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On this page we will go more into detail about the Japanese cherry blossoms for a variety of locations and the approximate flowering period.

In Japan, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) conducts phenological seasonal observations to understand the progression of seasonal changes and the variations in climate. For this, observations of the spring cherry blossom trees, when they start to bloom and when they reach full bloom, are part of this initiative. Designated specimen trees in each prefecture are observed every year.
For example, specimen trees in Tokyo are located in Chiyoda Ward, for Kyoto they are in Nakagyo Ward, and in Chuo Ward for Osaka.

We have listed the average blooming and full-bloom dates of the specimen trees below.
*These dates are calculated from the observed data over a consecutive 30-year period. For 2025, the approximate dates are based on data from 1991 and 2020.


Additionally, Japan Weather Association publishes both annual Blooming and Full Bloom forecast for each region starting around February through the link below.
https://tenki.jp/sakura/

The average blooming dates of the cherry trees for each major city are as follows:

Kagoshima (Kagoshima Prefecture) March 26th
Fukuoka (Fukuoka Prefecture) March 22nd
Kochi (Kochi Prefecture) March 22nd
Hiroshima (Hiroshima Prefecture) March 25th
Osaka (Osaka Prefecture) March 27th
Kyoto (Kyoto Prefecture) March 26th
Nagoya (Aichi Prefecture) March 24th
Tokyo (Tokyo Prefecture) March 24th
Nagano (Nagano Prefecture) April 11th
Niigata (Niigata Prefecture) April 8th
Kanazawa (Ishikawa Prefecture) April 3rd
Sendai (Miyagi Prefecture) April 8th
Akita (Akita Prefecture) April 17th
Aomori (Aomori Prefecture) April 22nd
Sapporo (Hokkaido) May 1st
Kushiro (Hokkaido) May 16th

The average full bloom dates of the cherry trees for each major city are as follows:

Kagoshima (Kagoshima Prefecture) April 4th
Fukuoka (Fukuoka Prefecture) April 1st
Kochi (Kochi Prefecture) March 30th
Hiroshima (Hiroshima Prefecture) April 4th
Osaka (Osaka Prefecture) April 5th
Kyoto (Kyoto Prefecture) April 4th
Nagoya (Aichi Prefecture) April 3rd
Tokyo (Tokyo Prefecture) April 3rd
Nagano (Nagano Prefecture) April 17th
Niigata (Niigata Prefecture) April 14th
Kanazawa (Ishikawa Prefecture) April 10th
Sendai (Miyagi Prefecture) April 16th
Akita (Akita Prefecture) April 22nd
Aomori (Aomori Prefecture) April 29th
Sapporo (Hokkaido) May 7th
Kushiro (Hokkaido) May 20th

The cherry tree’s Blooming date is defined as the first day when five to six or more flowers open on a specimen tree.
Note that flowers sprung from the trunk or roots of the tree are not counted, as these are thought to have a different development process than what would be considered typical flowering.

The specimen trees are not all of the same tree species. In most regions, the observed cherry trees are a variant called Somei Yoshino. In areas where Somei Yoshino cannot grow, such as from Okinawa to Naze City, the Hikanzakura species is observed, while in some parts of Hokkaido, the Ezo Yamazakura species is observed.

*Somei-Yoshino, Prunus x yedoensis, Yoshino Cherry, Tokyo Cherry
*Hikanzakura, Prunus-campanulata, Taiwan Cherry, Kanhizakura
*Ezo-Yamazakura, Prunus sargentii, Sargent's cherry, North Japanese Hill Cherry

From blooming to a full bloom normally takes about one week, though the further north you go, the shorter this period becomes. In the northern part of Tohoku, full bloom usually occurs 4-5 days after the first blossoms appear.
The flowers will remain firmly attached for about ten days after blooming, and even strong winds and rain will likely not blow them away. Though after the 10-day period, you can start to experience showers of flower pedals.
The cherry blossoms can often be enjoyed for up to three weeks after blooming, unless there are exceptionally strong winds and rain. Furthermore, if temperatures remain low during this period, the flowers can last longer, and in some cases, they may be enjoyed for about a month.

The cherry tree’s Full Bloom date is the first day when more than 80% of the buds have opened on a specimen tree.

The specimen trees are not all of the same tree species. In most regions, the observed cherry trees are a variant called Somei Yoshino. In areas where Somei Yoshino cannot grow, such as from Okinawa to Naze City, the Hikanzakura species is observed, while in some parts of Hokkaido, the Ezo Yamazakura species is observed.

*Somei-Yoshino, Prunus x yedoensis, Yoshino Cherry, Tokyo Cherry
*Hikanzakura, Prunus-campanulata, Taiwan Cherry, Kanhizakura
*Ezo-Yamazakura, Prunus sargentii, Sargent's cherry, North Japanese Hill Cherry