Best places to view cherry blossoms in Tokyo
Cherry blossom season, or sakura, is legit one of the most magical experiences and should definitely be on your bucket list. It can be hard to time, as full bloom my come early or late, but your best bet is to time your trip to Tokyo late March/early April, and to keep an eye on sites that predict full bloom (mankai). It’s like a weather forecast, but for sakura! Last year, my family was lucky enough to hit full bloom in Tokyo, and it was pure magic. All of the Japanese participate in hanami (the art of viewing the cherry blossoms or cherry blossom festival), and the fleeting and delicate nature of the bloom can’t help but make you contemplate how transient life is. We asked our concierge for recommendations on the best places to view cherry blossoms in Tokyo, and based on their list and places that we visited, here is a guide to the top ten popular spots for cherry blossom viewing:
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. This was the first place that we visited and it usually tops the lists of best places to view cherry blossoms in Tokyo. It’s a huge park and there are cherry blossom trees everywhere. You’ll have to pay an entry fee, and you can expect a very big line (or crowd) to get in during cherry blossom season. Be patient, it’s worth the wait.
Chidorigafuchi Moat. Rent a boat and paddle along this moat that is west to the Imperial Palace, and you’ll have cherry blossoms draping over you. I mean, just look at those magical pictures below! We had so much fun rowing our jenky little boat along and getting a unique perspective of the blooms from the water (and sometimes getting a bit tangled up in them). Again, expect a long line to rent a boat, but just wait in it because when else are you going to have the opportunity to row a boat through a canopy of cherry blossom trees?
Ueno Park. Ueno is another beautiful park for hanami. Ueno Park is known for having around 800 cherry trees. Lots of people were having big picnics with friends and family and we saw several impromptu dance performances.
Sumida Park. Sumida has great blossom viewing spots if you want to get some shots of cherry blossoms with the famous Tokyo Skytree in the background.
Meguro River. Have a minute walk or longer along the river here, or have drinks or dinner at a cafe along the river.
Inokashira Park. The Tokyo cherry blossoms bloom over the pond here creating a beautiful reflection on the water. You can also rent a cute little swan boat here.
Yoyogi Park. Yoyogi is another large park in Tokyo and has great cherry blossom spots to enjoy a bento box and enjoy some hanami.
Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens. These gardens have several different types of cherry trees.
Asukayama Park. There’s a monorail that runs through this park, giving you a different perspective above and through the cherry blossom trees. Don’t forget to bring your Japan rail pass when you arrive at the station to ride the monorail.
Rikugien Gardens. This garden has a large weeping cherry blossom tree that almost looks like fireworks or a waterfall when it blooms. They light it up at night for an extra special touch.
And now I’m dying to go back for cherry blossom season in Japan! Hopefully, we’ll get lucky with the cherry blossom forecast again next season. In the meantime, here are some sakura quotes to inspire you before your trip. If you’ve been during sakura, where did you go to see the cherry blossoms in Tokyo?
Traveling to Tokyo? Be sure to check out my other Tokyo posts here.
What to Do in Tokyo: Tokyo Travel Guide
Best Places to View Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo
Best Time to Visit Tokyo
11 Things You Need to Put on Your Tokyo Itinerary
7 Places to Visit Near Tokyo
Things to do in Tokyo with Kids
Tokyo Airbnbs
Where to Stay in Tokyo
Tokyo Travel Video
Park Hyatt, Tokyo
FAQs
Cherry blossoms in Japan usually last between 10 to 14 days after peak bloom.
Tokyo is the prime spot for cherry blossom viewing, it is even seen as a tradition in Japan.
The best time to see the cherry blossoms are at the end of March or early April when they are in full bloom.
– Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
– Chidorigafuchi Moat
– Ueno Park
– Sumida Park
– Meguro River
– Inokashira Park
Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of What The Fab, a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.
