Japan’s cherry‑blossom season starts
Japan officially kicked off cherry‑blossom season today: first blooms were confirmed in Kochi, Gifu and Yamanashi and the Meteorological Agency announced the season opening on March 16, with Tokyo possibly hitting full bloom as early as March 19 Japan’s cherry blossom season begins with first flowering confirmed in 3 cities Japan Officially Starts 2026 Cherry Blossom Season. Local tips recommend lesser‑known hanami spots and hiring a guide to avoid peak crowds and find distinctive viewing routes Japan resident hanami tips.
Japan Meteorological Corporation’s March 12 “8th forecast” put Tokyo’s flowering on March 19 and projected full bloom for March 27. (n-kishou.com) Kyoto’s flowering was forecast for March 24 with full bloom around March 31, while Osaka and Nagoya showed similar late‑March full‑bloom windows in the JMC/JWA regional forecasts. (thejapanist.net) Longer trends show earlier springs: researchers reported that sakura flowering in Japan has advanced about 1.2 days per decade since 1953, with Tokyo’s average flowering shifting from March 29 (1961–1990) to March 24 (1991–2020). (time.com) The Japan Meteorological Agency determines “flowering” by checking Somei‑Yoshino benchmark trees and declaring flowering once more than five blossoms open on the specimen tree (a method used at sites such as Yasukuni Shrine). (usnews.com) Early alternatives and less crowded routes include the Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival (Kawazu‑zakura) running February 7–March 8, 2026, and curated lists of seven hidden hanami spots around Tokyo promoted by local travel guides. (japantraveldiscovery.com) Tour operators are scaling up private sakura packages for 2026, with multi‑day private tours commonly priced from roughly $3,470 up to $9,129 depending on length and inclusions, and industry coverage forecasting a return of millions of visitors during peak season. (umetravel.com)
