Tokyo Cherry Blossoms: Top 10 Spots & Crowd Levels

The complete guide to Tokyo's top 10 cherry blossom spots for 2026. Compare bloom dates, crowd levels, free admission spots, and night illumination locations at a glance. Covering Nakameguro, Ueno Park, Shinjuku Gyoen, and more with seasonal recommendations.

Cherry blossom spots in Tokyo — where should you go?

The expected bloom date for Tokyo cherry blossoms in 2026 is around March 22, but the atmosphere and crowd levels vary greatly depending on the location, even within Tokyo.

If you've had the experience of fighting through massive crowds, or if your photos didn't turn out the way you hoped, make this the year you choose wisely.

As a Tokyo local, I've put together everything travelers want to know — crowd levels, bloom timing, free admission spots, and night illumination locations — all in one place.

When Do Cherry Blossoms Bloom in Tokyo in 2026?

The expected first bloom date for Tokyo in 2026 is around March 22.

Full bloom is expected about one week later, around March 29 to early April.

However, the timing shifts by a few days each year depending on temperature, so be sure to check the Japan Meteorological Association's forecast starting two weeks before your trip.

📌 For detailed bloom timing information, check the article below.

👉 2026 Tokyo Cherry Blossom Forecast: Complete Guide

Quick tip: If you visit 2-3 days before full bloom, the blossoms are lush and full while the crowds are much smaller.

Tokyo Cherry Blossom Top 10 at a Glance

Wondering which spots are worth visiting? Here's a comparison table to help you decide at a glance.

※ Expected bloom dates are based on the 2026 WeatherNews (ウェザーニュース) forecast.

Most spots are free to enjoy, making it totally possible to visit 2-3 places in a single day.

If you're worried about crowds, try to arrive before 10 AM on weekdays. The difference compared to weekend afternoons is dramatic.

🌙 Best spots for night cherry blossoms?

1st — Chidorigafuchi (moat reflection illumination)

2nd — Tokyo Midtown (pink art lighting)

3rd — Rikugien (spotlight on weeping cherry tree)

For night photography, 18:30-19:00 blue hour is the best timing.

#1. Nakameguro — Tokyo’s Iconic Cherry Blossom Tunnel

This is the first place that comes to mind when you think of cherry blossoms in Tokyo. About 800 cherry trees form a tunnel along both sides of the Meguro River.

The sight of cherry blossoms draping over the river and reflecting on the water is unforgettable.

• Arrive between 8-9 AM and you can have the cherry blossom tunnel all to yourself
• 1-minute walk from Nakameguro Station — best accessibility
• Browse nearby cafes and select shops for a half-day course

However, full bloom weekends get so packed you can barely walk. If possible, go on a weekday morning.

🌙 Night Cherry Blossoms & 📸 Photo Tips

At night, soft lighting along the riverside cherry blossoms creates an entirely different atmosphere from daytime.

Shoot from Nakanohashi Bridge for cherry blossom tunnels on both sides of the river. Before 8 AM, you can get clean shots with no people.

👉 Nakameguro Cherry Blossom Detailed Guide

#2. Ueno Park — Tokyo’s Largest Hanami Festival

If you want an authentic Japanese hanami experience, Ueno Park is the answer.

Watching locals spread out picnic mats and enjoy food and drinks under roughly 800 cherry trees is an attraction in itself.

The expected bloom date is March 22, one of the earliest in Tokyo.

• Free admission, open 24 hours
• During cherry blossom season, food stalls line the paths — plenty to eat
• Great to combine with Tokyo National Museum and Ameyoko Market
• Full bloom weekends are a battle for space — arrive early or go on weekdays

🌙 Night Illumination

Over 1,000 bonbori paper lanterns illuminate the cherry blossom paths. With food stalls and night cherry blossoms, you can fully enjoy the Japanese festival atmosphere.

#3. Shinjuku Gyoen — A Cherry Blossom Garden in the Heart of the City

This is where you can see the widest variety of cherry blossom species in Tokyo. There are about 65 varieties and over 1,000 cherry trees.

The Somei Yoshino (standard cherry blossom) bloom is expected around March 25, but because earlier varieties and yaezakura (double-petal cherry blossoms) bloom sequentially from mid-March through late April, you have a high chance of seeing cherry blossoms even if your timing is slightly off.

• Admission: 500 yen (weekend advance reservations required, same-day tickets often sell out)
• Spread a picnic mat on the spacious lawns for hanami
• Alcohol is prohibited — which means it's actually quieter and more pleasant

📸 Photo Tips

The wide lawns make for great full-body shots with cherry trees in the background. Try shooting around 3-4 PM when the backlight makes the petals glow.

👉 Shinjuku Gyoen Cherry Blossom Season Guide

#4. Yoyogi Park — The Local Hanami Hotspot

This is a hanami spot where locals far outnumber tourists. Expected bloom date: March 23. Spread a mat on the wide lawns and enjoy eating, drinking, and cherry blossoms — the real hanami experience.

• Free admission, open 24 hours
• Cherry blossom picnics on the grass — an Instagram-worthy spot
• Grab a bento and drinks from the convenience store for the perfect setup
• 3-minute walk from Harajuku Station or Meiji-Jingumae Station

It's close to Shinjuku Gyoen, so a combo of morning hanami at Yoyogi → afternoon stroll at Shinjuku Gyoen works great.

#5. Shiba Park — Cherry Blossoms with Tokyo Tower

The only park where you can enjoy cherry blossoms right below Tokyo Tower. Expected bloom date: March 23.

The combination of the red Tokyo Tower and pink cherry blossoms is a scene unique to Tokyo that you can't find anywhere else.

• Free admission, fewer tourists so you can enjoy at a leisurely pace
• Visit Zojoji Temple nearby for the full Japanese experience

🌙 Night Cherry Blossoms & 📸 Photo Tips

Even without a dedicated light-up event, Tokyo Tower itself serves as the illumination. From the south side of the park, position Tokyo Tower in front and frame cherry blossom branches at the top of the shot for the perfect composition.

Low crowds make this a great spot for tripod night photography as well.

#6. Roppongi Sakurazaka & Tokyo Midtown Cherry Blossoms

Roppongi has two cherry blossom spots.

Sakurazaka is a cherry blossom-lined hill behind Roppongi Hills. As the name suggests (sakura = cherry blossom), the road was designed for cherry trees, with blossoms densely lining both sides. Barely any tourists visit, making it a peaceful spot for a quiet walk.

Tokyo Midtown features about a 200-meter cherry blossom path alongside the Midtown Garden. Every cherry blossom season, they host a large-scale illumination event. The pink-lit cherry blossom path is famous as a night viewing spot.

• Best plan: Sakurazaka during the day, Midtown for night cherry blossoms
• Both within a 5-minute walk from Roppongi Station
• Midtown illumination: usually 17:00-23:00, free

#7. Sumida Park — Cherry Blossoms with Tokyo Skytree

A cherry blossom path along the Sumida River near Asakusa's Sensoji Temple. Expected bloom date: March 25.

The biggest draw here is the composition of Skytree + cherry blossoms in a single frame. It's a photo spot unique to Tokyo.

• Combine with Asakusa sightseeing for a half-day course
• Take the water bus for cherry blossom views from the river

🌙 Night Cherry Blossoms & 📸 Photo Tips

At night, the Skytree special lighting and riverside cherry blossom illumination happen simultaneously. Azumabashi Bridge is the best shooting spot for Skytree + cherry blossoms.

#8. Chidorigafuchi — Cherry Blossoms by Boat

The cherry blossom path along the Edo Castle moat is considered the most romantic cherry blossom scenery in Tokyo. Expected bloom date: March 24.

The experience of looking up at cherry blossoms from a boat on the water is a view you can't get at any other spot.

• Boat reservations sell out instantly during peak bloom — act fast
• Even walking the promenade without a boat is beautiful
• 5-minute walk from Kudanshita Station

🌙 Night Cherry Blossoms & 📸 Photo Tips

The pinnacle of Tokyo night cherry blossoms (yozakura). The illuminated cherry blossoms reflected on the moat water are breathtaking. Usually lit from 18:00-22:00, free.

From the promenade opposite the boat dock, you can capture the moat, cherry blossoms, and boats all in one frame.

👉 Chidorigafuchi Cherry Blossom & Boat Complete Guide

#9. Rikugien — The Overwhelming Presence of a Single Weeping Cherry

Rikugien is one of Tokyo's three great gardens. The star here is a massive weeping cherry tree at the garden entrance.

About 15 meters tall and 20 meters wide, its branches cascade down like a waterfall — a single tree with overwhelming presence.

The expected bloom date is March 20, the earliest among the top 10. If you arrive in Tokyo in mid-March, start here.

• Admission: 300 yen, 2-minute walk from Komagome Station
• Quiet and uncrowded — recommended for those seeking hidden gems

🌙 Night Illumination

The dramatic spotlight on the single weeping cherry tree is famous. During the illumination period, special evening admission is available.

#10. Asukayama Park — Cherry Blossom Tram Ride

A local-only hanami spot in northern Tokyo that tourists rarely visit. Expected bloom date: March 24. Full bloom lasts into early April, so when other spots start fading, the blossoms here are still going strong.

The special highlight is the Toden Arakawa Line (cherry blossom tram). Watching cherry blossoms whiz past the streetcar windows is an experience unique to this location in Tokyo.

• Free admission, with a mini monorail (Asuka Park Rail) running to the park entrance
• If you've missed peak bloom elsewhere, try here
• 1-minute walk from Oji Station

The cherry blossom tram angle is rarely covered by other blogs — perfect for anyone looking for a cherry blossom experience different from the usual.

Cherry Blossom Calendar: Best Spots by Timing

Already have your travel dates locked in but not sure which spots will be blooming? Use this calendar as your guide.

🌸 Mid-March (Early Bloom)

Starting with spots where earlier varieties bloom first.

• 3/20 Rikugien — Earliest bloom in the top 10, weeping cherry tree
• 3/22 Ueno Park — Tokyo's premier hanami spot
• 3/23 Yoyogi Park / Shiba Park — Local hanami season begins
• 3/24 Chidorigafuchi / Asukayama — Boat and tram spots start blooming

🌸 Late March to Early April (Full Bloom)

The main season. The golden period when Somei Yoshino reaches full bloom.

• Nakameguro — Peak glory at full bloom
• Ueno Park — Hanami festival at its peak
• Chidorigafuchi — Full bloom + night illumination at the same time
• Sumida Park — Skytree + full bloom cherry blossoms
• Roppongi Midtown — Illumination event at its peak

🌸 Early to Mid-April (Late Bloom & Cherry Blossom Petals)

Missed full bloom? No worries!

• Asukayama Park — Full bloom lasts late, cherry blossom tram spot
• Shinjuku Gyoen — Yaezakura (double-petal cherry blossoms) continue through mid-April

If your trip falls in late February or early March, Atami and Kawazu — where cherry blossoms bloom earlier than Tokyo — are also an option.

👉 Atami & Kawazu Cherry Blossom Guide

Related Cherry Blossom Guides

Here are detailed guides for the spots mentioned in this article, plus helpful resources for your cherry blossom trip.

🌸 2026 Tokyo Cherry Blossom Forecast: Complete Guide — Date-by-date forecasts and historical data

🌸 Nakameguro Cherry Blossom Complete Guide — Restaurants, cafes, walking routes

🌸 Chidorigafuchi Cherry Blossom & Boat Guide — Reservation tips, night illumination schedule

🌸 Shinjuku Gyoen Cherry Blossom Season Guide — Admission reservations, bloom by variety

🌸 Atami & Kawazu Cherry Blossom Guide — Early cherry blossoms in March

Tokyo cherry blossoms are usually at their peak for about two weeks, and where you spend those two weeks can make or break your trip.

I hope this guide helps you plan your 2026 cherry blossom trip. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! 🌸