Japan Data
Guide to Japan
Travel
Mar 17, 2026
Spring is upon us! Read on to see where the cherry blossoms are blooming in Japan’s 2026 sakura season.
Cherry Blossom Season Kicks Off
Japan’s 2026 cherry blossom season started on March 16 with the first blooms opening in Kōchi. This was followed by Nagoya on March 17 and Tokyo on March 19.
The first bloom is declared when the official sample tree for the region in question shows five to six buds in bloom. Full bloom, meanwhile, is declared when some 80% of the sample tree’s buds have bloomed.
See below for details on the sakura status of 11 Japanese cities.
First and Full Blooms of Somei-Yoshino Cherry Trees (2026)
Created by Nippon.com based on data from the Japan Meteorological Agency for observed dates of first blooming and from the Japan Meteorological Corporation’s March 12 predictions for full blooming.
Tokyo Area Cherry Blossom Gallery
Odawara Castle in Kanagawa Prefecture, which was once the base of the powerful Hōjō clan. (© PhotoAC)
Sankeien, a traditional garden in Yokohama, Kanagawa. (© PhotoAC)
Kodama Senbonzakura in Honjō, Saitama, where 1,100 cherry blossom trees line the river. (© PhotoAC)
Sakura at Sakitama Kofun Park, Saitama, which has nine large tombs constructed from the fifth through the seventh century. (© PhotoAC)
The Hanamigawa cycling course runs for around 13 kilometers in Chiba, Chiba Prefecture. (© PhotoAC)
Mobara Park in Mobara, Chiba, is a well-known sakura spot with 2,850 cherry trees and spectacular illuminations. (© PhotoAC)
Hōjō Ōike pond in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, where cherries bloom against a Mount Tsukuba background. (© Photo AC)
Data Sources
(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © PhotoAC.)
cherry blossoms
