Spring is upon us! Read on to see where the cherry blossoms are blooming in Japan’s 2026 sakura season.

Cherry Blossom Season in Full Swing

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 capital was officially announced to be in full bloom on March 28.

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)

  First Bloom Full Bloom (Forecast)
Kagoshima March 27 April 5
Fukuoka March 24 April 3
Kōchi March 16 March 31
Hiroshima March 19 March 30
Osaka March 26 April 3
Kyoto March 23 March 30
Nagoya March 17 March 30
Kanazawa March 29 April 3
Tokyo March 19 March 28
Sendai March 31 April 4
Sapporo April 18 April 24

Created by Nippon.com based on data from the Japan Meteorological Agency.

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Tokyo Area Cherry Blossom Gallery

Odawara Castle in Kanagawa Prefecture, which was once the base of the powerful Hōjō clan. (© PhotoAC)
Odawara Castle in Kanagawa Prefecture, which was once the base of the powerful Hōjō clan. (© PhotoAC)
Sankeien, a traditional garden in Yokohama, Kanagawa. (© PhotoAC)
Sankeien, a traditional garden in Yokohama, Kanagawa. (© PhotoAC)
Kodama Senbonzakura in Honjō, Saitama, where 1,100 cherry blossom trees line the river. (© 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)
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)
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)
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)
Hōjō Ōike pond in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, where cherries bloom against a Mount Tsukuba background. (© Photo AC)

Data Sources

(Translated from Japanese. Cherry blossoms in full bloom in Tokyo on March 28, 2026. © Jiji.)