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The 3 best spots to enjoy the cherry blossoms in Japan

2020年 03月04日

We're up for a new top 3 today, but this time very related to the season. Indeed at the end of the month will begin one of the major events of Japan, the blossoming of cherry trees! So today we offer you to discover the 3 best places to observe the sakura and thus celebrate a perfect Hanami (花見, picnic under the cherry trees) according to the Japanese! In addition, to avoid arriving too early or too much, don’t forget to consult our Sakura cherry blossom forecast for 2020!

Sakuras in Hirosaki Castle Park

Hirosaki Castle Park, Aomori Prefecture

In Aomori Prefecture, located in the city of Hirosaki, the park of the castle is planted with almost 2500 cherry trees with more buds than the common sakura species. It is therefore a real forest of flowers that is open to many visitors every year. In addition, the moat surrounding the castle turns into a beautiful pale pink river when the petals begin to fall. The castle, for its part, dates from the 17th century and is therefore classified as a national heritage of Japan. Moreover, for gourmets, many streetfood stalls settle in the park during the full flowering of cherry trees! It is also possible to take a traditional boat ride in the moat.

Yoshino mountain covered with Sakura in April

Mount Yoshino, Nara Prefecture

A sacred site for over 1,500 years, nestled in the prefecture of Nara, there are references to the beauty of Mount Yoshino since the 7th century. It is also known that several emperors and empress came regularly, and many poems and paintings refer to the place. And it is well deserved! The mountain is covered with sakura and its difference in height creates a shifted blossoming that allows the many visitors to enjoy the cherry blossoms for a longer period than the other places of Japan. No less than 30,000 cherry trees dot Yoshino with their beauty. In short, it is the perfect place for an ultimate Hanami!

Takato's sakuras at dusk

Takato's Castle Ruins, Nagano Prefecture

With nearly 1,500 trees, some of them being over 120 years old, it is an ideal spot to admire sakuras. During the month of April, numerous stalls settle there and from sunset until about 10pm, the cherry trees are illuminated, creating a magical atmosphere. The place being quite remote, about 60km from Matsumoto, the roads leading there can be very crowded at during april, so avoid the weekends! Arrive in the morning with a good pic-nic, a good bottle, and why not a good book or board game, and bask in the first illuminations.