July 16 2024

5 best places to visit in Japan during Sakura season

around.the.world.in.flip.flops Asia, Japan 0

Are you trying to plan a trip to Japan during cherry-blossom season? I’ve done it myself, so I know how overwhelming it can be. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of gorgeous places to see Sakura in the whole country so honestly the hardest part is deciding which places to include on your itinerary.

I’ve done extensive research about it and spent 46 days in different parts of Japan during Sakura season, so I’m here to help you narrow it down to 5 easily acessible places where you can some amazing Sakura views.

Kinosaki Onsen, Hyogo Prefecture

This tiny town located by the sea in the Hyogo Prefecture isn’t such a well-known place and I’m shocked by that. It’s such a beautiful and picturesque Onsen town, with a small river running through it and traditional houses everywhere, but somehow it’s still quite undiscovered by many tourists.

Kinosaki Onsen is more than worth a visit at any time of the year but if you are lucky enough to time your visit during the short window when the cherry trees are blossoming, you are in for such a treat.

This town has plenty of cherry trees planted along the river that runs through the city center. I was so extremely lucky to be there exactly on the days when they were in full bloom and I could barely believe my eyes when I first saw it those illuminated pink trees hanging down above the river and framing it perfectly. It was by far the best Sakura experience I had during my whole trip in Japan.

Sakura by the river in Kinosaki Onsen

Oide Park, Nagano

This isn’t the most central place on this list and it might take you a while to get there but I promise you that it’s totally worth it!

Oide Park is located in Nagano Prefecture and it‘s by far the most beautiful and majestic place I saw in my whole trip in Japan. This park is perfectly located with a view to Japan‘s Northern Alps, it has the Himekawa River running through and cherry trees all around, making it one of the most scenic places to see Sakura in the whole country.

Sakura season at Oide Park, Nagano Prefecture

Sumida Park, Tokyo

If you are planning to visit Japan during cherry blossom season but want to stick to the main cities, you might worry about missing out on some of the best Sakura spots spread around the country. I had the same concern when I started planning my trip to Japan but I quickly realized that the big cities have wonderful cherry blossom viewing spots as well.

There are several good places to visit in Tokyo if you are lucky enough to be visiting when the cherry trees are blooming. You can see them along the Maguro River or at the Chidorigafuchi Moat near the Imperial Palace, but if you want to see Sakura with Tokyo’s Skytree in the background, there’s another place you need to put on your list.

Sumida Park is the park you can find along the Sumida River in Tokyo and in my opinion it’s the best Sakura viewing spot in the Japanese capital. I could barely believe my eyes when I got to see cherry blossoms for the first in Japan with the Tokyo Skytree in the background and japanese people dressed in kimonos on their gorgeous Sakura photoshoots. Make sure you go there for the Bokutei Sakura-matsuri Festival if you are in Tokyo while it’s happening: they have stands along the river and the cherry trees are lighted up at night, for an even more special Sakura experience.

Take a Rickshaw tour around this area 📍

Himeji Castle, Hyogo Prefecture

Even if you haven‘t heard of this castle‘s name, I‘m sure you have seen pictures of it. The Himeji Castle is one of the most iconic in Japan and it‘s actually the biggest castle in the country.

Visiting this beautiful castle and its surrounding park is such a great thing to do while you‘re in Japan, no matter the time of the year. But the whole area obviously comes to life and becomes even more special during Sakura season. I visited Himeji and its castle in April and I still can‘t believe I got lucky enough to be there during full bloom. Seeing the japanese locals enjoying their picnics at night under the illuminated cherry trees is one of the most unforgettable memories from my trip to Japan.

Learn more about Himeji Castle on this guided tour

Kōdaiji Temple, Kyoto

If you are planning a trip to Japan, you are likely going to visit Kyoto. It‘s one of the most popular cities to visit in the country and for good reason: it‘s absolutely gorgeous!

I was happy to see Sakura scattered around the city while I was exploring during the day but the true highlight of my visit to Kyoto took place at night. I just happened to see some advertisments in the city about a Sakura light show at Kōdaiji Temple and I decided to give it a shot, even though the cherry trees were taking extra long to bloom and I didn‘t expect to see that many blossoms.

I couldn‘t contain my shock and excitement when I got there and saw a sign saying “FULL BLOOM” with that day‘s date – it had happened during the day!

I was in for one of my most cherished travel experiences of all times and one of few moments that brought me to tears while traveling. The Sakura looked absolutely perfect and the light show at this temple was simply magical. I lost count of how many times I saw the show repeat itself. I just couldn‘t stop that moment and wanted to enjoy it forever.

Sakura light show at Kōdaiji Temple

These are some of the endless places where you can have a magical Sakura experience in Japan. I will cherish all of these experiences forever as they are some of my all-time best travel memories and I hope I inspired you to visit some of these special places as well and make some memories of your own.

Are you planning a trip to Japan? I’ve done it too and I know how overwhelming it can be. That’s why I created these two free travel guides to help you plan the trip of a lifetime in Japan! Get them here 👇🏼