Shinjuku Gyoen is one of the best spots for cherry blossoms in Tokyo. In the expansive garden with an area of 58.3 hectares (133 acres) and a circumference of 3.5 kilometers, about 1,100 Japanese cherry trees bloom in spring.

Since the different kinds of trees have different blossoming times, you can enjoy all kinds of flowers for a relatively long time, making the cherry blossom garden a lovely viewing spot.

In the shops around the large park, sweets and souvenirs with a cherry blossom theme are sold during that time. Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden can easily be accessed from Shinjuku Station.

・Admission: 500 yen (general)
・Opening hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (closing at 4:30 p.m.)
Shinjuku Gyoen is open every day from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed at 6:00 p.m.) during the cherry blossom viewing period from around March 15 to April 24.
(Note also that bringing alcohol or leisure goods like barbecue equipment is prohibited in the park.)

Ueno Park is another famous place for cherry blossoms in Tokyo, and it's said that the trees here bloom a little earlier than in other areas. It has been a popular sakura destination since the 16th century.

In the 53 hectare (131 acre) park, about 800 cherry trees bloom, most of them in the center street of the park. Here you'll find people using blue tarps and tape to claim space for the blossoms.

All told, expect Ueno Park to be crowded! If you plan on visiting with a group of friends, be sure to arrive early and claim your space.

If you'll be visiting solo or with your bestie, we recommend picking up a drink and/or snack at a nearby convenience store and enjoying the blossoms in the evening when they are lit by lantern light.

・Access: Close to Ueno Station
・Free entry
・Opening hours are from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
・No entry from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
・The park's management office is open from 8:30 a.m to 5:15 p.m.
*The 2022 Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival has been canceled

The area around Chidorigafuchi on the northwest side of the Imperial Palace is a popular area for cherry blossoms in Tokyo. It's also one of Tokyo's most scenic spots for sakura.

Around 1,000 cherry trees bloom here, and you can take a picture of cherry trees with the stone walls of Edo Castle, today's Imperial Palace, in the background. And if you're feeling adventurous, you can rent a boat, row in the moat, and snap photos of the blossoms up close.

There is a 700m-long footpath in the area nearby, which becomes something of a 'sakura tunnel.' This is particularly popular in the evening when the blossoms are illuminated from below with colored lights.

Also, at Chidorigafuchi Park between Chidorigafuchi (west side of the Imperial Palace) and the British Embassy, you can see about 170 cherry trees, so we highly recommended taking a relaxing walk around the neighborhood.

・Access: Close to Kudanshita Station
・Free entry
*In 2022, the Chiyoda Cherry Blossom Festival will be suspended due to Covid-19.

Although it is a famous park for watching fireworks in the summer, Sumida Park is known for its magnificent cherry blossoms during spring. It is also especially renowned for picnics under the blooms, but can get fairly crowded in the evening!

You can take beautiful pictures of cherry blossoms here - not only the 600+ Japanese cherry trees but also of Tokyo Skytree towering in the background. Also, cherry blossom viewing from a ykatabune boat will surely make for an unforgettable memory.

・Access: Close to Asakusa Station
・Free entry
*2022's lighting schedule has not been announced yet; please refer to the official website for the latest information.

This park in the western suburb of Kichijoji is very picturesque. Here, around 500 Japanese cherry trees surround a large pond. When their petals begin to fall as 'sakura snow,' they spread across its surface in a swirling carpet of pink. Similar to Ueno's Shinobazu Pond, you can rent a swan-shaped boat and pedal your way around the pond, snapping gorgeous cherry blossom pictures as you go.

The cherry trees seen from the Nanai Bridge in the middle of Inokashira Pond are especially magnificent. About 250 cherry trees lower their branches around the pond, and their reflection on the water surface is stunning.

・Access: Close to Kichijoji Station
・Free entry

This is one of the most famous areas for cherry blossoms in Tokyo. About 800 cherry trees blossom along the Meguro River, which stretches for about 3.8 kilometers from the Ikejiri-Ohashi area to Kamenokobashi under the Tokyu Meguro Line. Each year, this iconic area attracts tens of thousands of tourists and is a popular date spot at night when the blossoms are lit up.

In this area, there aren't many spots where you can sit down, sprawl out, and enjoy a picnic, but there are many food stands where you can pick up a glass of sakura-colored sparkling wine and assorted gourmet treats. Restaurants on either side of the river are also popular spots at which to enjoy eats while people-watching.

・Access: Close to Nakameguro Station
・Free entry
*For 2022, the lighting and other activities related to the cherry blossom festival are canceled due to Covid-19. For the latest information, please refer to the official websites.

Despite being Tokyo's third-largest park and having 730 cherry trees, Yoyogi is actually not one of Tokyo's top hanami (blossom-viewing) spots for couples.

Instead, it is popular with larger groups, as people can spread out a little more. It's a perfect place to bring a bento lunch (or dinner), a can or few of beer, and enjoy relaxing under the blossoms without so much interference from others.

・Access: Close to Harajuku/Meijijingumae Station
・Free entry

Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens was created in 1629, making it one of Tokyo's oldest parks. It features Chinese and Japanese landscapes, as well as several different kinds of cherry trees.

In particular, the beautiful cherry blossoms reflected on the surface of the pond in the center of the garden called Daisensui makes every park-goer stop in amazement for a moment or two. While picnics are not allowed, they have a tea house for enjoying some matcha and Japanese sweets.

・Entry: 300 yen
・Opening hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (admission until 4:30 p.m.).
Open every day during the cherry-blossom viewing period.

Built around 1700 for the 5th Tokugawa Shogun, Rikugien Gardens' completion took about seven full years. Its name means "Garden of the Six Elements of Poetry" and reproduces in a miniature from various scenes from famous Japanese poems.

Especially popular here is the weeping Japanese cherry blossom tree, which is a symbol of Rikugien Gardens. About 15 meters high and about 20 meters wide, it blooms like a waterfall, and it is lit up during the night, making for a magnificent sight.

・Entry: 300 yen
・Opening hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m (until 9:00 p.m. during the light-up period). Admission is until 30 minutes before closing.
・The shibazakura tree and daimyo garden are lit up from March 16 to April 2. Open every day during the cherry-blossom viewing period.

With around 600 cherry trees, Asukayama Park tends to be favored by locals and often escapes notice in guidebooks. Nevertheless, it has, for a long time, been one of the favorite spots for cherry blossoms in Tokyo.

From 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the Asuka Park Rail monorail runs through the garden, and the cherry trees viewed from above are a rare and unique sight.

・Access: Close to Oji Station
・Entry: Free

There are two cherry blossom viewing spots around Roppongi Hills, a commercial center with many restaurants, cafes, and other trendy stores.

One is the Mori Garden, a Japanese garden inside the Roppongi Hills complex, where there is a clear stream and eight cherry blossom trees. Although there are many night cherry blossom spots in Tokyo, the view of tall buildings and cherry blossoms from the Japanese garden is very unique, so it is recommended to come and see it.

In the past, the Roppongi Hills Spring Festival was held in early April, offering small events such as tea ceremonies and workshops to experience traditional Japanese culture.

The second attraction is Roppongi Sakurazaka, where about 150 cherry trees such as Somei Yoshino cherry trees and weeping cherry trees are in bloom, adding a bright and fresh touch to the city at night after the lighting.

The Roppongi Hills Spring Festival and Roppongi Sakurazaka lighting in 2022 have not yet been announced, so please refer to the official announcement for the latest information.

Cherry blossoms bloom along the trail from the base to Mt. Takao's summit, so you can enjoy seeing the sakura while hiking. In the past, the best time to see cherry blossoms was around mid-April, a little later than in the heart of Tokyo. The trees from the base to the summit bloom at different times depending on the altitude.

There are many cherry blossom viewing spots on Mount Takao that are worth stopping at, such as the famous viewing spot, Yakuoin Temple, with its weeping cherry blossoms. From the summit, you can not only enjoy the green mountains and cherry blossoms, but you can even see Mount Fuji when the weather is good.

There are many cherry blossom viewing spots in Tokyo, such as Japanese gardens, parks, and riversides, etc., which will give the viewer different feelings depending on the location.

According to the Japan Meteorological Corporation, the flowering day in Tokyo in 2022 is earlier than in previous years, falling on March 20, and the full bloom was already welcomed on March 27!

If you are planning to go cherry blossom viewing, please remember to seize the opportunity and don't miss the beauty of this limited spring scenery!