Japan’s 2025 Cherry Blossoms Forecast: When to See Sakura?

Is there ever a time when we don't have cherry blossoms on our minds? The Japan Meteorological Corporation (JMC) released Japan’s 2025 cherry blossom forecast. 

Thousands of residents and tourists look forward to this forecast to plan their trips and maximize their time with Japan's favorite spring flower. Keep reading for a map of sakura hot spots, approximate dates and additional tips to plan your spring trip to Japan. 

For all the best places to see cherry blossoms in Japan in 2025, you’re in the right place.

Pro planner tip: Bookmark this page and check again later this season to see when cherry blossoms will bloom in major cities around Japan.

The JMC updates its cherry blossom forecast regularly leading up to the sakura season, taking into account weather patterns and temperature projections. 

So, this sakura forecast is what we know as of the time of writing, but it is likely to change multiple times before cherry blossom season ends.

Make note of the dates below:

Remember that these dates are not exact, though they are still useful when planning your trip.

You can find cherry trees everywhere in Japan, from riverside to local neighborhood parks. Check out our guides to the best places to see cherry blossoms in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka:

• Where to see cherry blossoms in Tokyo
• Where to see cherry blossoms in Kyoto
• Where to see cherry blossoms in Osaka

Whether you're just passing by or you've recently moved to Japan, if this is your first spring in the country, here are a couple of tips to make the most of the season. 

What better way to enjoy the season than to tackle it hands-on? ByFood hosts have curated seasonal food experiences where you can enjoy the best this season has to offer, including the famous cherry blossoms. 

• Cherry Blossom Festival: Evening in Nakameguro
• Hanami & Food Tour in Yanaka, Tokyo
• Kyoto Cherry Blossom Food Tour
• Osaka Cherry Blossom Food Tour

Hanami is a quintessential activity of this season. Get together with friends or coworkers, settle under a cherry tree and eat and drink to your heart's content (if you're over 21). It's an unparalleled bonding activity. Check out our guide to hanami to plan the perfect spring gathering.

During this time of year, you'll also see a few spring foods pop up around Japan. Most notably, you'll see limited-edition sakura-flavoured foods, both traditional and contemporary. One must-try and extremely seasonal snack is sakura mochi (pictured above). This wagashi (traditional Japanese confectionery) is made from mochi wrapped in a cherry tree leaf and makes for a tangy, sweet-and-salty treat.

But nothing tastes as good as a dessert you bake yourself, right? Bake a sakura chiffon cake in this Tokyo baking class.

While cherry blossom season is generally a positive experience, one of its more negative characteristics is the sheer volume of people you'll see at famous sakura hot spots. Nakameguro in Tokyo, for example, is notoriously an overcrowded neighbourhood around this time of year, as is Yoyogi Park. 

You can go about this in two ways: play the game and plan early, or look for off-the-beaten-path places to get your cherry blossom fix. 

Just when you thought cycling through Asakusa’s backstreets couldn’t get any more magical, the streets are lined with pastel-pink cherry blossoms.

In this Tokyo bike tour, you’ll escape the crowds of the most-visited sakura spots for the relaxing residential streets of this metropolis, offering insight into the lives and local shops of Japanese people. 

Between the floating petals, you’ll visit charming shopping malls, try Tokyo street food like yakitori (grilled chicken), oden (hot pot) and sakuramochi (a sweet mochi wrapped in a salted leaf and filled with red bean paste).

Hop on the saddle and let’s go!

These pink and white flowers usually appear toward the end of March. Throughout Japanese history, their ephemeral existence has made cherry blossoms the subject of poetry, visual art, and more. Let them be the backdrop of an unforgettable trip.

Need a few more ideas of things to do in cherry blossom season? Check out our recommendations of things to do in spring in Japan.

Interested in more of Japan’s flowers? Get to know the Japanese plum blossom and where to see plum blossoms in Japan. Or, if you’re spending the rainy season in Japan, keep your eye out for hydrangeas in Tokyo and Kyoto.