TraveloffsyTravel facts from official sources. Know when to go. Travel the quiet months.
--:-- UTC Book a stay
Japan · Seasons

When do cherry blossoms open in Japan? 2026 dates and averages for every prefecture

By TraveloffsyBuilt from official dataData: Japan Meteorological Agency, 1991–2020 and 2026
TL;DR

In 2026, the Japan Meteorological Agency recorded cherry trees opening first in Okinawa, on 18 January (hikan-zakura, the variety JMA observes there), and last in Hokkaido, on 18 April. They opened earlier than the 1991–2020 average at 36 of 47 prefecture stations, later at 6 and on the average day at 5. Average openings run from 16 January to 1 May.

How to read these dates

JMA watches one sample tree at one station in each prefecture and records the day the first flowers open and the day it reaches full bloom. The first table gives the 1991–2020 averages; the real date moves from year to year, sometimes by weeks.1 The second gives the dates JMA recorded in 2026, and how many days earlier or later than the average each was.3 Most stations observe Somei-yoshino; a few observe another variety, marked in the tables.

Every prefecture, earliest first

Grouped by when the trees usually start to bloom: early is the 1st to the 10th, mid the 11th to the 20th, late the 21st onwards.1

Average cherry blossom opening and full-bloom dates by prefecture, 1991 to 2020, with the earliest and latest opening on record
PrefectureStationOpensFull bloomEarliest and latest opening on record
Mid January
OkinawaNaha (hikan-zakura)16 January4 February28 December of the previous year to 8 February (since 1974)
Late March
FukuokaFukuoka22 March31 March12 March to 6 April (since 1953)
KochiKochi22 March30 March10 March to 2 April (since 1954)
KumamotoKumamoto22 March1 April15 March to 2 April (since 1953)
MiyazakiMiyazaki23 March2 April13 March to 2 April (since 1971)
NagasakiNagasaki23 March2 April14 March to 1 April (since 1953)
AichiNagoya24 March2 April17 March to 11 April (since 1953)
EhimeMatsuyama24 March3 April14 March to 6 April (since 1953)
OitaOita24 March4 April14 March to 6 April (since 1953)
SagaSaga24 March2 April17 March to 2 April (since 1953)
ShizuokaShizuoka24 March2 April15 March to 6 April (since 1953)
TokyoTokyo24 March31 March14 March to 11 April (since 1953)
WakayamaWakayama24 March3 April16 March to 6 April (since 1953)
GifuGifu25 March2 April16 March to 12 April (since 1953)
HiroshimaHiroshima25 March3 April11 March to 8 April (since 1953)
KanagawaYokohama25 March1 April15 March to 10 April (since 1953)
YamanashiKofu25 March2 April16 March to 12 April (since 1953)
KagoshimaKagoshima26 March5 April15 March to 5 April (since 1953)
KyotoKyoto26 March4 April16 March to 9 April (since 1953)
YamaguchiShimonoseki26 March4 April16 March to 6 April (since 1953)
HyogoKobe27 March5 April20 March to 10 April (since 1953)
KagawaTakamatsu27 March4 April15 March to 8 April (since 1953)
OsakaOsaka27 March4 April19 March to 10 April (since 1953)
SaitamaKumagaya27 March3 April17 March to 14 April (since 1953)
NaraNara28 March4 April20 March to 12 April (since 1954)
OkayamaOkayama28 March4 April20 March to 10 April (since 1953)
TokushimaTokushima28 March4 April18 March to 6 April (since 1953)
GunmaMaebashi29 March5 April18 March to 15 April (since 1953)
MieTsu29 March3 April20 March to 12 April (since 1953)
ShimaneMatsue29 March5 April14 March to 13 April (since 1953)
TottoriTottori29 March5 April19 March to 13 April (since 1953)
ChibaChoshi30 March6 April19 March to 16 April (since 1953)
IbarakiMito30 March6 April20 March to 20 April (since 1953)
TochigiUtsunomiya30 March6 April18 March to 18 April (since 1953)
Early April
FukuiFukui1 April7 April22 March to 17 April (since 1953)
ShigaHikone1 April8 April22 March to 15 April (since 1953)
IshikawaKanazawa3 April8 April23 March to 17 April (since 1953)
ToyamaToyama3 April8 April22 March to 20 April (since 1953)
FukushimaFukushima7 April11 April24 March to 25 April (since 1953)
MiyagiSendai8 April13 April26 March to 28 April (since 1953)
NiigataNiigata8 April13 April27 March to 26 April (since 1953)
Mid April
NaganoNagano11 April16 April28 March to 26 April (since 1953)
YamagataYamagata13 April18 April31 March to 29 April (since 1953)
AkitaAkita17 April22 April4 April to 30 April (since 1953)
IwateMorioka18 April24 April3 April to 6 May (since 1953)
Late April
AomoriAomori22 April26 April7 April to 11 May (since 1956)
Early May
HokkaidoSapporo1 May6 May15 April to 14 May (since 1953)

“On record” means in JMA's observations at that station since the year it started, shown on each prefecture's page. A variety in brackets means JMA observes it there instead of Somei-yoshino.

2026: when the trees opened, and how that compared

The dates JMA recorded in 2026 at the same stations, in the order the trees opened. “Compared with average” is the observed date minus that station's 1991–2020 average, in days.3 Opening was earlier than average at 36 stations, later at 6 and on the average day at 5; full bloom was earlier at 32, later at 10 and on the average day at 5.

Observed cherry blossom opening and full-bloom dates in 2026 by prefecture, with days earlier or later than the 1991 to 2020 average
PrefectureStationOpened, 2026Compared with averageFull bloom, 2026Compared with average
OkinawaNaha 那覇 (hikan-zakura)18 January2 days late3 February1 day early
GifuGifu 岐阜16 March9 days early26 March7 days early
KochiKochi 高知16 March6 days early31 March1 day late
YamanashiKofu 甲府16 March9 days early24 March9 days early
AichiNagoya 名古屋17 March7 days early30 March3 days early
HiroshimaHiroshima 広島19 March6 days early30 March4 days early
TokyoTokyo 東京19 March5 days early28 March3 days early
ShizuokaShizuoka 静岡20 March4 days early2 AprilSame day
SagaSaga 佐賀21 March3 days early3 April1 day late
GunmaMaebashi 前橋22 March7 days early1 April4 days early
KanagawaYokohama 横浜22 March3 days early1 AprilSame day
KumamotoKumamoto 熊本23 March1 day late2 April1 day late
KyotoKyoto 京都23 March3 days early30 March5 days early
SaitamaKumagaya 熊谷23 March4 days early3 AprilSame day
EhimeMatsuyama 松山24 MarchSame day4 April1 day late
FukuokaFukuoka 福岡24 March2 days late3 April3 days late
MieTsu 津24 March5 days early29 March5 days early
MiyazakiMiyazaki 宮崎24 March1 day late3 April1 day late
NaraNara 奈良24 March4 days early31 March4 days early
OitaOita 大分24 MarchSame day5 April1 day late
TochigiUtsunomiya 宇都宮24 March6 days early3 April3 days early
WakayamaWakayama 和歌山24 MarchSame day2 April1 day early
YamaguchiShimonoseki 下関24 March2 days early6 April2 days late
ChibaChoshi 銚子25 March5 days early3 April3 days early
IbarakiMito 水戸25 March5 days early3 April3 days early
KagawaTakamatsu 高松25 March2 days early1 April3 days early
OkayamaOkayama 岡山25 March3 days early31 March4 days early
OsakaOsaka 大阪26 March1 day early3 April1 day early
HyogoKobe 神戸27 MarchSame day5 AprilSame day
KagoshimaKagoshima 鹿児島27 March1 day late5 AprilSame day
NagasakiNagasaki 長崎27 March4 days late3 April1 day late
ShimaneMatsue 松江27 March2 days early31 March5 days early
TokushimaTokushima 徳島28 MarchSame day6 April2 days late
TottoriTottori 鳥取28 March1 day early31 March5 days early
FukuiFukui 福井29 March3 days early31 March7 days early
FukushimaFukushima 福島29 March9 days early3 April8 days early
IshikawaKanazawa 金沢29 March5 days early3 April5 days early
ShigaHikone 彦根29 March3 days early2 April6 days early
ToyamaToyama 富山29 March5 days early2 April6 days early
MiyagiSendai 仙台31 March8 days early4 April9 days early
NaganoNagano 長野31 March11 days early6 April10 days early
NiigataNiigata 新潟31 March8 days early3 April10 days early
YamagataYamagata 山形2 April11 days early6 April12 days early
AkitaAkita 秋田6 April11 days early9 April13 days early
IwateMorioka 盛岡7 April11 days early12 April12 days early
AomoriAomori 青森13 April9 days early16 April10 days early
HokkaidoSapporo 札幌18 April13 days early24 April12 days early

Station names are JMA's, in English and as JMA writes them in Japanese. JMA prints the same difference (平年差) beside each date; ours match it. We saved JMA's tables on 2 October 2026.

How busy is the blossom month?

For each prefecture where JMA observes Somei-yoshino: the month its trees usually open, that month's share of the prefecture's 2025 guest nights, and its busiest month. The figures do not show that blossom makes a month busier, so we do not say it does.12

Show the table
Blossom month and its share of 2025 guest nights by prefecture
PrefectureUsually opensMonthShare of 2025 guest nightsBusiest month
Fukuoka22 MarchMarch8.7%October
Kochi22 MarchMarch8.2%August
Kumamoto22 MarchMarch8.9%October
Miyazaki23 MarchMarch8.3%August
Nagasaki23 MarchMarch9.0%August
Aichi24 MarchMarch8.3%August
Ehime24 MarchMarch9.0%August
Oita24 MarchMarch9.8%March
Saga24 MarchMarch8.4%August
Shizuoka24 MarchMarch9.1%August
Tokyo24 MarchMarch8.4%December
Wakayama24 MarchMarch9.6%August
Gifu25 MarchMarch8.5%August
Hiroshima25 MarchMarch8.3%August
Kanagawa25 MarchMarch8.3%August
Yamanashi25 MarchMarch7.5%August
Kagoshima26 MarchMarch9.0%November
Kyoto26 MarchMarch8.3%May
Yamaguchi26 MarchMarch8.8%August
Hyogo27 MarchMarch8.8%August
Kagawa27 MarchMarch9.2%August
Osaka27 MarchMarch8.4%August
Saitama27 MarchMarch8.6%August
Nara28 MarchMarch8.8%May
Okayama28 MarchMarch8.6%August
Tokushima28 MarchMarch9.1%August
Gunma29 MarchMarch8.1%August
Mie29 MarchMarch9.0%August
Shimane29 MarchMarch8.0%August
Tottori29 MarchMarch8.1%August
Chiba30 MarchMarch9.1%August
Ibaraki30 MarchMarch8.9%August
Tochigi30 MarchMarch8.4%August
Fukui1 AprilApril8.0%August
Shiga1 AprilApril8.6%August
Ishikawa3 AprilApril8.4%November
Toyama3 AprilApril8.4%August
Fukushima7 AprilApril7.4%August
Miyagi8 AprilApril7.7%August
Niigata8 AprilApril6.6%August
Nagano11 AprilApril6.2%August
Yamagata13 AprilApril6.8%August
Akita17 AprilApril7.2%August
Iwate18 AprilApril7.7%August
Aomori22 AprilApril7.7%August
Hokkaido1 MayMay7.5%August

What is the light like on the blossom date?

For photographers: on the average opening date in 2026, the direction of sunrise and sunset and the minutes of evening golden light (our stated band: the sun from 6° above to 4° below the horizon), calculated with NOAA's solar equations for the weather station where JMA also observes the trees.1 Stations where JMA observes the trees somewhere else are left out. See the light calendar for any date, and why golden hour is not an hour.

Show the light for 43 prefectures
Light on the average cherry blossom opening date in 2026: sunrise and sunset direction in degrees from true north, and minutes of evening golden light
PrefectureUsually opensSunrise directionSunset directionEvening golden light, minutes
Okinawa16 January113°247°49
Fukuoka22 March89°271°48
Kochi22 March89°271°48
Kumamoto22 March89°271°48
Miyazaki23 March88°272°47
Nagasaki23 March88°272°48
Aichi24 March88°272°49
Ehime24 March88°272°48
Oita24 March88°272°48
Saga24 March88°272°48
Shizuoka24 March88°272°49
Tokyo24 March88°272°49
Wakayama24 March88°272°48
Gifu25 March87°273°49
Hiroshima25 March87°273°49
Kanagawa25 March87°273°49
Yamanashi25 March87°273°49
Kagoshima26 March87°273°47
Kyoto26 March87°273°49
Hyogo27 March86°274°49
Kagawa27 March86°274°49
Osaka27 March86°274°49
Nara28 March86°274°49
Okayama28 March86°274°49
Tokushima28 March86°274°48
Gunma29 March85°275°50
Mie29 March85°275°49
Shimane29 March85°275°49
Tottori29 March85°275°49
Ibaraki30 March85°275°50
Tochigi30 March85°275°50
Fukui1 April84°276°50
Ishikawa3 April83°277°50
Toyama3 April83°277°50
Fukushima7 April81°279°51
Miyagi8 April80°280°52
Niigata8 April80°280°51
Nagano11 April79°281°51
Yamagata13 April78°282°52
Akita17 April76°284°53
Iwate18 April75°285°54
Aomori22 April73°287°55
Hokkaido1 May68°292°58

What these dates cannot tell you

  • Past dates, not a forecast. The averages and the 2026 dates describe what happened; another year can differ by weeks. Check the current season's forecast before you travel.
  • One tree, one station. Trees elsewhere in the same prefecture, especially in the hills, can bloom days or weeks apart.
  • Japan's figures are a sample survey. The gaps between neighbouring prefectures are often smaller than the survey's sampling error, so we do not rank prefectures against each other.
  • We have not been to these places and make no judgement about which is better to visit.

See also autumn leaf dates and where to go in April.

Key takeaways

  • In 2026, the first trees opened in Okinawa on 18 January, the last in Hokkaido on 18 April; 36 of 47 stations opened earlier than average.
  • Earliest average opening: Okinawa, around 16 January (hikan-zakura).
  • Latest: Hokkaido, around 1 May.
  • Full bloom usually follows opening by about a week, but the gap differs by station; each row gives both dates.
  • What we would skip: booking a whole trip on an average date. The date moves every year; keep the plan flexible or check the forecast.

Sources

The average dates come from the Japan Meteorological Agency and the guest-night shares from the Japan Tourism Agency, both copied from our prefecture pages; the 2026 dates come from JMA's own 2026 tables. See how we research.

  1. Cherry blossom and autumn leaves: 出典：気象庁ホームページ（生物季節観測の情報）: さくらの開花日・満開日 and 生物季節観測累年値ファイル (さくらの開花, さくらの満開, かえでの紅葉), 平年値 1991–2020. Japan Meteorological Agency. Accessed 22 September 2026. Licensed under PDL1.0. 「生物季節観測の情報」（気象庁）を加工して作成 — edited by Traveloffsy (English wording, date format and selection).
  2. Source: 「宿泊旅行統計調査」（観光庁） (Overnight Travel Statistics Survey, Japan Tourism Agency), 2025 annual figures (final), tables 2 and 8 and reference table 1, published 6 July 2026. Survey page · workbook. Accessed 17 September 2026. Licensed under the Public Data License 1.0 (PDL1.0).
  3. Cherry blossom, 2026: 出典：気象庁ホームページ（2026年のさくらの開花状況、2026年のさくらの満開状況）: each station's observed date (観測日), average date (平年日) and difference from the average (平年差). Japan Meteorological Agency. Accessed 2 October 2026. Licensed under 公共データ利用規約（第1.0版）, PDL1.0. 気象庁「2026年のさくらの開花状況」「2026年のさくらの満開状況」を加工して作成 — edited by Traveloffsy (English wording, date format, one station per prefecture, order, and the days earlier or later, which we calculated and which match JMA's 平年差).

Modified data. The monthly shares, orderings and comparisons are our own calculations from Eurostat's counts and the Japan Tourism Agency's figures (「宿泊旅行統計調査」（観光庁）を加工して作成). Percentages are rounded to one decimal place. Neither body is responsible for these calculations or for how the figures are presented here. The 2026 cherry dates: 気象庁「2026年のさくらの開花状況」「2026年のさくらの満開状況」を加工して作成; the days earlier or later are our calculation (observed date minus average date).