When Do Cherry Blossoms Bloom? Region by Region from Okinawa to Hokkaido

Follow the pink wave from Okinawa's winter blossoms to Hokkaido's early May bloom, with typical timing for each region and tips for planning around it.

Published October 21, 2026 at 9:45 PM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: Cherry blossoms bloom first in Okinawa, where the early Kanhi-zakura opens in late January or February. The main Somei Yoshino season then moves north: Kyushu, Tokyo and Kyoto in late March to early April, Tohoku in mid to late April, and Hokkaido around early May. Each place peaks for only about a week, so check the current forecast before booking.

Few travel questions are asked as often as when the cherry trees will flower, and the honest answer is that it depends on where you stand. Japan stretches across many climate zones, so the blossoms arrive in a long, slow wave rather than all at once. This guide walks the wave from south to north, explains what forecasters mean by first bloom and full bloom, and shows why dates move from year to year. By the end you will know how to match a route to the season.

The short answer, region by region

Typical timing follows a clear south to north pattern. Averages based on Japan Meteorological Agency records for the Somei Yoshino variety put the first flowers in Fukuoka and Kumamoto around March 22, in Tokyo around March 24, and in Kyoto around March 26. Full bloom then follows within about a week, which means roughly March 31 for Tokyo and early April for Kyoto.

Farther north the calendar slides later. Sendai in Tohoku usually opens in the first half of April, while Hirosaki and Kakunodate bloom from late April into early May. Hakodate in Hokkaido opens around the end of April, and Sapporo follows in the first days of May. Treat these as rough averages rather than promises, because every spring writes its own schedule.

Okinawa: blossoms in the middle of winter

Okinawa starts the national season long before anywhere else. Its cherry trees are a different kind, the Ryukyu Kanhi-zakura, whose name points to hiiro, a traditional reddish scarlet. The flowers are a deep pink rather than the pale pink of mainland trees.

They typically open from late January into February. Higher and cooler areas flower later, so the display can last longer on the slopes. A well-known viewing area is Mount Yaedake on the main island, where thousands of trees line roadsides across the towns of Motobu and Nago, and a local cherry blossom festival is usually held there in the winter months. Because the flowers open so early, Okinawa gives the national season a head start of two months or more.

Kyushu, Tokyo and Kyoto: the late March heart of the season

The mainland season begins in the south and west. Fukuoka and Kumamoto in Kyushu are among the first big cities to see Somei Yoshino open, with Kagoshima following a few days later. The warm southwest is why forecasters start their reports there, and why the national story of the season usually opens with Kyushu.

Tokyo and Kyoto then arrive close together, a pairing that suits travelers who connect the two cities. Tokyo's official reference tree stands at Yasukuni Shrine, and the city's announcement of first bloom is often reported across the country. Kyoto commonly peaks a few days after Tokyo, around the first week of April in an average year. If you want both cities in bloom, a trip spanning the last days of March and the first days of April has the best odds, though a warm or cold spring can shift the whole pattern.

Tohoku: mid to late April

Tohoku, the northeastern part of Honshu, is where the season slows down and stretches out. Sendai typically opens in the first half of April and peaks within about a week, and other Tohoku cities reach their peak through the middle of April. The farther north and the higher the elevation, the later the flowers appear.

Some of the most photographed castle and samurai town scenery blooms toward the end of the region's season. Hirosaki Park in Aomori and the samurai streets of Kakunodate in Akita usually peak from late April into early May. Hirosaki holds its cherry blossom festival around then, and it overlaps with the start of the Golden Week holidays, so travel plans should allow for busy trains and fuller hotels.

Hokkaido: early May and later

Hokkaido has the latest big-city bloom. Hakodate generally opens around the end of April and reaches full bloom in the first days of May, and Sapporo usually follows with full bloom in the first week or so of May. Spring in Hokkaido runs about a month behind Tokyo, which is why snow can still linger in the mountains while the first buds open in town.

For a traveler, Hokkaido is a useful second chance. If the main season in Tokyo or Kyoto was missed, a flight north in early May can bring another round of blossoms. Mountain areas in northern Tohoku, Nagano and Niigata also hold late bloomers that continue from mid April to early May, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.

First bloom and full bloom: what the terms mean

Forecast reports use two terms that are easy to mix up. First bloom, called kaika in Japanese, is declared by the Japan Meteorological Agency when five or six blossoms have opened on a designated sample tree. Full bloom, called mankai, is declared when more than 80 percent of the blossoms on that tree have opened.

The two dates are usually about a week apart, and the best viewing window runs from full bloom for several days afterward. A strong wind or heavy rain can shorten that window, since petals fall quickly. Remember too that the official dates describe one sample tree, so trees elsewhere in the same city may open a few days earlier or later, and the agency notes a margin of error of a couple of days either way for its predictions.

Why dates change from year to year

Temperature is the main driver. Buds need a cold winter to wake up properly, and then warm weeks to open, so a mild February and March pull the season earlier, while a cold snap slows it down. Start dates commonly vary by about a week in either direction, and occasionally by more.

Place matters on a small scale too. The Japan Meteorological Agency notes that flowering comes two to three days later for every 100 meters of elevation, which explains why hill towns and mountain parks bloom after nearby lowland cities. Even within a single park, trees in sunny spots may open before trees in shade. This is why a slope above a lake or a valley temple can still hold full blossoms after the city center has turned green.

Planning a trip around the blossom front

Choose a base and stay flexible, because no one can promise exact bloom dates months ahead. Official forecasts begin appearing in winter and are updated through spring, and they become far more reliable in the final two weeks. Booking refundable hotels, and building a route that can slide a few days either way, protects the trip from a warm or cold spring.

Another way to use the pattern is to travel with it. Starting in Kyushu or Tokyo in late March and heading north by train lets you meet the blossoms again and again, from city parks to castle moats to mountain temples. Plan ahead for the end of April, when Golden Week begins and much of the country travels. Whatever route you pick, the blossom wave is a gentle reminder that spring in Japan is a season to follow rather than a single day to catch.

Want to go deeper? Tokyo Paul's book Japan Cherry Blossom Photobook is available on Amazon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What month do cherry blossoms bloom in Japan?

Most of Japan sees cherry blossoms between late March and early May. Tokyo and Kyoto usually peak around the end of March to the first week of April, Tohoku in mid to late April, and Hokkaido in early May. Okinawa is the early exception, with its deeper pink Kanhi-zakura flowering in January and February.

How long do cherry blossoms last in one place?

The blossoms typically last about a week from full bloom, and the whole stretch from the first open flower to falling petals is often around two weeks. Rain and strong wind can end the show sooner, while cool, calm weather can stretch it a little. Because the timing differs by location and tree, checking a local forecast is the best guide.

Where can travelers check this year's cherry blossom dates?

Look at the forecasts published by the Japan Meteorological Agency and by private weather companies, which usually begin to appear in winter and are refreshed through spring. They predict first bloom and full bloom for chosen sample trees in each city. Forecasts are most reliable in the last week or two before the blossoms open.

Further Reading

To explore further, see Japan Meteorological Agency: Cherry Blossom Observations and Forecasts, Japan-guide.com: Cherry Blossom Forecast and Typical Bloom Dates and Wikipedia: Cherry Blossom Front.

Keep Exploring

More guides from Tokyo Paul: The Cherry Blossom Forecast, Sakura Varieties: More Than One Kind of Cherry Blossom and Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival: Blossoms at Hirosaki Castle.