The Japan Meteorological Corporation (JMC) has published its first cherry blossom forecast for 2026, giving travellers an early look at when sakura are expected to bloom across the country.
Japan’s cherry blossoms, or sakura, are iconic symbols of spring, celebrated from late March to early May as a wave of pale pink and white blooms moves from the south to the north, embodying beauty, renewal, and the ephemeral nature of life through traditional flower viewing parties and festivals.
Cherry blossom celebrations under the trees, known as Hanami in Japan, are centuries-old traditions where people gather for picnics, food, drinks, music, and socialising beneath blooming sakura trees to enjoy the fleeting beauty of spring. It is especially famous in places like Ueno Park, Osaka Castle, and Kyoto, often extending to night viewing, offering stunning displays against historical backdrops like castles
The JMC forecast predicts the first flowering and full bloom dates of the popular somei yoshino variety of cherry blossoms for around 1,000 destinations across Japan. This highly anticipated forecast is based on temperature patterns from this past autumn and has been released slightly earlier than usual. The agency is also incorporating artificial intelligence to provide earlier dates, helping people plan their sakura trips more effectively.
Cherry blossoms in Japan typically last about two weeks from initial bloom to peak. Overall, warmer temperatures in late winter and early spring mean blossoms are expected to open earlier than average in northern and eastern Japan, while western Japan should see blooms close to the seasonal norm.
According to JMC’s first forecast, Tokyo and Nagoya are expected to see flowering around March 19, which is about five days earlier than usual, with full bloom about a week later in Tokyo on March 26, and on March 28 in Nagoya.
The next two locations where sakura is expected to flower are Fukuoka and Kochi on March 20. Full bloom is forecasted on March 27 in Kochi and March 29 in Fukuoka.
In western Japan, places like Fukuoka and Hiroshima are also expected to flower in the third week of March.
The popular tourist cities of Osaka and Kyoto are expected to see blooms from March 24, with full bloom on March 31.
If you’re not traveling to Japan around late March to early April, you can still enjoy early blossoms in southern areas like Kawazu and Atami City from January to February, or later blooms in colder regions like Sendai and Hokkaido from April to May.
Northern cities will start the season a bit later, in April, the meteorological service said.
Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture is expected to see sakura flowering on April 5, with full bloom on April 10. Meanwhile, in Aomori, sakura is expected to flower on April 19 and bloom on April 22. In Sapporo city, Hokkaido, the flowering is expected on April 28 and full bloom is expected on May 1.
Japan has over 1,000 stunning cherry blossom spots, so choosing the best one can be tough. You can view the comprehensive list here.
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