Everyone looks forward to seeing cherry blossoms in spring. Here’s a guide to some of the best spots to view them! 

Hanami (cherry blossom viewing) is one of everyone’s favorite springtime activities. From the end of March to mid-April, millions of people in Japan flock to parks, mountains, and forests to see the beautiful cherry blossoms. Some people even travel far from their homes to popular cherry blossom viewing locations. Others are lucky enough to live near an amazing hanami spot. Wondering where the best cherry blossom viewing places are? There could be one in your city. Read on to find out!  

Shinjuku Gyoen

This Tokyo park is one of the most popular places to view cherry blossoms in Japan. Over 1,000 cherry blossom trees have been planted in the park. Both early blossoming and late blossoming trees are grown in the park, so even if you want to skip the crowded sakura matsuri (cherry blossom festival), you’ll be able to enjoy their beauty. While Shinjuku Gyoen does get its fair share of crowds during hanami season, it’s said to be less crowded than Ueno Park. 

Fuji Five Lakes 

What could be better than a view of Mt. Fuji paired with cherry blossoms? Enjoy both the mountain and flowers at Fuji Five Lakes. Even better, you can enjoy the majestic natural beauty while taking a boat ride. While each of the five lakes is gorgeous,  Lake Kawaguchiko is the most popular for cherry blossom viewing. 

Hirosaki Castle Park 

Hirosaki Castle Park is a gorgeous cherry blossom viewing destination that has up to 2 million visitors every spring. It is the most popular hanami location in Aomori, and possibly all of northern Japan. The park is home to over 2,600 cherry blossom trees, which belong to around 50 different varieties. In addition to the cherry blossoms, you can also enjoy views of Mount Iwaki and the Hirosaki Castle. 

Uminonakamichi Seaside Park

Uminonakamichi Seaside Park is one of the best places in Kyushu to enjoy cherry blossoms. Enjoy a walk or bike ride through the park and enjoy the (approximately) 2,000 blossoming trees. In addition to cherry blossoms, you can see poppy and nemophila flowers at the park. There is also an amusement park inside Uminonakamichi Seaside Park, so you can enjoy going on rides after viewing the cherry blossoms. 

Mount Yoshino

This gorgeous mountain in Nara is an amazing place for hanami. The mountain is located in Yoshino Kumano National Park and has over 30,000 cherry blossom trees. There are 4 hiking trails to choose from and many observation decks where you can enjoy an amazing view of the cherry blossoms. Even when it’s not cherry blossom season, Mount Yoshino is still a beautiful hike, so we highly recommend visiting! 

Matsumae Park

If you’re in Hokkaido, Matsumae Park is the place to go during cherry blossom season. While Hirosaki Castle Park is more popular, there are more cherry trees to be seen at Matsumae Park. There are lots of historical buildings like Kozenji Temple and Matsumae Shrine nearby, so even if you come from out of the area, Matsumae Park is worth visiting. 

Kema Sakuranomiya Park

Just as its name suggests, Kema Sakuranomiya Park is a great place to see cherry blossoms. This Osaka park is home to nearly 5,000 cherry trees, which are located alongside the Okawa River. During the day, many people love to picnic under the cherry trees. However, the park becomes especially stunning at night, when illuminations are lighting up the cherry blossom trees. If you’d rather go cherry blossom viewing at night, Kema Sakuranomiya Park is the perfect place to go. 

These Locations are Beautiful, but Check Out Your Neighborhood 

While all of these cherry blossom viewing locations are rightfully well known and stunning, there may be a cherry blossom street or grove in your neighborhood that’s just as beautiful. If you don’t feel like traveling to one of the locations on this list, check out parks and nature near your home. You’re sure to be able to find some beautiful cherry blossom trees no matter what part of Japan you’re in. And, you’ll get to avoid the crowds that flock to popular hanami locations. Whether you travel far or stay home, have a happy cherry blossom viewing season!