Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo

Sakura – the cherry blossoms is a must when you travel to Tokyo in spring. In the best sakura season of late March & early April, it’s brilliant to appreciate the blossoms around the city. Here is the list of best spots for cherry blossoms around Tokyo.

Ueno Park

With over 1,000 cherry blossom trees, Ueno Park has been a top place for sakura in Tokyo since the Edo Period (1603-1868 AD). It’s said that, the first batch of cherry blossom trees were planted by the shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu (1604-1651 AD) in person. Up to now, it is a paradise of cherry blossoms hidden into the city when the trees are in bloom. The cherry blossom festival, one of the most crowded and lively in Tokyo and even throughout Japan, attracts large crowds till late night. Under the bright lights, it’s also a fun to admire the blooming flowers.

Lots of cherry blossoms, lots of people

Get there: JR Ueno Sta. (JY05), Ueno Sta. (G16 / H18) on Hibiya Line & Ginza Line of Tokyo Metro

Chidorigafuchi

Along the moat west to Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Chidorigafuchi Park is a best place for cherry blossoms in Tokyo likewise. In spring, the luxuriant cherry blossoms look like flocks of migrating birds, with the reflections on water. Walking on the banks, there is also an opportunity to get the pictures of cherry blossoms by water together with the Tokyo Tower at a distance. Meanwhile, you can have a boat ride to roam on the moat, which is very dreamy to go through the sea of blossoms, especially when some petals falling in the breeze.

Get there: Kudanshita Sta. (Z06 / T07 / S05) on Hanzomon Line & Tozai Line of Tokyo Metro and Toei Shinjuku Line
Hanzomon Sta. (Z05) on Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line

Meguro River

You may never go to Meguro River in Tokyo, but you have heard of it or see the picture of its beautiful watercourse shaded by cherry blossoms probably. It seems to be a tunnel of the blossoms as the trees are blooming on both banks. It would be an enjoyment to see the luxuriant cherry blossoms while taking a stroll on the banks. What’s more, you could also have a dinner with beers at the snack bars or small restaurants there, especially after the night falls. Naka-meguro, the middle part of the whole river, is the right place for seeing cherry blossoms perfectly.

Get there: Naka-meguro Sta. (H01) on Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
Naka-meguro Sta. (TY03) on Tokyu Toyoko Line
Ikejiri-ōhashi (DT02) on Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

To enjoy the wonder of cherry blossoms in Tokyo, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden can never be missed. With the vast area beyond your imagination, it is a secluded and peaceful place in the metropolis relatively, great for visitors who don’t like noise and crowds. Due to the varieties of cherry blossoms, the flower phase is correspondingly longer, too. Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is closed on Mondays, but within the one month cherry blossom season, it opens every day.

Admission fare: JPY 500

Get there: Shinjuku-gyoemmae Sta. (M10) on Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line

Sumida Park

You can’t miss Sumida Park extending on the bank of Sumida River in spring, as a top place to see cherry blossoms in Tokyo. In particular, if you are going to visit Senso-ji Temple nearby, you can roam under the grove for an appreciation of the gorgeous cherry blossoms. Also, sightseeing boat ride on Sumida River is available, which is another popular way to see the cherry blossoms. Besides, the image of sakura with Tokyo Skytree tower behind is wonderful too.

Get there: Asakusa Sta. (G19 / A18) on Tokyo Metro Ginza Line & Toei Asakusa Line
Asakusa Sta. (TS01) on Tobu Skytree Line

Rikugi-en Garden

Rikugi-en Garden was a private garden of nobles in the ancient time, as well as one of the largest gardens in Tokyo in Edo Period. For cherry blossoms in spring, Rikugi-en Garden is absolutely one of the top places, with the earliest cherry blossoms within Tokyo city. The most striking is, there is a 70-year-old weeping cherry blossom tree, 15m (over 49ft) high with countess drooping branches. It is a spectacular view as the tree seems to be a fall of flourishing blossoms cascading down.

Admission fare: JPY 300

Get there: Komagome Sta. (N14 / JY10) on Tokyo Metro Namboku Line & JR Yamanote Line

Shiba Park

Shiba Park is not the place with the most cherry blossom trees in Tokyo, but it is the best spot for photography with the eye-catching Tokyo Tower. When the trees are in full bloom under the red tower, it’s fantastically beautiful beyond your imagination as the blossoms, green lawn, red tower, and the blue sky feed off each other in the scene. It’s prefect for shutterbugs to take shots no matter which angle to choose.

Get there: Shiba-koen Sta. (I05) on Toei Mita Line
Akabanebashi Sta. (E21) on Toei Oedo Line

Inokashira Park

Although it’s not at the most prosperous areas in Tokyo, Inokashira Park is popular to live as well as to admire the cherry blossoms in spring in the western outskirts of Tokyo downtown. With more than 500 cherry blossom trees on the shore, many branches weeping down to the lake water. During the cherry blossom season, it becomes a place of joy and laughter completely. Many visitors go for a relaxing picnic under the trees, and have a boat ride to enjoy the natural beauty. It's best to reach there early on weekends so that you can get a greater spot to see cherry blossoms.

Get there: Kichijōji Sta. (JC11 / JB02) on JR Chuo Line Rapid Service (JC) & JR Chuo-Sobu Line Local (JB)
Kichijōji Sta. (IN17) on Keio Inokashira Line

Mt. Takao

In the western outskirts of the city likewise, Mt. Takao is also a superb place to see cherry blossoms in Tokyo. With a wide variety of cherry blossoms all over the mountain, you could enjoy the diverse beauties of sakura from the mountain foot to the top all the way. If you enjoy hiking, Mt. Takao is the best choice for you to see cherry blossoms at the same time. On the mountain, the cherry blossom season would be 1-2 weeks later than that in the city center. Thus, if you get to Tokyo a little late, you might as well go to Mt. Takao.

Get there: Takaosanguchi Sta. (KO53) on Keio Takao Line, where the cableway is available

Nearby Tokyo, there are also some welcomed places to see cherry blossoms.

Mt. Fuji

How could you miss Mt. Fuji when travelling to Tokyo? It’s the must-see with no exception in the cherry blossom season. It seems to be a fairyland with cherry blossoms wherever you are under the mountain. Lake Kawaguchi, other four lakes of the Fuji Five Lakes, Arakurayama Sengen Park, etc. are all wonderful spots to make cherry blossoms and Mt. Fuji in the same frame. Especially, the sakura walk along the dike of Urui River at Ryugenbuchi, the southwestern foot of Mt. Fuji, has been thrust into the limelight as an imposing view is offered.

Get there: Ltd. Exp. train Fuji Excursion: Shinjuku to Mt. Fuji;
Shinjuku-Otsuki-Kawaguchiko Sta.

Watarase Keikoku Railway

North to Tokyo city, Watarase Keikouku Railway is an old train line running through the mountains in Gunma and Tochigi prefectures. With lush sakura all along the railway, it becomes a popular place to see cherry blossoms from Tokyo, particularly for outdoor enthusiasts and shutterbugs. On the retro sightseeing train, you can enjoy the beautiful scenes leisurely; or you can get off the train at any station, to walk into the blossoms.

Get there: JR lines to Kiryu and then transfer to Watarase Keikouku Railway
Tobu lines to Aioi + Watarase Keikouku Railway
The 1-day pass of Watarase Keikouku Railway at JPY 1,880 is practical to see cherry blossoms all day along the railway.