{"id":"f-e550251d2f-e9f503b5-f6b5-5b64-8c61-9ab58bca9982","title":"Japan’s Cherry Blossom Forecast 2026: A traveller’s guide to sakura season","description":"For those eager to see the first blossoms, Okinawa is the earliest stop. Japan’s southernmost prefecture typically begins blooming as early as February, offering a quieter setting for hanami against turquoise seas and subtropical greenery.","timestamp":1772359200,"category":"travel_and_lifestyle","headline":"Japan’s Cherry Blossom Forecast 2026: A traveller’s guide to sakura season","modifiedHeadline":"Japan Forecasts 2026 Cherry Blossom Season","subCategories":["scid_c3ff64bf"],"subcategoriesName":["Travel News"],"region":"IN","bundleMetaData":{"bundleId":"5c499af9-f79f-40d7-81bb-e308c73fe1a2","bundleTitle":"Where To Go Next?","cardData":null},"iabCategoryId":"663","fcSummary":"japan’s 2026 cherry blossom forecast predicts a gradual bloom from february to may, starting in okinawa and moving north. travellers can explore lesser-known spots like hokkaido and the tohoku region to avoid crowds. festivals and stunning views, including mount fuji backdrops, await. the bloom offers flexibility for varied travel plans.","summary":"Japan’s 2026 cherry blossom forecast reveals blooms from Feb in Okinawa to May in Hokkaido, offering diverse viewing experiences.","ctaUrl":"https://trends.glance.com/newz/Travel_Lifestyle/IN/en/cnbc-tv18/f-e550251d2f-e9f503b5-f6b5-5b64-8c61-9ab58bca9982","sourceUrl":"https://www.cnbctv18.com/travel/japan-cherry-blossom-forecast-2026-a-travellers-guide-to-sakura-season-ws-l-19859887.htm","bannerImage":"https://g-mob.glance-cdn.com/public/fc/image/ngwL_yHaVMz0.webp","content":"Spring in Japan arrives in shades of blush pink, and the 2026 Cherry Blossom Forecast offers travellers a roadmap to experiencing the season at its best. The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), citing projections from the Japan Weather Association, has outlined how the sakura bloom will move gradually from south to north across the country.\n\n
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\n For those eager to see the first blossoms, Okinawa is the earliest stop. Japan’s southernmost prefecture typically begins blooming as early as February, offering a quieter setting for hanami against turquoise seas and subtropical greenery. By late March and April, most of Japan enters peak cherry blossom season, with parks, castles and riversides across the country hosting seasonal festivals.\n
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\n Travellers who miss the main wave can head further north. In Hokkaido, blossoms extend into May, followed by expansive displays of \"Shiba Sakura,\" pink moss flowers that resemble cherry blossoms and form vivid carpets of colour. The moss pink typically peaks in May, while lavender fields bloom from July onward, making Hokkaido a multi-seasonal floral destination.\n\n
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\n JNTO highlights several lesser-known viewing regions for those hoping to avoid heavy crowds, including Okinawa, Hokkaido, the Tohoku region, the Nikko Kaido Cherry Blossom Trail in Tochigi, Yoshino in Nara and Mount Noro in Hiroshima.\n
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\n The Mount Fuji area combines blossoms with iconic scenery. The Sagamiko Sakura festival, expected to run from around February 27 to April 12, features about 2,000 cherry blossom trees inside Sagamiko Mori Mori Amusement Park, along with seasonal attractions and camping facilities. From approximately April 11 to May 24, the Fuji Shibasakura festival near Lake Motosu will showcase more than 800,000 pink moss plants set against views of Mount Fuji.\n\n
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\n For a more contemplative experience, Minobu Sakura, typically held from early to late April, centres on Kuonji Temple, an over 800-year-old temple in the Minobu mountain area known for its Shidare-zakura (weeping cherry blossoms). Visitors can take a seven-minute ropeway ride to reach a higher viewpoint and prayer area overlooking the blooms.\n
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\n With the bloom stretching over several months and across regions, the 2026 forecast gives travellers flexibility — whether planning an early-season escape to Okinawa, a classic spring visit in April, or a late bloom experience in Hokkaido.\n\n
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Also Read: Kedarnath Dham to reopen for devotees on April 22; other Char Dham dates announced\n","readDurationInMinutes":"4","author":{"name":"CNBC TV18","logo":"https://glance-mob.glance-cdn.com/public/bubble/jpeg/ecc3d19b-fc52-4a39-881c-5b0936ae723b.jpeg"},"ism":false,"analyticsResponses":[{"measurementId":"383191425","type":"COMSCORE"}],"pointerSummary":["JNTO released a 2026 Cherry Blossom Forecast, mapping blooms from Okinawa to Hokkaido.","Okinawa blossoms as early as February; Hokkaido extends blooms into May, plus pink moss.","Forecast suggests travellers can avoid crowds by visiting lesser-known regions like Tohoku."],"tags":["JapanTravel","CherryBlossomForecast","SakuraSeason","Hanami","Okinawa","Hokkaido","JapanNationalTourismOrganization","JNTO","JapanWeatherAssociation","MountFuji","SagamikoSakuraFestival","FujiShibasakuraFestival","MinobuSakura","KuonjiTemple","ShidareZakura","TohokuRegion","NikkoKaidoCherryBlossomTrail","Yoshino","MountNoro","TravelGuide"],"redirectionEnabled":false,"consent":true}

Japan’s Cherry Blossom Forecast 2026: A traveller’s guide to sakura season

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