Sakura cherry blossom season is just around the corner in Japan for this year, and in 2025 you can expect the cherry blossoms to start blooming in Tokyo around March 23rd. Japanese people have been admiring the Sakura blossoms for centuries with the Hanami (花見) cherry blossom viewing culture and tradition believed to date back as early as 812 AD.
In this article, we’ll be focusing on some of the best cherry blossom viewing spots together with some fantastic tours that you can take for an unforgettable experience while in Japan. So read on to find out which cherry blossom spot and tour will best suit you.
If you want to check only on a particular area of Japan, please feel free to jump to the relevant section. For those who want to know more on Sakura cherry blossoms and Hanami cherry blossom viewing in general, check our post of Sakura Cherry Blossom Guide for a quick reference.
Meguro River in Tokyo
For cherry blossom viewing in Tokyo, some of the well-known sites include Chidorigafuchi Moat, Shinjuku Gyoen, and the parks such as Ueno Park and Yoyogi Park.
However, it is the Meguro River (Promenade) which ranks at the top for the most popular cherry blossom spot in Tokyo. Approximately 800 Sakura cherry blossom trees are lined along the river forming an awesome Sakura canopy over the river, which stretches nearly 4 km and attract many Hanami viewers especially those looking to enjoy the magical vibe of the illuminated Yozakura (night time Sakura) during the Sakura light-up time.
If you’re looking for a Hanami tour, 2025 Evening Hanami (Cherry Blossom) Tour: Tokyo by Arigato Travel allows you to experience a true Hanami stroll with plenty of time to take sweeping Sakura scenic photos along the Meguro River. As you’ll be moving around the Nakameguro area which is filled with lots of fashionable shops and trendy restaurants, you can try and enjoy local sweets and senbei rice crackers as well as a tasty regional dinner at an Izakaya Japanese pub.
Incidentally, Arigato Travel is offering 3 other Hanami tours in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Each one is worth checking as they’re a long established and trustworthy tour company in Japan and cater not only for families and groups but also solo travelers. If you’re able to take any of their tours, you’ll have a great time and an unforgettable memory to take home!
2025 Daytime Hanami (Cherry Blossom) Tour: Tokyo is a real Hanami walking tour around part of the Yanaka area, which is full of ancient temples and shrines to explore the history of the area and to taste local treats, beverages and get the chance to savour a special Hanami bento lunchbox.
2025 Cherry Blossom Season Evening Hanami Tour: Kyoto is to stroll around the beautiful Demachiyanagi area of Kyoto in a true Hanami spirit – seeing the blossoms, viewing historic buildings, tasting seasonal treats and browsing a local shopping arcade as well as having an outdoor Hanami-style food tasting and a delicious dinner at a local restaurant.
2025 Daytime Hanami (Cherry Blossom) Tour: Osaka is a special Sakura-themed food tour to experience an authentic local Hanami stroll and take some fantastic photos. While walking through the maze-like streets with traditional wooden houses and shops, you can also taste seasonal Sakura inspired foods.
Mt. Yoshino in Nara Prefecture (western Japan)
Mt. Yoshino is arguably the most famous Hanami spot in Japan, boasting as many as 200 different varieties of over 30,000 Sakura trees that blanket the mountain in breathtaking shades of pink and white during its cherry blossom season, usually early to mid-April. Planted on the four different sections of the mountain – as the blossoms bloom in layers from the base to the peak, not only it creates a panoramic view but also it gives people a longer period to enjoy viewing the amazing Yamazakura (mountain cherry) blossoms!
For viewing Yoshino cherry blossoms, H.I.S.Co. Ltd., one of the leading travel agencies in Japan, is offering a “Cherry Blossom Buddha and Mt. Yoshino with Strawberry Picking Tour”. In this 9-hour tour, you will have the opportunity to see spectacular panoramic views from the top of Mt. Yoshino and a chance to view the great Buddha surrounded by cherry blossom trees as well as enjoying strawberry picking in the area where you can savour the delicious strawberries straight off the vine!
Higashiyama and Gion in Kyoto
In Kyoto, you can see the superb cherry blossoms at historic temples, shrines and parks such as Maruyama Park – one of the most popular sites to enjoy food and drinks in a lively atmosphere under the blooming Sakura trees in early April.
While Maruyama Park offers more of a fun type of Hanami, the Gion area especially along the Shirakawa River is where you can see rows of traditional wooden townhouses – with their beautiful cherry blossoms overhanding the river, one of the must-see spots to immerse yourself in Kyoto’s cultural heritage and its lovely Sakura in spring!
With this in mind, Ebisuya Rickshaw has the “Sakura Season Private Rickshaw Tour”. This is a 70-minute tour to experience a private rickshaw ride and enjoy seeing the traditional townhouses and beautiful cherry blossoms while riding through Kyoto’s famous Geisha district, Gion, along the river and across the main bridge. For a deeper journey into the blossoms, opt for the longer 120-minute tour where you can see the cherry blossoms at the Kiyomizudera temple or at the Nanzenji temple along with other famous spots as well as the Gion district.
Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi in Yamanashi Prefecture (central Japan)
Mt. Fuji and Sakura are both considered to be iconic symbols of Japan, so you can’t just beat the collaboration of the stunning Mt. Fuji together with beautiful cherry blossoms in the foreground.
During the Sakura season – usually early to mid-April, you can see the impressive views of Mt. Fuji with Sakura from different scenic angles, but the most photogenic location is said to be from the observation deck in Arakurayama Sengen Park where you get to take a photo of Chureito Pagoda & Sakura with the magnificent Mt. Fuji in the background. One thing to keep in mind is that you’ll need to climb 398 stone steps to reach the viewpoint although it’ll be worthwhile for a once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity.
For capturing picture-perfect photos, you can take VIP Japan Tour’s “Tokyo: Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi Scenic 1-Day Bus Tour” where you can explore the landmarks around Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi (one of the Fuji Five Lakes) with fabulous scenic views as the visits include Arakurayama Sengen Park’s observation deck, Oishi Park to admire the colourful flowers and stunning views of Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi, and also Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba to stroll around the traditional village with its charming thatched-roof houses.
This Mt. Fuji Sakura Festival and Hakone Coach Tour is offered by Odakyu Fuji Tour, Odakyu Railway Group. It’s a great one-day coach tour to visit Mt. Fuji World Heritage Centre to learn about the mountain, and enjoy an incredible view of Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi with its beautiful cherry blossoms. You’ll also take a panoramic ropeway ride to Owakudani, a famous volcanic valley in Hakone and see the volcanic activity as well as the striking scenic views. (Return by bullet train plan is available.)
Hirosaki Park/ Hirosaki Castle in Aomori Prefecture (northern Japan)
Hirosaki Castle & Park is one of the best places to see cherry blossoms in Japan as it features 2,600 cherry blossom trees in 50 different varieties. This historic park is famous for its beautiful Sakura tunnel, petal-covered moats and a romantic heart shape formed by the branches of two Sakura cherry blossom trees overlapping!
During the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival (April 18 to May 5 for 2025), you can enjoy picnics and boat rides while admiring gorgeous cherry blossoms as well as the mesmerising illuminations at night.
If you’re looking for a tour in the Hirosaki area, Japan Guide Agency has two tours to offer; one is the Hirosaki 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide while the other is the Hirosaki Full-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide. These tours are not specifically for cherry blossom viewing at Hirosaki Castle Park, but if you’re taking either of them when Sakura is in bloom (usually from late April to early May in Hirosaki), you’ll get to see the outstanding cherry blossoms at the most iconic places as both tours are totally customizable to suit your preferences.
Where to see cherry blossoms in Japan after mid-April
Some of you might be thinking of taking a trip after mid-April especially around the Easter holiday period like this year in 2025 when Easter falls on April 20th. The best possible areas to go after mid-April for cherry blossoms in Japan will be the north of Japan such as Hirosaki in Aomori Prefecture and Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, where blossoms don’t usually start blooming until late April.
If you’d like to know more about the Sakura and Hanami in Japan including Sakura Forecasts, take a look at our post of Sakura Cherry Blossom Guide.
We hope this article was helpful for planning your fantastic Hanami this year or in the future when you get a chance to visit Japan. If you’re thinking of staying in any of the areas we featured, why not check availability and prices on Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Hirosaki and even Osaka? You’ll see a wide selection of hotels including some offering great deals!
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Disclaimer: All information is correct at the time of publishing. However, we would recommend checking each tour and relevant websites for the latest information.
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