Note if you are looking for 2010’s, it is here:
Sakura Cherry Blossom 2010 Blooming Calendar
The Japan Weather Association has finally released its forecast for the blooming of this year’s cherry blossoms, called sakura in Japanese. Also, here is a page with a detailed cherry blossom forecast in English based on the Japan Weather Association report and published on the Japan National Tourism Organization website.
Here it is:
Kyushu Cherry Blossoms should bloom between March 15th and March 18th, peaking at the end of March and very beginning of April.
Kochi cherry blossoms are expected to start blooming around March 16th and peak sometime around March 25th. The rest of Shikoku will probably start blossoming at the end of March, peaking at the end of March and beginning of April.
The cherry blossoms in Hiroshima are forecast to begin around March 21 and peak at the end of March.
The Kinki region should see their cherry blossoms around March 25, also peaking at the end of March.
Tokyo should is expected to start blooming around the same time as the Kinki region but peak in the beginning of April.
If you miss all of the great cherry blossoms on Kyushu, Honshu, and Shikoku, then don’t fret because you can head up to Aomori or Hokkaido and see them at the end of April and beginning of May!
The blossoms are only around for a short time once a year which matches the aesthetic idea of how ephemeral beauty is. You appreciate them, have a nice Cherry Blossom Viewing Hanami Picnic and then in a week or two the blossoms fall to the ground to be swept away by the wind.
There are parks all over Japan that are famous for their cherry blossoms including Ueno Park in Tokyo, Daigo in Kyoto, and Sakuranomiya Park in Osaka. However, you shouldn’t really feel like you have to go out of your way. Most towns and cities have a park with beautiful cherry blossoms along a nice grassy path or somewhere near a stream in a park. Ueno Park, Daigo, and Sakuranomiya are famous but some of the most beautiful cherry blossoms you see may be on a little hidden path somewhere, or in a small local park.
If you get the chance to join a group of Japanese friends in a Hanami party (or even better a Yozakura Picnic!) then by all means go and enjoy the festivities!
If you know of a great place to see Cherry Blossoms this Spring, feel free to mention it in the comments!
UPDATE: I’ve posted an update with a cherry blossom dates map. Please take a look if you want to see a map of Japan with the dates that the cherry blossoms will bloom across Japan.