Explore the beauty of cherry blossoms in Tokyo with this travel guide, which offers expert tips on the best times and places to enjoy the sakura season. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveler, this post provides helpful insights to make the most of your cherry blossom experience. Learn about ideal locations for stunning views, perfect for photography and soaking in the serene atmosphere of Japan’s iconic springtime flowers. For more, continue reading!
Japan’s most famous flower, the cherry blossom (“sakura”), is a must-see for every tourist who is lucky enough to be there during it’s short flowering time. Japan during sakura season is the busiest tourist season of the entire year, as everyone from around the global mingle with locals at many of Japan’s famous gardens, rivers and parks.
One thing I will note is that Japan has so many sakura trees around the country that you can easily come across some beautiful flowering trees randomly. While tourists (and locals) tend to specially congregate at famous sakura viewing locations, you can also easily see some on your daily wanderings around the city. Some of my favorite small locations are in shrines and temples and local parks, so keep your eyes peeled!
Nonetheless, here are my personal top 3 sakura locations around Tokyo. One is an uber famous location that I do think is worth it, one is a less well-known one (but comparable to the famous one), and one is a short day trip away from Tokyo.
Number 3: Nakameguro
Yes, at Number 3 is the famous Nakameguro neighborhood around Meguro River that is seen everywhere on social media. This place is not only the busiest sakura spot in all of Tokyo, but also the most visited in all of Japan during the spring. While the endless crowds might be overwhelming for some, I personally think the tunnel of trees along the river here is absolutely gorgeous and worthy of a visit. This spot is a classic and the Nakameguro neighborhood is also worth a wander.
Pros:
- close to Shibuya, so won’t be out of the way for most people’s itineraries
- experience the cafes, food stalls, and little stores along the river and in the charming neighborhood
- easy to find, can simply make a quick stop
Cons:
- extremely crowded and overwhelming
- hard to get good photos
- potentially long lines at all the stores and shops nearby
Best for: travelers who don’t have much time in their itinerary and just want to see sakura
Number 2: Kanda River
Along the Kanda River near Edogawa Park is a similar vibe to Nakameguro, but with significantly less people. This area is a little more out of the way, but absolutely worth it if you’re looking for that beautiful tree-lined river view. If you want more space to take photos, this is the spot! There are multiple little bridges going across the river, so it’s perfect to view the many sakura trees from different angles. While the surrounding neighborhood itself isn’t anything exciting, I highly suggest this area over Nakameguro if you have the time. It’s more quiet and serene – perfect for those who want to take a stroll under the sakura trees and enjoy it all.
Pros:
- similar views to Nakameguro but with less people
- there is an underground train station right by the start of the sakura trees (Edogawabashi station (take exit 1A), Yurakacho line on the Tokyo Metro)
Cons:
- not much else to do in the neighborhood
- less of that festival vibe compared to Nakameguro (for those of you who want that experience)
Best for: travelers who want to take lots of photos with less people in the background; travelers who want to take a serene stroll underneath the trees
Number 1: Hikawa Shrine in Kawagoe
This is the Shingashi River at the back of the Hikawa Shrine in the small town of Kawagoe. This location is technically not Tokyo, but it is only around a 30 minute train ride away from Ikebukuro Station. Kawagoe is also a great little town to see some of Japan’s older architecture. This would be a great half-day to full-day trip from Tokyo for those who want to go off the path a little.
This is my personal favorite sakura viewing spot because of how scenic the river is compared to the previous two Tokyo rivers. The green grass along the banks of the river, the blue sky, the pink sakura petals…it looks like heaven on earth! As seen in the photos above, you can even take a short little boat ride and see the sakura trees up close. While this river has less sakura trees compared to the previous two locations, this river allows you to get closer to the trees themselves.
Pros:
- very scenic views
- less people than Tokyo locations
- located in Kawagoe, which is a great day trip from Tokyo
Cons:
- out of the way for most tourists
- need to figure out transportation yourself (but relatively easy in my opinion with Google Maps)
Best for: travelers who want more of an “old school” vibe with less crowds
So here are my personal top 3 cherry blossom viewing sights in and around Tokyo! Let me know what you think!
Like I had mentioned, you can see sakura trees pretty much everywhere in Japan during the spring, but you have to be lucky as a tourist since the flowering period for sakura is so short (around 1-2 weeks). There are also late blooming varieties of sakura, so you might encounter those instead if you’re lucky.
Good luck to those of you who are booking your trips based on the sakura flowering forecasts! I hope everyone will get to see full blooming sakura at least once your life! It’s absolutely magnificent!
