1. Hokkaido, Japan
![Hokkaido, Japan Hokkaido, Japan](https://media.timeout.com/images/105561756/750/422/image.jpg)
![Hokkaido, Japan Hokkaido, Japan](https://media.timeout.com/images/105561756/750/562/image.jpg)
Too late for Japan’s famed April cherry blossoms? Fear not. Up north in Hokkaido, sakura flower a month later than they do elsewhere, bringing the island to life in early May. Matsumae Park is one of the best places to spot them; it has around 250 varieties of cherry blossom and 10,000 trees to marvel at. Later in the month, shibazakura (pink moss) blankets vast swathes of the countryside—Higashimokoto Park even holds a festival dedicated to the otherworldly flower.
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