Start planning your sakura trips and hanami parties for the top cherry blossom destinations in Japan with the Japan cherry blossom forecast for 2025. It is time to start looking ahead to the warmer weather of spring which can mean only one thing – cherry blossoms.
Cherry Blossom Season in 2025
This year’s cherry blossom (sakura) forecast for Japan is expected to open on average nationwide. Warmer temperatures from October 2024 to November 2024, have delayed the dormancy-breaking period by about a week. However, with temperatures across Japan from January to March expected to be around the same as usual, or slightly above average, the flower buds are expected to develop well, consequently leading to a bloom roughly the same as in a typical year.
The cherry blossom season typically starts in January in Okinawa and sweeps up the mainland to Hokkaido in May. The cherry blossoms in Japan usually last about 2 weeks from the start of their bloom to full bloom. The peak season for cherry blossoms in popular sightseeing destinations such as Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka is usually from late March to early April.
First Bloom and Full Bloom 2025 Forecast
This year the cherry blossoms are predicted to open in Tokyo on March 24th, Nagoya on March 24th, Kyoto on March 27th, and Osaka also on March 27th.
Tokyo is expecting full bloom (peak viewing) around March 31st with Kyoto around April 4th, and Osaka expecting full bloom around April 3rd.
On January 9, 2025, JMC (Japan Meteorological Corporation) released its 1st Japan cherry blossom forecast for the current season. It may still only be January, but it gives us a good idea about when is the best time to enjoy the cherry blossoms.
This forecast is based on the Somei Yoshino cherry blossom tree, which is considered to be the most popular variety of Sakura in Japan.
We have created a table below for the major cherry blossom destinations in Japan with the estimate start date and peak bloom of the cherry blossoms. This forecast is subject to change and is only a prediction based on long term forecasts for February and March. Please refer back to this page for regular updates and reports. Information from the Japan Meteorological Corporation.
John Asano is a blogger, travel writer and travel advisor living in Gifu, Japan. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, he has lived in Japan now for over 15 years. John loves nothing better than picking up his camera and exploring all the amazing sights and attractions that Japan has to offer. He writes about the must see sights and attractions in Japan at Japan Travel Advice, as well as about Japanese culture and modern life on his blog Japan Australia. You can read more of his work at http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/
