1. Kanda River
    Photo: Picture Cells/PixtaKanda River cherry blossoms
  2. Chidorigafuchi during cherry blossom season
    Photo: Torsakarin/DreamstimeChidorigafuchi Moat during cherry blossom season
  3. Yoyogi Park during cherry blossom season
    Photo: KanokpolTokumhnerd/ShutterstockYoyogi Park during cherry blossom season
  4. Cherry blossoms, sakura, Meguro River
    Photo: Piti Sirisriro/DreamstimeAn undated stock photo of cherry blossoms along the Meguro River
  5. Sumida Park sakura
    Photo: Sumida City Tourism Association

Cherry blossoms 2023: 17 best places to see sakura in Tokyo

Check out these parks and gardens for the most brilliant cherry blossoms in Tokyo, including Meguro, Yoyogi and Shinjuku

Kaila Imada
Written by
Time Out Tokyo Editors
Contributor
Kaila Imada
Advertising

With the cold of winter behind us, our great city has transitioned into spring mode. In other words, the 2023 Tokyo sakura season has begun, with the flowers already blooming around the city.

You can find cherry blossoms in many places across Tokyo, from the city's best parks including Shinjuku Gyoen and Ueno Park, to pretty suburban streets in Nakameguro, Shibuya and Kunitachi. So with cameras at the ready, off you go to these top places in Tokyo for the most beautiful spring blooms.

RECOMMENDED: 11 best cherry blossom festivals and events in Tokyo

Top sakura spots

  • Things to do
  • Hakusan

This slice of zen in central Tokyo is looked after by The University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Science and covers a 16-hectare greenspace with roughly 2,000 plant species. The most photogenic spot to enjoy the blossoms is along the cherry tree alley that’s lined with beautiful somei-yoshino trees. Picnics are allowed under the sakura trees here, too, so pack a lunch and park yourself beneath the pink blossoms for a leisurely afternoon.

Meguro River
Photo: Manabu Morooka

Meguro River

Another long-running favourite, the banks of the Meguro River always get packed with hanami-goers around the end of March. If possible, avoid crowds by moving away from the area around Nakameguro Station or head on over to the river during the morning for a less crowded stroll.

Advertising
Kanda River
Photo: Picture Cells/Pixta

Kanda River

The Kanda River is a lesser-known sakura destination within central Tokyo that gets relatively little tourist traffic. Take the capital’s only remaining tramline, the Arakawa Tram (also known as the Sakura Tram), all the way up to Waseda Station and the river is just a short walk away. The scene here is similar to that at Meguro River but with far fewer crowds. The riversides and the bridges will be strung with festive pink lanterns, and since the cherry trees here are old, their sheer size and volume do make for a jaw-dropping impact when in full bloom.

Advertising
  • Things to do
  • Shinjuku-Sanchome

You might not expect to find tranquility in bustling Shinjuku, but stump up the ¥500 entrance fee and step into the entirely different world of Shinjuku Gyoen, possibly Tokyo’s most beautiful green space. Come sakura season, the whole place erupts into so much riotous pink, you’ll never want to leave the peaceful grounds.

  • Shopping
  • Roppongi

While you’re in Roppongi checking out the blossoms down Keyakizaka-dori, it’s also worth visiting nearby Tokyo Midtown to see the greenspace behind the shopping centre flanked with beautiful sakura trees. You can also admire the trees around the Midtown Garden or have a picnic under the blossoms at the adjoining Hinokicho Park. What's more, Tokyo Midtown celebrates spring with its annual Midtown Blossom event, which includes the outdoor Blossom Lounge with spring-themed cocktails and seasonal food.

Advertising
  • Things to do
  • Roppongi

Take a spring time stroll down Roppongi's Sakurazaka street to see this ritzy neighbourhood's beautiful cherry blossoms. This short street leads you from one end of the Roppongi Hills entertainment complex to the next, with cafés and restaurants lining the way.

  • Things to do
  • Aoyama

A cemetery might not seem a likely place to see cherry blossoms, but Aoyama Cemetery is a popular spot during sakura season. Rather than being an eerie location, this lush cemetery is filled with plenty of greenery and over 200 majestic sakura trees, with the central avenue featuring an uninterrupted 800m-long tunnel of cherry blossoms. It’s also easy to visit this central Tokyo cemetery, which is a short walk from Nogizaka, Aoyama-itchome and Gaienmae stations.

Advertising
Kunitachi
Photo: C-geo/Pixta

Kunitachi

Located in western Tokyo, Kunitachi is one train stop away from Tachikawa's Showa Kinen Park, one of the city's top sakura spots. However, Kunitachi is worth a visit for its pink blossoms, too. The main road leading from Kunitachi Station towards Hitotsubashi University is lined with large cherry trees, which make for a scenic stroll while checking out the various shops, restaurants and cafés in the area. Walk up to some of the pedestrian overpasses for a breathtaking bird's-eye view of the street in full bloom.

  • Attractions
  • Parks and gardens
  • Mukojima

Catch sight of cherry blossoms with Tokyo SkyTree in the background at Sumida Park near Asakusa. There are more than 600 cherry blossom trees to admire around the park with varieties including somei-yoshino and oshima-zakura trees. This picturesque park also straddles a small section of the Sumida River with sakura trees lining both riverbanks. Visit in the evening and you can see the beautiful sakura trees illuminated for yozakura (evening cherry blossom viewing).

Advertising
  • Things to do
  • Ueno

Ueno Park is well-known for its zoo and museums, but it's also incredibly popular for the avenue of cherry blossoms along its main path. There are roughly 1,000 sakura trees here with 800 of them being the somei-yoshino variety. During peak cherry blossom season, the sakura trees along the main path are accented with 800 hanging lanterns that are also lit up in the evening.

Sakuragaoka Street
Photo: Lim Chee Wah

Sakuragaoka Street

This tree-lined street in the heart of Shibuya is a lovely spot to catch the cherry blossoms while on a stroll through the neighbourhood. A walk under the blooming trees during the day is always pleasant, but visit in the evening and you can see the blossoms illuminated from 5pm to 11pm. There's also a pretty wall of pink lanterns at the entrance of the street. This year's light up is on until April 9.

Advertising
  • Attractions
  • Parks and gardens
  • Tachikawa

This massive park in Tachikawa, just 30 minutes by train from Shinjuku, is great for seasonal flowers, especially cherry blossoms. The sakura trees stand out here as they sit against rows of nanohana (canola flowers) for a beautiful blend of yellow and pink petals. You can also see an overwhelming array of cherry blossoms as the park is home to 31 different varieties including somei-yoshino and yamazakura trees.

Tama River
Photo: Pianoman555/Photo AC

Tama River

This 2.5km stretch of sakura trees along the Tama River in Fussa is great for a less crowded cherry blossom experience. What's more, the Fussa Sakura Festival is finally making a comeback after four years with LED lanterns lighting up the cherry trees, plus plenty of events to keep you entertained. Over the weekends of April 1 to 2 and April 8 to 9, you can watch the likes of dance shows and taiko drum performances. This area along the Tama River is south of Mutsumi Bridge, which is roughly a 15-minute walk from Haijima Station in western Tokyo.

Advertising
  • Attractions
  • Parks and gardens
  • Kichijoji

Just 15 minutes from the centre of Tokyo, this Kichijoji park has more than enough to occupy you for an afternoon, including a zoo, a pond with amusingly shaped rental boats, and playground facilities – plus some of the city's most spectacular cherry blossoms.

Advertising
  • Attractions
  • Parks and gardens
  • Oji

Along with Ueno Park, Asukayama Park is one of the oldest in Tokyo, and people from all over the city have been coming here to see the sakura in spring ever since shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune had the trees planted in the first half of the 18th century.

Prepare yourself for sakura season

Advertising
Recommended
    You may also like
    You may also like
    Advertising