JJapan Trips

2026 cherry blossoms —Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka

  • October 7, 2025

Hi all—looking to book a trip with my family and hoping to coincide with the cherry blossom blooms. We were thinking of staying in Tokyo, Lake Kawaguchi, Kyoto, and Osaka. The trip is two weeks. I know that sounds like a lot of places but I will say we are active and like to be out and about. Does that still sound impossible? We like museums, nature (trying to get close to mt fuji), historical and cultural sites, food, and a bit of shopping 😅

I know it is increasingly difficult to predict, but what are good dates to plan on to hopefully catch some cherry blossoms in bloom?

Any advice would be helpful!

by SelectImage

4 comments

  2. Two weeks for those is super reasonable (a lot of people additionally shove in Hiroshima or Kanazawa for that duration for the first trip).

    First two weeks of April is safest IMO, especially if you are willing to take long day trips – in an early bloom year you’ll still catch Kawaguchiko or the later-blooming areas within day trip radius (e.g., Mt Yoshino), in a late bloom year you’ll be able to enjoy Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka.

  3. Along the classic route, the best time would be last few days of March, and the first 10 days of April.

    This may come in handy: [https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011_when.html](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011_when.html)

    The Tohoku and Hokkaido regions (north of Tokyo), as well as some mountainous regions throughout the country (i.e. Fuji Five Lakes area), are colder and get cherry blossoms later, which, depending on the location, may vary by just a few days, in areas closer to Tokyo, to over a month in Hokkaido.

  4. Just some food for thought:

    Switching cities often (for two week) has unfortunately very little to do with “liking to be out and about”. You’re not gonna be out and about, you’re gonna waste at least half a day checking-in and checking out of hotels, being on trains, waiting around to even be able to go to your hotel, figuring out what to do with the luggage in the meantime etc.

    That’s why switching cities often in such a short timeframe is not recommended – you waste so much time with it.

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