Washington, DC's Cherry Blossoms Are Blooming Early This Year. At the south side of this extensive park lies a cherry blossom garden that is home to about 800 trees, as well as lawned areas and childrens playgrounds. Please use the tabs above to browse our . We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. During the hanami, many photographers, bloggers, and social media influencers head to Japan to take pictures under the cherry blossoms. The grounds of the castle are the perfect place to find a picnic spot during hanami, or you can take to the water on a rental rowing boat. The weather in Japan varies depending on location, so be sure to check the weather forecast before you travel. Located within the city of Kanazawa, the park is easy to reach using the famous Japanese bullet trains and other local transport, and the best time to see the sakura is early to mid-April. In fact, the Japanese even have a proverb that translates to practicality over aesthetics, meaning the experienced hanami enthusiasts know that the blossoms are only a small part of the overall celebrations. From late April into May, some 2,500 cherry trees form beautiful blossom tunnels that are illuminated at night. Finally, the height at which the cherry trees are planted can also affect how long it takes them to bloom. Takada Castle Cherry Blossom Festival 2023 Dates: Early April to Mid April 2023. Cherry blossom season, also known as the sakura or hanami flower-watching season, brings life and magic to Japan each spring. The estimated average full bloom is generally in the second week of February. No country knows how to enjoy and celebrate the natural phenomenon of the cherry blossom season better than Japan. All Rights Reserved. On the southernmost sub-tropical islands, for example, cherry blossoms can open as early as January. This annual celebration of Japanese culture is back for two days this year, giving you extra time to explore all the festival has to offer, while also having time to stop and enjoy the blossoms at the Tidal Basin. Located on the top of a hill, the park also offers some outstanding views out across the city of Kikuchi and beyond. The period from late March through to early April is the best time to see the sakura. The grounds are host to a number of special events throughout the season, including the incredibly exciting and hypnotic Japanese taiko drumming, calligraphy presentations and workshops, and traditional dance performances. Any and all options, reviews, comments and analyses are the responsibility of the author(s) and not any Advertiser or credit card issuer. The park and surrounding areas become host to hundreds of food, drink, and craft stalls that stay open until after diner (typically around 9pm). As thousands of people flock to parks, securing the nicer places for picnics and parties in public spaces, it may actually become competitive. The castle is also famous for the late-blooming, double-petal yaezakuracherry trees that can be found in the south of the plum grove, which is also a beautiful spot to enjoy the plum blossoms that flower a little earlier from January through to March. Top viewing spots like Maruyama Park, Mount Yoshino, Himeji Castle, and Fuji Five Lakes are some of the most atmospheric places in the world and are wonderful places to see the beautiful blooms. Privacy Policy Terms of Use, Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival in Tokyo, Japan, Meguro River Cherry Blossom Festival in Tokyo, Japan, Takada Castle Cherry Blossom Festival in Joetsu, Japan, Hirosaki Castle Park Cherry Blossom Festival, Hirosaki, Japan, Fuji Kawaguchiko Cherry Blossom Festival, Fujikawaguchiko, Japan. Being just a short bus ride from Kyoto station, Nijo Castle surprisingly still manages to be one of the less crowded locations for viewing. The National Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the premier events each year in the nation's capital. Revelers come to celebrate the season with picnics and parties that run late into the evening when lanterns light the way. That said, do not expect to see the flowers wherever you go, as the trees bloom at different times throughout Japan. Presented to the city of Washington in 1954, this stone lantern symbolizes the strength of the friendship between Japan and the US. Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. The lantern is lit by the Embassy of Japans appointed Cherry Blossom Princess. #110YearsinBloom, Helpful Links: New York Times: The Gift of Cherry Blossoms | National Cherry Blossom Festival | Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival, 1150 18th Street NW, Suite 100 | Washington, D.C. 20036-3838 Most trees only bloom for a few days, so its important to know when the best time to visit each of the different locations will be. Cherry blossoms in South Korea typically bloom late or end of March to early April, similar to Japan. When you use our Website, we or our service providers will assign your browser a unique identification number stored in a file on your computer (Cookie) unless you have disabled Cookies on your computer. Still, the pretty pink blossoms look particularly spectacular under the lanterns at night, making this a popular location to experience hanami. Click here to view! Elderly Japanese sometimes opt to visit Japanese plum parks to viewplum blossomsinstead, as these areas are often less busy and rowdy. Capture pink clouds of blossoms set against the ancient ruins of the original castle as you enter through the famous Ote Gate, or enjoy a long meander through the castle grounds during hanami. More than a million visitors head to the 400-year-old castle every year to view the 2,600 trees that bloom throughout the park surrounding the castle. The other 2 are the Uzumi Sakura in Motosu at 1,500 years old and the Miharu Takizakura in Fukushima which is estimated to be 1,000 years old. Produced by the Japan-America Society of Washington DC Saturday, April 15 10:30 AM - 6:00 PM | Sunday, April 16, 10:30 AM - 4:00 PM Pennsylvania Avenue NW, between 3rd & 7th Streets Minyo Crusaders is a ten-piece group that fuses Japanese traditional folk songs called minyo, with various rhythms and beats from Caribbean, Latin and African music. Translated as flower viewing, the festival attracts locals and visitors alike that come together to celebrate the season with outdoor parties, picnics, and other events that take place both day and night. The capital city is host to the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Today, visitors come from all over the world to join in the celebrations that mark the beginning of spring, while admiring the delicate pink cherry blossoms known as sakura.. The park is also home to over 10,000 cherry trees of 250 different kinds. It is also where some of the oldest cherry trees in Japan can be found and features around 30 Chishima-zakura trees, one of which is said to be an impressive 150 years old. In the evenings, the trees are illuminated with lanterns giving the castle and its grounds a fairytale feel. Popular for nighttime viewings during hanami, Hakodate Park is home to several hundred cherry blossom trees that are illuminated at night, giving the park a truly magical atmosphere. Admiring the flowers fleeting beauty is a practice that dates back over a thousand years. Enjoy the blooms at the Tidal Basin while experience live performances that celebrate the friendship between the US and Japan. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The uncertainty makes it more difficult to schedule your trip around a specific festival. Be careful where you lay your picnic blanket and treat the trees with the respect they deserve. The festival also spotlights travel and tourism opportunities and innovative Japanese technologies. Early blooming and stunning to look at, the pretty pink petals have an intense color that sets them apart from the other varieties of cherry trees in Japan. Hanami, or the Cherry Blossom Festival, is celebrated all over Japan when thousands of locals and tourists alike descend on popular viewing spots, gardens, and parks to view the blossoms. In fact, you may even want to pack more than 1 in case you leave it behind when you most need it. The content featured on UpgradedPoints.com has not been influenced, provided, or reviewed by the credit card companies mentioned. The Cherry Blossom Festival holds the honor of being one of the longest, continually running ethnic festivals in the State of Hawai'i - originally started in 1953. Festival dates are usually determined with reference to cherry blossom forecasts and vary from year to year. 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The annual festival, commemorating the 1912 gift of cherry trees from Tokyo to Washington and the longtime friendship between Japan and the United States, will run from March 20 to April 16. The festival is at the north shore of Lake Kawaguchi, and you can stay after sunset to enjoy the illuminated trees and evening festivities. ENTERTAINMENT EATS & TREATS MARKETPLACE FUKUBUKURO BAG Goryokaku Park is considered one of the best places in Hakodate to experience the hanami season and one that is very popular all year round. Friday January 7 2022 Pink petals are popping across the Brooklyn Botanic Garden but unfortunately this year, the Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival NYC, one of the city's most anticipated. Fans of taiko drumming, teriyaki chicken, sake and Japanese artwork and wares won't want to miss the Cherry Blossom Festival - "Sakura Matsuri" in Japanese. From late March through to mid-April, the castle grounds are perfect for enjoying a picnic under the cherry trees while the sakura blossoms gently fall around you. Home to over 300 cherry trees, Osaka Castle Park is one of the most popular places in the city to celebrate the hanami and the beginning of spring. Why Is the Cherry Blossom so Culturally Important in Japan? Yamazakura trees tend to last for a long time, with trunks that can grow as large as 1 meter in diameter when aged. Many months of planning down the drain. Shinjuku Gyoen is a more peaceful base from which to enjoy the cherry blossoms, and visitors come here instead of some of the busier venues to quietly enjoy the breathtaking sight of 1,300 cherry trees blooming at different stages. Be careful where you lay your picnic blanket as the roots are delicate, and treat the trees with the respect they deserve. Japan's famous cherry blossom festival season begins around the end of March and lasts for approximately 2 weeks, depending on location. The ancient farmers also used the blooming of the sakura flowers to help them understand when the time was right to plant their rice crops, helping to keep famine at bay. Different trees bloom at different times, meaning you could continue to experience the hanami season for 3-4 weeks if you are happy to move locations to follow the flowers. The park is also easily accessible from Hakodate Station by bus, tram, or on foot. Meguro River Cherry Blossom Festival 2023 Dates: Mid March - Early April 2023 Often voted one of the best cherry blossom viewing areas in Japan, this 4km stretch of 800 trees line the Meguro River in Nakameguro, a district not far from Shibuya. Hot Tip: You can take a 3-hour cherry blossom and food tour with a local around the neighborhood that surrounds Osaka Castle. There are no set dates for the season, as there are certain extenuating factors that can affect the timing of the blooms all across the country. The Japanese even have their own words for the different types of blooms, stages of their development, and ways in which they celebrate them. The delicate flowers of the sakura are a huge part of Japanese life, culture, and history. Upgraded Points, LLC uses reasonable efforts to maintain accurate information on the site and p. rior to applying for any credit card offers found on UpgradedPoints.com, all visitors should review other features of such credit cards including but not limited to interest rates, annual fees and transaction fees, and should determine the suitability of such credit cards considering their own individual financial position. Hirano Shrine is also home to the Okasai Festival which takes place towards the end of the cherry blossom viewing season, where local people wear traditional Japanese outfits in a procession around the shrine. The 2021 National Cherry Blossom Festival runs from March 20 to April 17. Many people will go stake out a spot early in the morning or even a day in advance. Photograph by Evy Mages. Great Spots to See Cherry Trees in Washington, D.C. Although the shrine is located just outside the city, it is just a few minutes walk from the Kinugasako-mae bus stop, making it easily accessible all year round. Come the spring, however, and the varying species of cherry blossom trees that can be found there make this a firm favorite for visitors looking to celebrate hanami. With unique-looking, bell-shaped petals, the Kanhizakura is one of the most beloved cherry blossoms the world over. The famous trees, a gift of Japan in 1912, signal Washington's beginning of spring with an explosion of life and color that surrounds the Tidal Basin in a . The dates below are according to the Japan Meteorological Corporation's official cherry blossom forecast as of February 24, 2023. In this exhibition, the JICC, in collaboration with American University, wants to showcase the works of Hiroshige and celebrate his legacy on social media by presenting recent photographic interpretations of Hiroshige's ukiyo-e, submitted to us through our call for entry! The Japanese embassy has remained deeply involved in their maintenance and in the annual festival organizing a host of cherry blossom-themed . This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Hakodate Park also features a beautiful water fountain, a childrens playground, and even its very own mini-zoo, making it an incredibly family-friendly spot from which to enjoy the festival. The shrine is open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. all week. There are over 600 different varieties of cherry trees that grow in Japan, a few of which are native to the country, with many more having been cultivated for decorative use throughout the centuries. During April, the petals are blown up on gentle breezes from the bottom of the valley to form a cherry blossom tornado that later settles on the ground to form a cherry blossom carpet that draws visitors from all around. Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival will take place on April 14-16, 2023: 10am-6pm at the Armory Food & Event Hall and Fisher Pavilion. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). There is always 2021 . Be prepared and pack a pair of walking boots and thick socks that will keep your feet warm and dry while you are outside. When is Japan's cherry blossom season in 2023? If you're planning a trip to the country in the spring, here's what you need to know about the hanami tradition. Souvenir stalls selling masks and toys are dotted throughout the castle grounds, perfect for grabbing a lasting memento of the magical, flower-filled night. Lanterns light the way of walking boots and thick socks that will keep your feet warm and dry you! Country knows how to enjoy and celebrate the natural phenomenon of the most beloved cherry blossoms in Korea! Run late into the evening when lanterns light the way from Hakodate Station by bus tram... Wherever you go, as these areas are often less busy and.! 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