Popular Hanami Spots

Below is an incomplete list of popular cherry blossom spots across the country:

Tokyo:
	Ueno Park A few steps from Ueno Station One of Japan's most crowded, noisy and popular cherry blossom spots, Ueno Park features more than 1000 trees along the street leading towards the National Museum and around Shinobazu Pond. There is no entrance fee. Food stands are available.
	Shinjuku Gyoen 5 minute walk from Shinjuku Station Shinjuku Gyoen is a large park featuring more than one thousand cherry trees of over a dozen varieties in Western and Japanese style gardens. There is an entrance fee of 200 Yen, and the park is only open between 9:00 and 16:30.
	Chidorigafuchi Subway Kudanshita Station Cherry trees decorate the moats of former Edo Castle around Kitanomaru. There is no admission fee. Rowing boats are available for rent. Many food stands, can be found at nearby Yasukuni Shrine, where another one thousand cherry trees are planted.
	Sumida Park A few steps from Asakusa Station The park stretches for a few hundred meters along both sides of Sumida River. There is no entrance fee. Food stands are available. Hanami can also be enjoyed from boats that cruise the river.
	Aoyama Cemetery 5 minute walk from Subway Nogizaka or Gaienmae Station The straight road leading through the cemetery is lined and covered by hundreds of cherry trees. There is no admission fee. A few food stands are available.
	Koishikawa Botanical Garden 5-10 minute walk from Subway Hakusan or Myogadani Station Koishikawa Botanical Garden is a spacious park with many cherry trees and a Japanese landscape garden. It is a great place to view various cherry tree varieties. The admission fee is 330 Yen.
	Inokashira Park South of Kichijoji Station There are a few hundreds of trees in this public city park with a pond. There is no admission fee. Boats can be rented.
Yokohama:
	Kamonyama Park 10 minute walk from Sakuragicho Station Kamonyama Park is a small public city park close to Minato Mirai 21. There is no admission fee.
	Sankeien 10 minutes by bus from JR Negishi Station Sankeien is a beautiful Japanese landscape garden in southern Yokohama, exhibiting a number of historic buildings from across Japan. Admission costs 300 Yen.
Kamakura:
	Dankazura 2 minute walk from Kamakura Station Dankazura is a more than one hundred meter long approach to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, all covered by cherry trees. There is no admission fee.
Nagoya:
	Nagoya Castle 5 minute walk from Subway Shiyakusho Station Many cherry trees are planted in the park that surrounds Nagoya Castle. The admission fee to the castle and the surrounding park is 500 Yen.
Kyoto:
	Maruyama Park Next to Yasaka Shrine Maruyama Park is Kyoto's most popular public park for cherry blossom viewing. Its centerpiece is a large weeping cherry tree that gets lit up in the evenings. There is no admission fee. Many food stands are available.
	Philosopher's Trail Starting at Ginkakuji Temple The Philosopher's Trail is a pleasant path besides a canal that connects Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) with the vicinity of Nanzenji. It is lined by hundreds of cherry trees.
	Heian Shrine Behind the main building Large numbers of weeping cherry trees (shidarezakura) stand in the garden of Heian Shrine, behind the shrine's main buildings. Admission to the garden costs 600 Yen.
	Arashiyama Northwest of central Kyoto Arashiyama is a pleasant district in the outskirts of Kyoto. Many cherry trees can be found around the Togetsukyo Bridge at the foot of Arashiyama mountains.
	Kamogawa Kitaoji Station (Karasuma Subway Line) Kamogawa is the river, which runs through central Kyoto. Cherry trees are planted in many places along the river. One of the most pleasant places for cherry blossom viewing and a picnic is in northern Kyoto, where Kitaoji Street crosses the river.
	Daigoji Temple Daigoji Station (Tozai Subway Line) Daigoji is a temple complex in southeastern Kyoto, which is part of Kyoto's designated world heritage. A cherry blossom festival is held on the temple grounds every year.
	Hirano Shrine Between Kinkakuji and Kitano Hakubaicho One of Kyoto's most famous hanami spots, Hirano Shrine is also known for the many varieties of cherry trees found on its grounds. In the evenings, the trees are lit up.
	Okazaki Canal Outside Heian Shrine Located just outside of Heian Shrine, Okazaki Canal connects the Lake Biwa Canal network with Kamo River. It is lined by many cherry trees, and popular boat tours are conducted during the hanami season.
Osaka:
	Osaka Castle Park Around Osaka Castle Large numbers of cherry trees can be found in the spacious public park around Osaka Castle. There is no entrance fee except for the Nishinomaru Garden. Food stands are available.
	Osaka Mint Bureau 10 minute walk from Temmabashi Station More than 300 cherry trees of over 100 cherry varieties, mostly later blooming yae-zakura trees can be viewed on the premises of the Osaka Mint Bureau during one week in April.
Yoshino:
	Yoshinoyama Nara Prefecture Yoshinoyama (Mount Yoshino) has been Japan's most famous cherry blossom viewing spot for many centuries. The mountain is covered by approximately 30,000 cherry trees.
Himeji:
	Himeji Castle 15-20 minute walk from Himeji Station The castle grounds of Himeji Castle are decorated by hundreds of cherry trees. Admission to the outer castle grounds is free. Entrance to the inner grounds and interior of the castle costs 600 Yen.
Tohoku:
	Kakunodate Akita Prefecture The city of Kakunodate is famous for its weeping cherry trees, which decorate the city's well preserved, former samurai district. Another few hundred cherry trees stand along the nearby river.
	Hirosaki Castle Aomori Prefecture Over 2000 cherry trees are planted in the park surrounding Hirosaki Castle. Admission to the park is free. Food stands are available. Taken From ==<Click Here>==

When do they bloom?

When do they bloom?

The most important factor that determines the blooming time of cherry trees is the geographical location. Basically, the milder the climate, the earlier the blossoms open.

On Japan's southern, subtropical islands of Okinawa, cherry blossoms open as early as January, while on the northern island of Hokkaido, they bloom as late as May. In most major cities in between, including Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, the cherry blossom season typically takes place around the end of March and beginning of April (see table below).

Furthermore, the blooming time differs from year to year depending on the weather. If the weather during the months and weeks preceding the cherry blossom season is mild, blossoms will open early. If it is cold, blossoms will open later. From year to year, the start of the blooming season can vary by as much as plus/minus two weeks.

How long do they bloom?

The cherry blossom season is relatively short. Full bloom (mankai) is usually reached within about one week after the opening of the first blossoms (kaika). Another week later, the blooming peak is over and the blossoms are falling from the trees. Strong wind and rain can cut the blooming season even shorter.

Cherry blossom forecasts

Every year, the Meteorological Agency and the media is closely following the so called "cherry blossom front", as it slowly moves northern wards. Note, that the front indicates the opening of the first blossoms (kaika) rather than the arrival of full bloom (mankai).

Of course, not every tree in a city opens on the same day, as trees in shadowy places, for example, bloom several days later than trees in sunny places. That is, why a set of representative sample trees is selected to define the date of kaika (the opening of the first blossoms) for a whole city. In Tokyo, the sample trees are located at Yasukuni Shrine.

Average blooming dates

The dates below indicate the average dates on which cherry trees open their first blossoms for selected cities, and the dates on which they opened in the previous two years. Remember that full bloom is usually reached within about one week from the date the first blossoms have opened.

City	Average Year	2007	2006	2005
Sapporo	May 5	May 4	May 8	May 10
Hakodate	May 3	April 30	May 7	May 1
Sendai	April 12	April 6	April 13	April 14
Tokyo	March 28	March 20	March 21	March 31
Yokohama	March 28	March 23	March 21	April 2
Nagoya	March 28	March 23	March 26	March 31
Kanazawa	April 6	March 29	April 6	April 7
Kyoto	March 31	March 25	March 27	April 2
Osaka	March 30	March 27	March 28	April 3
Nara	April 1	March 27	March 29	April 2
Kobe	March 30	March 30	March 27	April 3
Hiroshima	March 29	March 22	March 22	April 3
Takamatsu	March 30	March 28	March 27	April 1
Matsuyama	March 28	March 23	March 24	April 1
Fukuoka	March 26	March 21	March 23	March 29
Kumamoto	March 24	March 23	March 20	April 1
Kagoshima	March 26	March 30	March 20	April 3
Naha	January 19	January 23	January 13	January 19

The data is according to the Japan Meteorological Agency and refers to Somei Yoshino cherry trees, except in the case of Sapporo (Ezoyamazakura) and Naha (Hikanzakura).

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

How to do hanami?

Hanami literally means "flower viewing", however, it commonly refers only to cherry blossom viewing. Cherry blossom viewing is easy: Simply enjoy the intensity of the many blossoms by looking at a single tree or a group of trees. From a distance, the trees appear as beautiful clouds, while the beauty of single blossoms can be enjoyed from a close distance.

Cherry blossoms are also especially beautiful in combination with a castle, temple or shrine. In some places the blossoms are lit up in the evening, which makes an amazing sight.

Hanami can be just a stroll in the park, but it traditionally also involves a picnic party under the blooming trees. Hanami parties have been held in Japan for many centuries, and today are held in public and private gardens and parks across the country. Famous cherry blossom spots can get very crowded, and the best picnic spots are hardly fought after.

In especially popular places it is common practice to reserve a picnic spot long before the party is held. The typical praxis is to spread one's picnic sheet early in the morning and either mark it with the group's name and party's starting time or to have somebody positioned there during the whole day until the rest of the group arrives after work.

Most spots in this park are taken before 8am.

Reserving a spot in Tokyo's Ueno Park.

Taken from ===<Click Here>===

cherry tree varieties

A large majority of cherry trees in Japan are of the Somei Yoshino and Yamazakura varieties. But in total, over one hundred cherry tree varieties can be found in Japan.

There are several characteristics that differ between the various cherry tree varieties. Some of the obvious ones, that can also be easily recognized by beginners, are listed below:

Number of petals:
Most wild trees, but also a lot of cultivated tree varieties have blossoms with five petals. However, some species have blossoms which consist of more than five petals, such as ten, twenty or more. Trees with blossoms of more than five petals are called yaezakura.

5 petals (e.g. Oshimazakura)

about 20 petals (e.g. Ichiyo)

about 100 petals (e.g. Kikuzakura)

Color of the blossoms:
Most varieties produce lightly pink to pure white blossoms, but there are also cherry trees with dark pink or slightly yellowish blossoms. The color of the blossoms of some varieties is also changing while they are in bloom, from white to pink, for instance.

white blossoms (e.g. Shogetsu)

pink blossoms (e.g. Kanzan)

yellowish blossoms (e.g. Ukon)

The fresh leaves:
In case of early blooming trees, the fresh leaves usually do not appear until after full bloom, which gives the trees an attractive, homogenous look while they are in full bloom. In case of later blooming trees, the leaves usually appear before the blossoms, giving the trees a more heterogeneous look. Furthermore, the color of the fresh leaves differs between the varieties. In most cases, the fresh leaves are green, coppery brownish or something in between.

Time of blooming:
Most cherry tree varieties carry blossoms in spring. However, there are a few varieties, which bloom in late autumn and during the winter months. Yaezakura, i.e. cherry trees with blossoms of more than five petals, are typically the last ones to open their blossoms, about two to four weeks after most five-petaled species. Read more about when cherry trees are in bloom.

Form of the tree:
Cherry trees display various growing habits and come in different shapes and forms: triangular, columnar, V-shape, weeping, flat-topped, etc. Weeping cherry trees are called shidarezakura.

Some cherry tree varieties, found in Japan, are listed below. The blooming periods shown refers to the situation in Tokyo.

	Somei Yoshino (Yoshino Cherry) late March, early April Cultivated during the Edo Period, the Somei Yoshino is by far the most numerous cherry tree in Japan. Somei Yoshino trees come with slightly pink, almost white, 5-petaled blossoms.
	Yamazakura late March, early April Yamazakura is a wild, native cherry tree variety of Japan, which typically grows in mountainous areas. The blossoms are slightly pink and have five, relatively small petals.
	Shidarezakura (Weeping Cherry) late March, early April Shidarezakura are weeping cherry trees, i.e. they have drooping branches. There are trees with blossoms of five petals and trees with blossoms of more than five petals. The latter are called Yaeshidarezakura.
	Ichiyo mid April The Ichiyo has about twenty, lightly pink petals per blossom. The fresh leaves are green.
	Ukon mid April The Ukon has about 10-20 petals per blossom and coppery leaves. Ukon trees are easily recognized by their blossoms' characteristic, yellowish color.
	Kanzan mid to late April Among the many yaezakura varieties, the Kanzan is one of the most numerous. One Kanzan blossom consists of as many as 30-50 pink petals. The fresh leaves are coppery brown.
	Fugenzo mid to late April The Fugenzo is a late blooming yaezakura with about 30-40 petals per blossom. White to slightly pink when they open, the blossoms turn into a darker pink over time. The fresh leaves are coppery brown.
	Shogetsu mid to late April The Shogetsu is a late blooming yaezakura with relatively large, white blossoms of about 20-30 petals. The fresh leaves are green.
	Kikuzakura (Chrysanthemum Cherry) late April, early May The Kikuzakura has as many as one hundred petals per blossom! It is also one of the latest blooming trees. In fact, by the time the blossoms are in bloom, the fresh leaves have already developed almost completely and are somewhat hiding the blossoms.