Japan
Cherry Blossom Season: Japan’s Most Beautiful Week
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For one fleeting week in spring, Japan turns pink. Sakura (cherry blossom) season is the country's most magical — and most popular — time to visit, when whole cities gather beneath the flowering trees for hanami picnics.
Where to see it
Tokyo's Ueno Park and the Meguro River, and Kyoto's Philosopher's Path and Maruyama Park at night.
Time it carefully
The bloom is brief (about a week) and its timing shifts every year — late March in Tokyo, a touch later in Kyoto. Follow the official sakura forecast, keep your itinerary flexible, and book accommodation early; this is peak season.
Day-by-day itinerary
Tokyo
Sat, 27 MarModern Hotel, Shinjuku
Shinjuku City
27 Mar, 8:30 am
Delhi → Tokyo
Delhi (DEL) → Tokyo (NRT)
27 Mar, 4:00 pm
Ueno Park
park
4 Uenokoen, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0007, Japan
Chidorigafuchi Park
park
Japan, 〒100-0001 東京都千代田区麹町１丁目２
Meguro River
river
Meguro River, Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo
Sun, 28 MarModern Hotel, Shinjuku
Shinjuku City
27 Mar, 8:30 am
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
garden
11 Naitōmachi, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0014, Japan
Sensō-ji
buddhist temple
2-chōme-3-1 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0032, Japan
Sumida Park
park
1 Chome-1 Hanakawado, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0033, Japan
Kyoto
Mon, 29 MarTetsugaku No Michi
route
Tetsugaku No Michi, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, Japan
Maruyama Park
city park
Maruyamacho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0071, Japan
Kiyomizu-dera
buddhist temple
1-chōme-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0862, Japan
Kyoto
Tue, 30 MarArashiyama Bamboo Forest
scenic spot
Sagaogurayama Tabuchiyamacho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8394, Japan
Fushimi Inari Taisha
shinto shrine
68 Fukakusa Yabunouchichō, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-0882, Japan
Sakura kit
- A picnic blanket for hanami
- Layers (spring evenings are cool)
- A Japan Rail Pass
- A good camera or phone
- The sakura forecast bookmarked
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