Cherry blossoms, or sakura as we call it here in Japan, is so quintessential of the nation, we find a divine nature in the beautiful life of it. Needless to say, many tourists visit Japan during the season to enjoy the scenery.
However, the flowers only last for a week or two, where the petals “dance” in the spring sky, a truly beautiful moment which almost brings tears to some. The question then is, when can you see the cherry blossoms?



Here is the map showing when the cherry blossoms reach its full bloom every year. Keep in mind these are just approximate dates, and it may flourish before or after these dates. However, these are good dates to keep in mind when planning your visit, especially as there is a whole month gap between the cherry blossoms blooming in Tokyo and Hokkaido (Sapporo).

As you may have noticed, this map automatically shows how the climate changes within the archipelago from south to north, west to east as the warm fronts reach the nation. This front that signifies the coming of spring in Japan is called the “sakura-zensen” literally meaning the sakura front.

You’d see the sakura-zensen forecast on the news as spring approaches. If you’d really like to witness the coming of season, you ought to check the weather map in Japan before you visit.