Most individuals consider the cherry blossom season as a brief interval from mid March to early April. Nonetheless, the additional north you go in Japan, the later the cherry blossoms are inclined to bloom. That being mentioned, the cherry blossoms in most locations up within the Tohoku and Hokkaido areas of Japan aren’t in full bloom till mid to late April and even early Could! For these of you who missed out on seeing the sakura down south or within the extra central elements of Japan, this might be an excellent alternative so that you can take a look at some lovely, underrated, and fewer crowded late blooming cherry blossom spots in northern Japan. Listed below are 15 of the perfect cherry blossom viewing spots in northern Japan from April to Could!
What Is Cherry Blossom Viewing (Hanami)?
Hanami(花見), or cherry blossom viewing, is a practice that has an extended historical past in Japan and actually means to have a look at or respect flowers in Japanese. It’s a conventional customized to benefit from the very brief lived however candy and delightful sight of the sakura in spring. In modern Japan, hanami is normally accomplished by having a picnic underneath the blooming cherry blossom bushes with meals and drinks whereas observing and appreciating the brief lived delicacy.
Cherry Blossom Viewing Throughout Golden Week 2025
In case you are dwelling or working in Japan, odds are you’ll have Golden Week off from work or college. Golden Week in 2025 can be from April twenty ninth to Could sixth. It’s a nice time of 12 months when you may rejoice holidays like Kids’s Day and see all the superb koinobori festivals all through Japan. Being an extended trip, it’s also an excellent alternative to see the late blooming sakura up north! Tohoku and Hokkaido are lovely locations within the spring they usually would possibly simply be the proper golden week vacation spot for you.
With out additional ado, right here is our record of 10 of the perfect cherry blossom viewing spots in northern Japan!
1. Hirosaki Fortress/Park (Aomori)
The historic landmark Hirosaki Fortress in Hirosaki park in Aomori prefecture is called one of many prime 3 greatest cherry blossom viewing spots within the Tohoku area. The park will get over 2 million guests throughout the cherry blossom season yearly to see the superb 2,600 Yoshino and weeping cherry bushes in bloom. All through the park there are numerous totally different spots which have exceptional views. In case you are fortunate sufficient to make it to the park on a sunny day, it is possible for you to to see Mt. Iwaki within the background that makes for an impressive and picturesque environment together with the citadel and pink surroundings.
Finest time to see cherry blossoms: Mid April – Early Could
Location: Hirosaki Park
Web site: Hirosaki Park
2. Kitakami Tenshochi Park (Iwate)
Kitakami Tenshochi Park in Iwate prefecture is called among the finest locations to view cherry blossoms in Japan. There are numerous totally different sorts of cherry bushes alongside this park with a whopping 10,000 cherry bushes complete! This park is nice for an extended stroll or a pleasant little picnic whereas doing hanami underneath the cherry blossoms. The Kitakami Tenshochi Cherry Blossom Competition is held from the early April to the top of April yearly and has guests from throughout the nation. Along with the cherry blossoms in full bloom, there are additionally koinobori, or carp streamers, in addition to horse drawn carriages you can take a journey on, making for a nostalgic environment that’s enjoyable for folks of all ages.
Finest time to see cherry blossoms: Early to Late April
Location: Kitakami Tenshochi Park
Web site: Kitakami Cherry Blossom Competition
3. Shiroishi Riverside Hitome Senbonzakura (Miyagi)
In Japanese, ‘Hitome Senbonzakura’ means “view of a thousand cherry bushes”, which is precisely what this beautiful riverside spot is. The Shiroishi River runs subsequent to the Zao Mountains in Miyagi prefecture. You’ll be able to stroll for about 8 km alongside the river and you may be accompanied by the gorgeous cherry blossoms the entire approach. There are numerous totally different sakura occasions on this space within the spring so you’ll want to test their web site for extra data. The cherry bushes in full bloom together with the peaceable flowing river and the mountainous background make you are feeling like you’re in a unique world.
Finest time to see cherry blossoms: Early – Late April
Location: Hitome Senbonzakura
Web site: Shiroishi Riverside Hitome Senbonzakura
4. Yonomori Sakura Tunnel (Fukushima)
The Yonomori Sakura Tunnel in Fukushima prefecture is a street that runs close to the coast and has about 1,500 cherry bushes that cling over the street making for an impressive pink tunnel. The cherry bushes are of the Somei Yoshino selection and lots of of them are over 100 years outdated. The Sakura Competition for 2024 is on April sixth and seventh, nevertheless, the cherry blossoms can be blooming for longer within the month of April.
Finest time to see cherry blossoms: Early – Late April
Location: Yonomori Sakura Tunnel
Web site: Tomioka City Sakura Competition
5. Sakura Nanohana Highway (Akita)
Sakura Nanohana Highway in Akita prefecture is an 11km stretch that runs via Ogata Village. Lining the street are about 3,700 cherry bushes accompanied by a ravishing distinction of spring-colored yellow nanohana, that are younger shoots of the rapeseed plant. There’s a cherry blossom and nanohana pageant held yearly from late April to early Could that features choosing flowers in addition to a mini steam prepare you can journey via the nanohana fields. The pink and yellow collectively make for a real spring feeling and a sight that you just absolutely received’t neglect.
Finest time to see cherry blossoms: Late April – Early Could
Location: Nanohana Highway
Web site: Sakura Nanohana Highway
6. Goryokaku Park (Hokkaido)
Goryokaku Park in Hakodate, Hokkaido prefecture, is an enormous park that was constructed within the form of a star. The park is Japan’s first French-style fort and is likely one of the greatest locations for cherry blossom viewing within the nation. It has about 1,600 cherry bushes in complete and is designated as a particular historic website. You may also get extra of a chicken’s eye view of the park from the Adjoining Goryokaku Tower Observatory proper subsequent to the park which supplies you a spectacular panoramic view of the entire space.
Finest time to see cherry blossoms: Late April – Early Could
Location: Goryokaku Park
Web site: Goryokaku Park (Japanese)
7. Nicchu Line Memorial Walkway (Fukushima)
The Nicchu Line Memorial Walkway in Fukushima prefecture has a ravishing abundance of about 1,000 cherry bushes that’s really a sight to see in full bloom. The Nicchu Line that used to run there was abolished within the 1980’s and is now a peaceable place for folks to take a pleasant stroll and revel in spring flowers. The bushes lined up listed here are weeping cherry bushes and gracefully cling down making for nearly a tunnel-like environment of pink. Halfway via the walkway, you can even see the outdated locomotive that after ran via the realm alongside the Nicchu Line.
Finest time to see cherry blossoms: Mid – Late April
Location: Nicchu Line Memorial Walkway
Web site: Kitakata Tourism
8. Nijukken Highway (Hokkaido)
Nijukken Highway is understood to be among the finest locations to see cherry blossoms in all of Japan. The street is a couple of 7km stretch lined with round 3,000 blooming cherry bushes within the springtime. Yearly in early Could the Shizunai Cherry Blossom Competition is held and attracts over 200,000 folks from throughout the nation. There’s a good sidewalk you can stroll alongside if you wish to benefit from the brief lived cherry blossoms extra up shut and private. Nonetheless driving alongside this street can also be all the time an excellent choice as you are feeling like you’re in a scene from a film.
Finest time to see cherry blossoms: Early – Mid Could
Location: Nijukken Highway Cherry Blossoms
Web site: Shinhidaka Hokkaido
9. Okitama Sakura Hall (Yamagata)
Okitama Sakura Hall within the Okitama area of Yamagata prefecture is an extended hall that stretches about 40km alongside the Yamagata Railway Flower Nagai Line. The road of bushes has quite a lot of totally different sorts of cherry bushes that makes for a beautiful environment of assorted colours. There may be additionally one very well-known cherry tree within the space referred to as the “Lonesome Cherry Tree” that’s mentioned to have been there for over 1,000 years and is a bit of the realm’s historical past and tradition in addition to two different well-known bushes which were named Pure Monuments of Japan.
Finest time to see cherry blossoms: Mid – Late April
Location: Eboshiyama Park
Web site: Okitama Tourism
10. Hanamiyama Park (Fukushima)
Hanamiyama Park can also be positioned in Fukushima prefecture and is called a utopia within the Tohoku area. It’s a lovely flower-filled park on a hill in Fukushima Metropolis. It was once extra of a hidden spring flower vacation spot however now’s extra well-known and will get guests from throughout Japan yearly. In Spring, in case you are fortunate and are there on the proper time, it is possible for you to to see forsythia, maple, quince, peach, plum, and cherry blossoms all in bloom collectively making for an unforgettable sight. When the climate is sweet, you can even see the Adatara and Azuma Mountains within the distance that are normally nonetheless snowcapped, which makes for a ravishing distinction in colour.
Finest time to see cherry blossoms: Early – Late April
Location: Hanamiyama Park
Web site: Hanamiya
11. Miharu Takizakura (Fukushima)
Positioned in Miharu, central Fukushima, the Miharu Takizakura is taken into account by many to be probably the most lovely cherry tree in Japan. Its title, “Takizakura,” which means “waterfall cherry tree,” is extremely becoming. The tree’s 12-meter top is complemented by extremely huge, drooping branches that unfold over 20 meters east-west and 18 meters north-south, creating a surprising waterfall of blossoms. This historical tree, estimated to be over a thousand years outdated with a 9.5-meter trunk circumference, attracts a whole bunch of 1000’s of tourists round mid-April when it reaches peak bloom.
Finest time to see cherry blossoms: Early – Mid April
Location: Miharu Takizakura
Web site: Miharu Takizakura
12. Ipponzakura at Koiwai Farm (Iwate)
Nestled in Iwate Prefecture, in opposition to the majestic backdrop of Mount Iwate, stands a single, breathtaking cherry tree at Koiwai Farm. This solitary sakura, generally known as Ipponzakura, creates a picture-perfect scene with the fragile pinkish-white blossoms contrasting superbly with the emerald-green grass, the clear blue sky, and the snow-capped mountain. Koiwai Farm, a privately owned farm established in 1891 within the countryside close to Morioka Metropolis, attracts over 500,000 guests yearly. The cherry tree, believed to be over a century outdated, attracts crowds all year long, however spring is undoubtedly probably the most spectacular time to witness its full glory.
Finest time to see cherry blossoms: Late April – Early Could
Location: Solitary Cherry Tree at KOIWAI FARM
Web site: Koiwai Farm
13. Senshu Park (Akita)
Every spring, Akita’s Senshu Park bursts into vibrant colour as over 700 cherry bushes blossom. Constructed on the historic grounds of Kubota Fortress Ruins, this picturesque park was acknowledged as one among Japan’s Prime 100 Cherry Blossom viewing spots again in 1990. Good for a leisurely stroll or a soothing picnic underneath the blooming bushes, Senshu Park presents a pleasant hanami expertise. As with all flower pageant, bloom occasions can differ, so it’s all the time a good suggestion to test the official occasion web site for the newest updates.
Finest time to see cherry blossoms: Mid – Late April
Location: Senshu Park
Web site: Cherry Blossom Competition in Senshu Park
14. Kajo Park (Yamagata)
Kajo Park, constructed on the grounds of the once-grand Yamagata Fortress (the biggest within the Tohoku area throughout the Edo interval!), transforms into a wide ranging show of cherry blossoms every spring. 1,500 cherry bushes burst into bloom, creating a surprising distinction in opposition to the white partitions of the restored Higashi Otemon east gate. It’s a picturesque scene that’s much more lovely at evening when the blossoms are illuminated. The height viewing season is usually early to mid-April, coinciding with the Kajo Kanokai cherry blossom pageant. Through the pageant, which lasts from the primary blossoms to the falling petals (normally round mid-April), the moat is superbly lit, and weekends come alive with conventional occasions like tea ceremonies and koto music performances.
Finest time to see cherry blossoms: Early – Mid April
Location: Kajo Park
Web site: Kajo Park
15. Ashino Park (Aomori)
Ashino Park is widely known as one among Japan’s Prime 100 Cherry Blossom viewing spots. Spanning an unlimited 800,000 sq. meters, the park bursts into vibrant colour with roughly 1,500 cherry bushes. The annual cherry blossom pageant, held from April twenty ninth to Could seventh, attracts crowds desperate to witness the wonder right here. A real spotlight is the Tsugaru Railway prepare because it chugs via a wide ranging tunnel of blossoms. The charming, old school station and picturesque surroundings add to the park’s idyllic environment. With a kids’s zoo and an on-site campsite, Ashino Park is a beloved native retreat for all ages.
Finest time to see cherry blossoms: Late April – Early Could
Location: Ashino Park
Web site: Ashino Park
Areas like Tohoku and Hokkaido are so lovely within the spring and are price making the journey whether or not you’re planning on viewing cherry blossoms or not. The character and surroundings up north is really a sight to see and there are such a lot of hidden locations to discover. With the cherry blossom season being so short-lived, it’s best to benefit from each alternative you may to see them all through Japan. We hope you can also make the journey up north and take a look at all the lovely cherry blossom viewing spots in northern Japan!
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