The Japan Meteorological Agency records two days on one sample tree in each city: the first day five or six flowers are open, and the first day about 80% of the buds are open. In 2026 Tokyo's tree opened on 19 March, 5 days earlier than average.
Average dates by city
13 cities from Naha to Sapporo. Sort by first bloom or by full bloom.
| City | First bloom, average | Full bloom, average | First bloom 2026 | Full bloom 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo札幌 | 1 May | 6 May | 18 Apr | 24 Apr |
| Hakodate函館 | 28 Apr | 2 May | 18 Apr | 20 Apr |
| Sendai仙台 | 8 Apr | 13 Apr | 31 Mar | 4 Apr |
| Tokyo東京 | 24 Mar | 31 Mar | 19 Mar | 28 Mar |
| Yokohama横浜 | 25 Mar | 1 Apr | 22 Mar | 1 Apr |
| Nagoya名古屋 | 24 Mar | 2 Apr | 17 Mar | 30 Mar |
| Kanazawa金沢 | 3 Apr | 8 Apr | 29 Mar | 3 Apr |
| Kyoto京都 | 26 Mar | 4 Apr | 23 Mar | 30 Mar |
| Osaka大阪 | 27 Mar | 4 Apr | 26 Mar | 3 Apr |
| Hiroshima広島 | 25 Mar | 3 Apr | 19 Mar | 30 Mar |
| Fukuoka福岡 | 22 Mar | 31 Mar | 24 Mar | 3 Apr |
| Kagoshima鹿児島 | 26 Mar | 5 Apr | 27 Mar | 5 Apr |
| Naha那覇 | 16 Jan | 4 Feb | 18 Jan | 3 Feb |
Naha records hikanzakura, an earlier variety, because somei-yoshino does not grow there. The other cities record somei-yoshino.
2026 compared with the average
In 2026 the first flowers opened earlier than average in 10 of the 12 somei-yoshino cities. On average the first bloom moves from Fukuoka on 22 March to Sapporo on 1 May, about 40 days.
| City | Average | 2026 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo札幌 | 1 May | 18 Apr | 13 days earlier |
| Hakodate函館 | 28 Apr | 18 Apr | 10 days earlier |
| Sendai仙台 | 8 Apr | 31 Mar | 8 days earlier |
| Tokyo東京 | 24 Mar | 19 Mar | 5 days earlier |
| Yokohama横浜 | 25 Mar | 22 Mar | 3 days earlier |
| Nagoya名古屋 | 24 Mar | 17 Mar | 7 days earlier |
| Kanazawa金沢 | 3 Apr | 29 Mar | 5 days earlier |
| Kyoto京都 | 26 Mar | 23 Mar | 3 days earlier |
| Osaka大阪 | 27 Mar | 26 Mar | 1 day earlier |
| Hiroshima広島 | 25 Mar | 19 Mar | 6 days earlier |
| Fukuoka福岡 | 22 Mar | 24 Mar | 2 days later |
| Kagoshima鹿児島 | 26 Mar | 27 Mar | 1 day later |
Frequently asked questions
When do cherry blossoms bloom in Tokyo?
On average the first flowers open on 24 March and full bloom comes on 31 March, 7 days later. In 2026 the dates were 19 March and 28 March.
When do cherry blossoms bloom in Kyoto and Osaka?
Kyoto: 26 March for first bloom and 4 April for full bloom on average. Osaka: 27 March and 4 April.
When do cherry blossoms bloom in Hokkaido?
Sapporo averages 1 May for first bloom and 6 May for full bloom, and Hakodate 28 April and 2 May.
Is there a cherry blossom forecast for 2027 on this page?
No. This page shows the 1991–2020 averages and the dates recorded in 2026 only. The 2027 dates are added after the Japan Meteorological Agency records them.
How the dates are recorded
Each weather station watches its own sample tree.
- First bloom: the first day five or six flowers or more are open on the sample tree.
- Full bloom: the first day about 80% or more of the buds on the sample tree are open.
- The average is the mean of the 30 years from 1991 to 2020.
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency — How flowering and full bloom are observed (さくらの開花日と満開日)
- Sapporo5 days
- Hakodate4 days
- Sendai5 days
- Tokyo7 days
- Yokohama7 days
- Nagoya9 days
- Kanazawa5 days
- Kyoto9 days
- Osaka8 days
- Hiroshima9 days
- Fukuoka9 days
- Kagoshima10 days
Cherry blossom and the spring holidays in 2027
Vernal Equinox Day is Sunday 21 March 2027, so 20 to 22 March is a 3-day weekend, a few days before Tokyo's average first bloom. Golden Week, 1 to 5 May, falls on Sapporo's average first bloom.
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Sources for this page
- Cherry blossom flowering dates 2021–2026 and 1991–2020 averages (さくらの開花日)Japan Meteorological Agency
- Cherry blossom full bloom dates 2021–2026 and 1991–2020 averages (さくらの満開日)Japan Meteorological Agency
- How flowering and full bloom are observed (さくらの開花日と満開日)Japan Meteorological Agency
- National holidays (国民の祝日について)Cabinet Office