Sakura Varieties: More Than One Kind of Cherry Blossom

Published October 15, 2026 at 11:51 AM JST | By Tokyo Paul

When people picture Japan in spring, they usually imagine a soft cloud of pale pink flowers over a river or temple path. That image is real, but it tells only part of the story. Japan is home to hundreds of cherry cultivars, and they differ in color, petal count, shape and blooming time. Some open in late winter, others wait until nearly May, and a few are even tinted green or yellow. This guide introduces the best-known varieties of sakura, explains a little of their history, and helps you plan a trip that catches more than just the famous peak.

The Long Story of Flower Viewing

The custom of enjoying blossoms, called hanami, goes back more than a thousand years. It began in the Nara period, when people admired plum blossoms, and by the Heian period the cherry had become the favorite. At first the pastime belonged to the imperial court, then it spread to samurai households, and by the Edo period ordinary townspeople were picnicking under the trees. Tokugawa Yoshimune, a shogun of the eighteenth century, is remembered for planting cherry areas to encourage the habit.

Edo-period books record more than two hundred kinds of cherry, which gives a sense of how closely people were paying attention. Today, depending on how experts classify them, Japan is said to have well over six hundred cultivars. That variety is the reason sakura season is really a series of seasons, moving from south to north and from low ground up into the mountains.

Somei Yoshino: The Famous One

If you have seen a photograph of Japanese cherry blossoms, chances are it showed Somei Yoshino. Its flowers are nearly white with the faintest blush of pink, and they open before the leaves appear, which creates that airy, cloud-like look. The variety takes its name from Somei, a village that is now part of Toshima Ward in Tokyo, and it was developed in the late Edo to early Meiji era.

Here is a fun detail: Somei Yoshino trees are propagated by grafting or cuttings, so they are essentially clones of one another. That is why a whole row of them tends to open at nearly the same moment, and why bloom forecasts can be so dramatic. After the Meiji period it became the main hanami tree across the country, and it lines many of the best-known viewing spots, from riverbanks to castle grounds. Because the blossoms last only about a week or so, timing matters, and many travelers check bloom forecasts as their trip approaches.

Wild Beauty: Yamazakura and Mount Yoshino

Before Somei Yoshino took over, the mountain cherry, or yamazakura, was a common sight and a main hanami tree through much of the Edo period. It is a wild species with fairly large, softly colored flowers, and it grows into a big, long-lived tree. Many of today's garden cultivars are descended from crossings that involve wild species such as this one.

The classic place to appreciate it is Mount Yoshino in Nara Prefecture, where more than thirty thousand cherry trees, mostly of a mountain cherry type, cover the slopes. The trees are planted in groves at different elevations, so the bloom climbs up the mountain over a few weeks, which means you can watch spring move upward step by step. The area is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range, so scenery and spiritual heritage come together here.

Weeping, Double and Early Bloomers

Shidarezakura, or weeping cherry, is easy to recognize because its branches droop like a willow's. Many weeping cherries are descended from the Edo higan type, and they often become venerable trees that people travel to see. A famous example is the Miharu Takizakura in Fukushima Prefecture, a weeping cherry said to be over a thousand years old that usually blooms in mid to late April. In many places weeping cherries open a bit before or alongside Somei Yoshino, and their cascading shape makes them a favorite at temples and traditional gardens.

Yaezakura means double-flowered cherry, and these varieties carry many more than the usual five petals. The cultivar Kanzan is a well-known example, with full, rich pink blossoms that look almost like small pom-poms. They tend to bloom later than Somei Yoshino, so they extend the season for travelers who arrive after the main peak. At the other end of the calendar, Kawazu-zakura is a natural hybrid that opens in late winter, with deep pink petals, well before the usual season. The town of Kawazu on the Izu Peninsula is the place most associated with it, and its early festival offers a warm preview of spring. In Okinawa, the bell-shaped, deep pink kanhizakura blooms even earlier, sometimes as soon as January.

Some varieties surprise visitors with unexpected colors. Ukon-zakura has pale yellow-green flowers, while gyoiko is known for its greenish petals. These are rarer, so they are often found in botanical gardens and special collections rather than lining city streets. Edo higan blooms around the spring equinox, earlier than Somei Yoshino, and is known for its small, delicate flowers and long life. Other cultivars, such as ichiyo and fugenzo, bring layered petals, and kikuzakura is among the latest to bloom, sometimes lingering into early May around Tokyo.

It is worth knowing that shibazakura, or moss phlox, is not a cherry at all, although the name suggests it. It is a low carpet plant that blooms in spring and is popular for its pink fields. That makes it a fun addition to a flower-focused trip, but it should not be confused with true sakura.

Tips for Seeing More Than One Kind

To make the most of cherry season, think about geography and timing. Blooms move from the warm south toward the north, and from low elevations to high ones, so a traveler with some flexibility can see different varieties by adjusting the route. Early February to March suits Kawazu and similar early types, late March to mid April is the heart of the Somei Yoshino season in many regions, and mid to late April brings double-flowered cherries and northern blossoms. The exact dates change every year, so check current forecasts closer to your trip instead of relying on a fixed schedule.

When you go to hanami, bring a small mat, take your trash home, avoid touching or shaking the branches and keep noise polite near residential areas. Some famous trees are protected, so stay on the paths. Early morning is calmer and gives soft light for photos, while evening lighting at certain parks, called yozakura, makes the flowers glow. Remember that rain and wind can end the show quickly, so having a flexible plan helps.

Quick Takeaways

Sakura is not one flower but a whole family of trees with their own personalities, from the cloud-like Somei Yoshino to the drooping weeping cherries, the pom-pom double blossoms and the winter-blooming Kawazu type. Learning a few names turns an ordinary stroll into a treasure hunt, because you start noticing differences in color, shape and timing. Plan loosely, watch the forecasts, and let the season lead you from place to place. You may find that your favorite cherry is not the most famous one at all.