Sakura are flowering earlier this year: 2023 Cherry Blossom Forecast

It's that time of the year again. Soon cherry blossoms will be adorning the landscape in Japan. The Japan Meteorological Agency recently announced the cherry blossom forecast for 2023. When the forecast was initially released in February, the flowering period was supposed to be slightly later than usual in each region. However, over the past two weeks, temperatures have been generally high across Japan, causing a major change in the flowering forecast. Three main highlights of the latest announcement are as follows:

● For North and East Japan Since the temperature this year is warmer than usual in March, it is expected that cherry blossoms will bloom early in northern and eastern Japan.

(Meguro River)

● For West Japan The temperature at the beginning of this year was low. However, there was a rapid rise in temperature from early spring, and the flowering period is expected to be similar to or slightly earlier than previous years.

(Heian Shrine)

● For Kyushu Due to no weather fluctuations, it is expected that the cherry blossoms in this region will be blooming at the same time as previous years.

(Nishi Park, Fukuoka)

Forecast dates for first and full bloom in major cities

Please refer to the table below for forecast dates for flowering and full bloom timings in major cities. Since the blooming time varies depending on the temperature, there is a likelihood for further changes to dates. Please check the latest information on the Japan Meteorological Agency website (Japanese only).

Please note cherry blossoms will be blooming earlier than usual this year.

Cherry blossom spots by region

There are countless cherry blossom viewing spots all over Japan. Click on the links in the table below to find out the most amazing spots in several popular areas if you plan to visit this sakura season.