# When Will the Cherry Blossoms Bloom in Japan in 2027? > Tokyo's cherry blossoms average full bloom on 31 March and Kyoto's on 4 April. No 2027 forecast exists yet: the first comes mid-December. Dates, spots, booking. - Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/japan-cherry-blossom-2027-forecast-tokyo-kyoto-guide - Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from a 526-day trip across 20 countries) - Published: 2026-07-25 - Last updated: 2026-10-19 No 2027 cherry blossom forecast exists yet: the first one usually comes from Japan Meteorological Corporation in **mid-December**, with Weathernews following in early January. Until then, plan on the averages. **Tokyo** reaches full bloom on average on **31 March** and **Kyoto** and **Osaka** on **4 April** (Japan Meteorological Agency 1991 to 2020 normals), with **Kanazawa** around 8 April and **Takayama** in mid-to-late April. Recent springs have run early: in 2026 Tokyo hit full bloom on 28 March and Kyoto on 30 March. Below: the dates for each city, the spots we would go back to, hanami etiquette, and when to book. ## Average bloom dates by city The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) still observes the official benchmark trees in each city, and its 1991 to 2020 averages are the best planning baseline. First bloom (*kaika*) is when a handful of flowers open on the benchmark tree; full bloom (*mankai*) is about a week later and is what you actually want to see. • **Tokyo:** first bloom 24 March, full bloom 31 March (2026: 19 March and 28 March) • **Kyoto:** first bloom 26 March, full bloom 4 April (2026: 23 March and 30 March) • **Osaka:** first bloom 27 March, full bloom 4 April (2026: 26 March and 3 April) • **Kanazawa:** first bloom 3 April, full bloom 8 April (2026: 29 March and 3 April) • **Takayama:** JMA publishes no benchmark here; the cherries along the Miya River by Nakabashi bridge are usually best from mid to late April, around the Spring Takayama Festival (14 to 15 April). Full bloom lasts roughly a week before petals fall, longer in cool weather and shorter with rain and wind. A trip that spans the average date by a few days either side, and moves from Tokyo to Kyoto to Kanazawa, gives you three chances to catch it. ## When the 2027 forecasts come out JMA stopped publishing its own forecast in 2010, so forecasts now come from private weather companies: • **Japan Meteorological Corporation (JMC):** its first forecast for the 2026 season came out in mid-December 2025, earlier than its old January start, and it updated roughly every few weeks to March. Expect the first 2027 forecast around **mid-December 2026**. • **Weathernews:** first 2026 forecast on 8 January 2026; its spot pages say 2027 information will be posted from February 2027. • **Japan Weather Association (tenki.jp):** usually starts in January. Early forecasts are broad; the March updates are the ones to trust for exact days. Anything you read before mid-December 2026 that gives "2027 bloom dates" is an estimate from averages, not a forecast. ## Best spots in Tokyo, Kyoto and Kanazawa • **Tokyo:** **Shinjuku Gyoen** (paid entry, alcohol not allowed, many varieties so the season runs longer), **Chidorigafuchi** moat by the Imperial Palace with rowing boats, **Meguro River** at night, and **Ueno Park**, the busiest and loudest. • **Kyoto:** **Maruyama Park's** weeping cherry, the **Philosopher's Path**, **Kiyomizu-dera** at its 6:00 opening, and the canal-side cherries of **Shirakawa** in Gion at night. Arashiyama is lovely but packed; go before 8:00. • **Osaka:** **Osaka Castle Park**, with around 3,000 trees around the moats. • **Kanazawa:** **Kenrokuen** and the castle park opposite. Ishikawa Prefecture has traditionally opened Kenrokuen free, with evening illuminations, during the bloom; dates are announced once flowering starts. Kanazawa blooms about a week after Kyoto, so it works as a backup if you miss the south. See our [Kanazawa guide](https://clevertourists.com/guides/kanazawa). Our [14-day Japan itinerary](https://clevertourists.com/guides/14-day-japan-itinerary) runs Tokyo, Kyoto, Kanazawa and Takayama in an order that follows the bloom northwards and up into the mountains. ## Hanami etiquette *Hanami* (flower viewing) usually means a picnic on a tarp under the trees. Most of the rules are common sense, but tourists break them often: • **Do not touch, shake or climb the trees** or pull down branches for photos. The roots are fragile too, so avoid standing on them. • **Take your rubbish home.** Bins are scarce and often overflow; carry a bag. • **Shoes off on the tarp**, as you would indoors. • **Check each park's rules on alcohol, tarps and space-saving.** Shinjuku Gyoen bans alcohol; others limit where you can sit or ban leaving unattended tarps to hold a spot. • Keep the noise down, and do not block paths or shrine approaches with tripods. Our list of [Japan etiquette mistakes tourists make](https://clevertourists.com/resources/japan-etiquette-mistakes-tourists-make-chopsticks-trains-shoes) covers trains, chopsticks and shoes more generally. ## When to book for cherry blossom season Late March to early April is one of Japan's busiest travel periods, and it overlaps with Japanese school holidays. Hotels in Kyoto fill and rise in price first. • **Book rooms now (autumn 2026) on refundable rates**, covering the average bloom window. Once the March forecasts firm up, cancel the nights you do not need. • **Build flexibility into the order** rather than the dates: arrive in Tokyo first, then move west and north, so an early or late year still lands you somewhere in bloom. • **Reserve shinkansen seats** as soon as your dates are set; reserved seats on Tokyo to Kyoto trains can sell out on early-April weekends. ## Frequently asked questions ### When is cherry blossom season in Japan in 2027? No forecast is out yet. Based on JMA averages, Tokyo reaches full bloom around 31 March and Kyoto and Osaka around 4 April, with Kanazawa about 8 April and Takayama in mid-to-late April. Recent years have been several days earlier than average. ### When will the 2027 cherry blossom forecast be released? Japan Meteorological Corporation released its first 2026 forecast in mid-December 2025, so expect its first 2027 forecast around mid-December 2026. Weathernews and the Japan Weather Association follow in January, and all update through March. ### When is full bloom in Kyoto? The JMA average is first bloom on 26 March and full bloom on 4 April. In 2026 Kyoto reached full bloom on 30 March. ### Can you drink alcohol at hanami in Tokyo? It depends on the park. Shinjuku Gyoen bans alcohol; other parks allow it but set rules on where you can sit and on leaving tarps to reserve space. Check the park's notice for the season. ### Where can you see cherry blossoms after Tokyo and Kyoto finish? Kanazawa blooms about a week after Kyoto, with full bloom around 8 April on average, and Takayama usually peaks in mid-to-late April, so heading north and into the mountains extends the season. ## Official sources - [Japan Meteorological Agency: cherry blossom full-bloom dates and normals (Japanese)](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/sakura/data/sakura004_07.html) - [Japan Meteorological Corporation: cherry blossom forecast](https://n-kishou.com/corp/news-contents/sakura/?lang=en) - [Weathernews: cherry blossom forecast (Japanese)](https://weathernews.jp/sakura/) - [JNTO: cherry blossom in Japan](https://www.japan.travel/en/)