Cherry blossoms, also known as sakuras, are symbolic flowers that mark the arrival of spring. The national flower of Japan is often seen as a metaphor for life itself – unpredictable, yet beautiful (the viewing window typically lasts only a week to a week and a half). The Japanese have a tradition called hanami that involves admiring the blooms and perhaps even picnicking beneath them. We’ve rounded up some of the world’s top destinations for viewing the annual surge of sakuras.
Nine Ways to Take In Cherry Blossom Season Around the World
From Hirosaki Castle in Japan to Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Park, discover the best locations for cherry blossom season.
Photo: Nien Tran Dinh (Pexels)
Cherry Blossom Season in Japan: Hirosaki Castle —
These 2,600 trees – located next to a castle in a park in the city of Hirosaki – could be plucked from a fairy tale. The site is one of the best spots to observe cherry blossoms in Japan. There are two great times to visit: during yozakura, which translates to “cherry blossoms at night,” when the castle and trees are illuminated; and as the soft–pink petals begin to fall from the trees in early May, creating a sakura carpet.
Peak viewing: End of April
Photo: Steven Joniak
Cherry Blossom Season in Toronto: High Park —
Japanese Ambassador to Canada, Toru–Hagiwara, gifted 2,000 Japanese Somei–Yoshino sakura trees to Toronto in 1959, in appreciation of the city’s acceptance of relocated Japanese–Canadians following the Second World War. Many of the trees were planted on the hillside overlooking Grenadier Pond. High Park also has native cherry trees, black cherry trees (Prunus serotina) and pin cherry trees (Prunus pensylvanica). Check the status of the blooms before your visit with the Sakura Watch virtual stream.
Peak viewing: Late April to early May
Photo: National Cherry Blossom Festival
Cherry Blossom Season in Washington, D.C.: Tidal Basin —
Yoshino cherry and Kwanzan cherry trees line the reservoir, offering a stunning contrast between the white–pink petals and blue waters. For a live view of the cherry trees, watch the BloomCam, or try the Virtual Tidal Basin Tour and step onto the grounds to explore 5.3 kilometres via an interactive map. Visit Washington in person between March 20 and April 16 to experience the Art in Bloom festival, in which different corners of the city are decorated with giant cherry blossom sculptures, each one painted by a local artist.
Peak viewing: Early April
Photo: Annie Ma Richmond
Cherry Blossom Season in Vancouver: Queen Elizabeth Park —
Located on top of Little Mountain, the 130–acre park is where groups gather every spring to picnic under the canopy of pink cherry blossoms in celebration of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival, which runs from April 1 to 23, 2023. This year’s festival includes a haiku contest, guided bike ride under the blooms, traditional Japanese tea ceremonies and more.
Peak viewing: Early April
Photo: Malthe Zimakoff
Cherry Blossom Season in Copenhagen: Bispebjerg Cemetery —
One of the most whimsical displays of fluffy flowers is found at a rather unlikely location, the Bispebjerg Cemetery, thanks to a tree–lined pathway that creates a tunnel of pink blossoms. Spread across 106 acres of land, the cemetery also has plenty of greenery. Since it is predominantly a graveyard, it is important to be mindful that many visit to mourn and seek spiritual solitude.
Peak viewing: April
Photo: Dark Rush Photography
Cherry Blossom Season in Georgia, U.S.: Macon —
The city of Macon turns pink every March as a whopping 350,000–plus Yoshino cherry trees – dispersed across a trail of neighbourhoods, avenues and locations – blossom. This year’s annual ten–day Cherry Blossom Festival includes a parade, nightly concert series (don’t miss The Legendary Wailers) and wiener dog race.
Peak viewing: Late March
Photo: Phil King (Flickr)
Cherry Blossom Season in Germany: Heerstrasse, Bonn —
Nestled in the neighbourhood of Nordstadt in the city of Bonn is Heerstrasse, also known as Cherry Blossom Avenue. With white architecture and blooming bright–pink sakura trees lining both sides of the cobblestone street – and filling the air with a delightful floral scent – it is one of the top travel–worthy cherry blossom destinations.
Peak viewing: Early April
Photo: Pascale Amez
Cherry Blossom Season in New York: Brooklyn Botanic Garden —
Check out the Flowering Cherry Collection to learn about the 26 different species of cherry trees within Brooklyn Botanic Garden. An in–person stroll is best, but you can also experience the blooms virtually with CherryWatch, complete with the sounds of wind blowing through the trees, birds chirping, the sun peeking through the branches.
Peak viewing: Early April
Photo: Teo Romera (Flickr)
Cherry Blossom Season in Spain: Jerte Valley —
Each spring in western Spain, a million and a half sakura trees bloom across the remote, under–the–radar field of Extremadura (which literally translates to “the land of the outskirts of Douro”) in the Valle Del Jerte. The cherry trees are at different elevations throughout the valley, so the flowers bloom at different times – the trees at a lower elevation will show their white flowers first while those at a higher, colder elevation bloom slightly later in the season.
Peak viewing: Late March to early April
This story was originally published in April 2021 and was updated in February 2023.