Oedo Fukagawa Sakura Matsuri

With the 2026 sakura season now here, this is the time to visit one of Tokyo’s many cherry blossom festivals. To get a feel of what hanami (the culture of cherry blossom viewing) was like back during the Edo period (1603-1867), you can visit the annual Oedo Fukagawa Sakura Festival that takes place along the banks of the Oyokogawa River near Monzen-nakacho Station. 

The festival grounds are home to 270 somei-yoshino trees, which flank the river. For the best view of the flowers, we recommend hopping aboard an old school river boat to appreciate the gorgeous, low-hanging sakura branches.

To replicate those Edo-era vibes, this special boat ride will be steered by a boatman with an oar. An accompanying boat will be trailing nearby (on March 22, 29 and April 4), carrying musicians playing the shamisen (traditional Japanese three-stringed instrument). If you prefer a more modern experience, larger engine-powered boats are also available. 

For the traditional boat ride, you'll need to buy a ticket, which is distributed near Kurofune-bashi Bridge (near Monzen-nakacho Station) on the day from 9.30am (200 seats to be distributed per day, limited to 4 tickets per person), with queues starting 30 minutes prior. The 30-minute boat ride costs ¥1,000 per person and it's only available on weekends and holidays from March 20 to April 11, 10am to 3.30pm (more info here, in Japanese only).

Along with the boat rides, the festival coincides with several spring events happening inside Tomioka Hachimangu. Highlights include a Bali-style lion dance performance set to traditional gamelan music on March 22, and the Oukasai Shinto purification ritual on March 29 from 3pm, featuring a procession of priests carrying cherry blossom branches to ward off spring epidemics. A limited-time teahouse will also be set up on the shrine grounds for cherry blossom viewing, serving matcha and sake alongside Fukagawamai dance performances every weekend and holiday from March 20 to April 5. Meanwhile, the nearby Ishijima bridge will also host street entertainment and stalls selling local snacks and grilled clam rice bowls on March 20. Come evening, the blossoms along the Oyokogawa River will be lit up from 5pm to 10pm from Higashitomi Bridge and Etchujima Bridge.