherry blossom bloom, like the early blooming Kawazusakura varietal.
Cherry Blossoms Tokyo Map
Click the below image to open an interactive Google Map to see these locations.
Final Thoughts
That wraps up this ultimate guide to planning your visit to marvel at the wondrous sight of the cherry blossoms in Tokyo. It does take some planning and forward thinking to make sure you time it right, but if you’re following this guide with my favourite spots, you’re in for a treat!
Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below, and don’t forget to check out my other Japan guides to help plan your adventures in Japan!
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