Experience Hanami In Japan - 15 Best Spots For Cherry Blossom Viewing in Tokyo

Hanami, or cherry blossom viewing, has enormous cultural significance in Japan, heralding the start of spring and embodying the Japanese concept of simple beauty in nature. Every year swarths of tourists, both from within Japan and overseas, gather at the major parks and other viewing spots throughout Japan and enjoy the abundance of pink blossoms swaying in the wind.

The capital Tokyo has a number of great viewing spots, and in addition to discussing when the cherry blossom season usually is and giving the current forecast for 2024, this blog post will suggest some good places for Hanami if you are in Tokyo during this time.

When Is Hanami Season in Tokyo?

The cherry blossom viewing season differs by region in Japan, due to the varying temperatures throughout the country, and trying to time a vacation in Japan to coincide with the Hanami season is no mean feat. Not only is the start point affected by how warm the end of winter and start of spring is, but the longevity of the blossoms once they are in full bloom is also affected by a number of factors, including the wind and rain. If you want to learn more about when and where to view cherry blossoms in Japan, you can check out this article.

In Tokyo, you can generally view cherry blossoms sometime between the end of March to the first part of April. It does seem, however, possibly due to global warming, that it is starting earlier and earlier each year. 

Due to the unseasonably warm winter in Tokyo this year, predictions for the start of cherry blossom viewing in 2024 at the time of writing are for the blossoms to come out around March 21st and be in full bloom by March 28th. Before you start booking your vacation on the basis of this, however, please be aware that such predictions are precarious at the best of times, and more than one weather forecaster has lost their job in Japan due to an erroneous forecast.

15 Most Popular Hanami Viewing Spots In Tokyo

In this section, we shall look, in no particular order, at some popular viewing spots in Tokyo.

Ueno Park

This park, which is also the home of the famous zoo, has been a popular cherry blossom viewing spot since the Edo period (1603-1867) and is always reported in the news during the Hanami season. The park boasts approximately 800 cherry trees and is crowded with people every year to view the cherry blossoms and enjoy drinking and singing karaoke under the shade of the cherry trees.

If you cannot find a good spot to sit and eat your lunch box, you can enjoy Ueno's gourmet food at "Ueno no Mori Sakura Terrace" or the "Ameya Yokocho" street in the neighborhood.

Chidorigafuchi Boathouse

The “Chidorigafuchi Green Path” on the west side of the Imperial Palace is a famous spot with approximately 260 cherry trees, including the Someiyoshino and Yamazakura blooms. You will not want to miss out on enjoying the beauty of the moat, which is covered with cherry blossoms and can be viewed from a boat.

Inogashira Park

The “Inogashira Onshi Park”, located in Musashino City, is a popular place for families, couples, dog walkers, and many other visitors to relax in Tokyo on a daily basis. Although beautiful in every season, spring is a particularly beautiful season. About 200 cherry trees bloom around the pond, and they reflect in an elegant way on the water.

In some areas of the park, the branches of the cherry trees extend over the pond, and boat rides give visitors a close-up view of the blossoms.

Sumida River

The rows of cherry trees along the Sumida River in Tokyo were planted in the Edo period by order of the 8th shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune. Today, visitors can enjoy the blossoms of the cherry trees that line the river from Sakurabashi Bridge to Azuma Bridge, while walking along the promenade. It is also an attractive place to view the "Tokyo Skytree."

Shiba Park

Located in Minato Ward, Shiba Park, which opened in 1873, is one of the oldest parks in Japan. Originally part of the precincts of Zojoji Temple, many people enjoy the cherry blossoms of both Shiba Park and Zojoji Temple as a set. Another reason why many people gather here every year is that it is the best spot in Tokyo to enjoy cherry blossoms in full bloom with Tokyo Tower in the background.

Roppongi Sakurazaka

The trees along "Roppongi Sakurazaka" were planted in conjunction with the redevelopment of Roppongi, and this has developed into a magnificent row of cherry trees over the past 10 years. There are approximately 75 Someiyoshino cherry trees that bloom along the 400-meter path, which is usually illuminated at night.

Cherry trees also bloom around the pond in the Mori Garden, which is located on the grounds of the Roppongi Hills complex. Although there are fewer cherry trees here than in other locations, they are a spectacular sight standing tall in the middle of the metropolis of Tokyo.

Meguro River (Nakameguro)

The Meguro River (lined with cherry trees) has been overwhelmingly popular as a cherry blossom spot in Tokyo, particularly for Instagram devotees, in the past several years. The banks of the river, which stretch about 4 km, are lined with 800 cherry trees, mainly Someiyoshino cherry trees.

Rikugien Gardens

At the Rikugien Gardens, located in the center of Tokyo you can enjoy a traditional circular garden created in the Edo period, and in spring, visitors can enjoy the beautiful scenery of giant weeping cherry trees with branches hanging down to the ground. You will not want to miss the sight of these fantastic weeping cherry trees appearing in the night sky when illuminated at night.

Shinjuku Gyoen National Gardens

At Shinjuku Gyoen, where there are about 65 varieties of cherry trees, visitors can enjoy cherry blossoms for a period of about two months, beginning with the cold cherry blossoms in mid-January, followed by the early-blooming Kawazu cherry blossoms in mid-February. There are also the Someiyoshino cherry blossoms from late March to early April, and Yaezakura cherry blossoms in mid-April.

Yasukuni Shrine

Yasukuni Shrine, which usually has a solemn feel, is completely transformed during the cherry blossom season. About 500 cherry trees, including Someiyoshino and Yamazakura, are in full bloom, delighting visitors. From the second torii gate to the shrine gate, cherry trees line both sides of the shrine, and the combination of cherry blossoms and the shrine is a spectacular sight.

National Showa Memorial Park

The National Showa Memorial Park, despite being located in Tokyo, boasts a vast area. It houses approximately 1,500 cherry trees of 31 varieties in the park, which can be viewed in the Cherry Blossom Garden, the Old Cherry Blossom Garden, and along the Zanbori River. Since the cherry trees bloom sequentially according to variety, it is a place to visit again and again at different times of the year.

Sensoji Temple

Sensoji Temple is one of the most popular sightseeing spots in Tokyo. Walking along Nakamise-dori from the Kaminarimon gate, you will encounter magnificent cherry blossoms in front of the vermilion-lacquered Hozomon gate. Senso-ji Temple is one of Tokyo's must-see cherry blossom viewing spots, with its unique atmosphere at this time of year.

Koishikawa Botanical Gardens

Koishikawa Korakuen Garden is the oldest surviving garden in Tokyo that was established by the feudal lords and is a typical style of garden from the Edo period, created in 1629 by Yorifusa, the first lord of the Mito Tokugawa family, and completed in the reign of Mitsukuni, the second lord of the Mito clan. 

The garden is a beautiful harmony of Japanese and Chinese styles, maintaining its outstanding scenery, and has been designated as a national cultural asset, classified as a Special Historic Site and a Special Place of Scenic Beauty.

Near the iris field, mountain cherry blossoms in bloom add color to its peaceful atmosphere. The beautiful contrast between the fresh green and light pink reminds one of the arrival of spring, making this an excellent spot for cherry blossom viewing.

Kanda River

As a lesser-known Hanami destination, the Kanda River in central Tokyo gets relatively little tourist traffic. If you take Tokyo’s only remaining tramline, the Arakawa Tram (or Sakura Tram), all the way up to Waseda Station, you will find the river just a short walk away. The scenes here are similar to those of Meguro River but can be enjoyed with fewer crowds. 

Yoyogi Park

Within walking distance of Meiji Shrine and Harajuku, and located near the Shibuya district, this park is one of the most popular locations for viewing cherry blossoms in Tokyo. The downside, of course, is that this means that it is one of the most crowded locations.

A Multitude Of Places To Enjoy Hanami In Tokyo

As covered in this article, there are a multitude of excellent locations to enjoy cherry blossom viewing in Tokyo, whichever area of Tokyo you happen to be in. If you are planning to go and see the cherry blossoms with friends or family, you might like to check out this article on how to throw a great Hanami party. You should also check out our site for some snacks to enjoy on the day.

The above examples only scratch the surface. If you discover some other good cherry blossom viewing locations in Tokyo, please let us know in the comments.