Spring is one of the most popular times of the year to visit Japan
with visitors from all over the globe flocking to experience the enchanting beauty
of Japan’s iconic cherry blossoms or “sakura” There are countless spots nationwide to view
the blossoms so to make planning your perfect, petal-filled
trip a little easier here is a countdown of our top ten sakura
spots in Japan:
Number 10 Miyajima
A short ferry ride across the water from the city of Hiroshima is the island of Miyajima
famous for Itsukushima shrine the large floating gate
deer-inhabited hills and charming shopping streets
To the delight of visitors, each spring the island becomes beautifully decorated by cherry
blossoms making Miyajima even more picturesque than
normal and well worth a visit during sakura season
Number 9 Goryokaku Fort
This unique Western-style citadel in Hokkaido has hundreds of trees planted along its fortifications
and moat that provide a flurry of pink petals each springtime
Also don’t miss the bird’s eye view of this hanami haven
which can be enjoyed from the adjacent Goryokaku Tower
Number 8 Yoshinoyama
For centuries Yoshinoyama has been considered by many
to be the most spectacular hanami spot in all of Japan
With tens of thousands of cherry trees spread out across a range of elevations
sakura can usually be enjoyed in Yoshinoyama from early through mid April
with flowers higher up the mountain blooming later than those at the base
Number 7 Kakunodate
In springtime, the former samurai district in the town of Kakunodate
becomes beautifully decorated by weeping cherry trees
On top of this, the hundreds of sakura which line the riverbank
are an ideal place to have a picnic All in all Kakunodate provides visitors with
a downright pleasant cherry blossom atmosphere that echoes of centuries past
Number 6 Himeji Castle
With its grand white exterior, Himeji is widely considered
to be Japan’s most spectacular castles Also designated as a world heritage site
this national treasure can be photographed with a beautiful sakura frame around early
April
Number 5 The Fuji Five Lakes region
Due to its higher elevation, the cherry blossoms in the area just north of Mt. Fuji
called the Fuji Five Lakes region usually bloom in mid to later April
which is a few weeks later than nearby Tokyo or Yokohama
In the Fuji Five Lakes region, two of the most breathtaking places
to view the mountain and cherry blossoms together are from the Chureito Pagoda
and also from the the northern shores of Lake Kawaguchiko
Number 4 Osaka
The sheer number of cherry trees make Kansai’s largest metropolis, Osaka
a stellar hanami destination which could easily be placed even higher
on this list depending on personal preference One of the city’s sprawling hanami areas
is the riverside Kema Sakuranomiya Park that stretches for multiple kilometers and
connects to the equally cherry-tree-abundant Osaka Castle Park
Within the castle grounds, a particularly nice place for a picnic is Nishinomaru Park
in the castle's western citadel with wide lawns
views of the castle tower and light up in the evening
Finally, the walking paths and wide lawns of the Expo 70 Commemorative Park
in northern Osaka boast an additional few thousand
trees for blossom chasers to enjoy and also have light-up events at night
Number 3 Kyoto
The ancient capital of japan is where cherry blossoms meet cultural heritage
with an array of the city’s historical buildings and gardens
becoming awash with pink and white each spring A few specific spots to enjoy the sakura season
in Kyoto are the Philosopher’s path
Maruyama Park which also has night illuminations and the hills of the Arashiyama district in
the west which has an abundance of trees near the Togetsukyo
Bridge in Nakanoshima Park
and along the main shopping street
Number 2 Tokyo
The nation’s capital is home to more hanami spots than anywhere else
Boasting a large number of cherry trees in a plethora of its parks, gardens, city streets,
and riverbanks Tokyo has an ideal sakura spot to please everyone
In particular, a few of the more noteworthy spots are
The sidewalks and river scenes found in Chidorigafuchi which also have nightly illuminations
The extensive scenic gardens in family-friendly Shinjuku Gyoen
which by the way does not allow alcohol inside the park
Ueno Park both along the central walking path in the
upper section of the park which has more of a lively hanami atmosphere
and also in the lower section around Shinobazu Pond
And finally Number 1
Hirosaki Castle This amazing castle park in the northern prefecture
of Aomori feels like multiple outstanding hanami spots
all combined into one This Spring wonderland has everything a cherry
blossom fans could wish for In addition to the castle, which is surrounded
by numerous varieties of cherry trees there are food stands
a boating pond and the country’s oldest and broadest Somei
Yoshino variety of cherry tree There is plenty of space to picnic amongst
the blossoms and the park is subject to pleasant petal
blizzards that leave the castle moat completely pink
towards the season’s end making Hirosaki Castle Park the number one
cherry blossom location in the entire country in our opinion
So there you have it, our top ten cherry blossom spots in Japan
Hopefully this video helps you to plan your perfect petal-filled trip
More in-depth information on the cherry blossoms can be found in the dedicated section of our
website including this year’s forecast lists of the best sakura spots
tree varieties and during sakura season daily cherry blossom
reports from around the country For more information or to watch another video
click the links on the screen below now or head to japan-guide.com
your comprehensive up-to-date travel guide first hand from Japan
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