Choose a region, not a bloom date
Your leave is fixed, but the blossoms and leaves refuse to keep a schedule.
Reference data
Cherry blossom and leaf timing
You want blossoms or red leaves, and every site gives a different date.
This table gives the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) average first-flowering date for cherry blossom in eight cities. Use it to see the order in which Japan blooms, then choose a region for your weeks.
What are the average flowering dates?
The dates below are 1991 to 2020 normals. Flowering means the first blossoms open, and full bloom usually follows about a week later. We do not publish full-bloom dates here because we have not verified an official average for them.
| City | Average flowering date | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fukuoka | 22 March. | 1 |
| Tokyo | 24 March. | 1 |
| Nagoya | 24 March. | 1 |
| Kyoto | 26 March. | 1 |
| Osaka | 27 March. | 1 |
| Kanazawa | 3 April. | 2 |
| Hakodate | 28 April. | 2 |
| Sapporo | 1 May. | 2 |
How did we build it?
We copied the agency’s published normals for these cities, kept the dates exactly as given and did not average or adjust them. We left out cities where we could not confirm the figure. Updates follow when JMA releases new normals.
How do you use it?
- Write down the weeks you can travel.
- Find the city whose average date falls inside them.
- Add a buffer of about a week on each side, because real years vary.
- Pick a second region further north or south as a fallback.
The idea is explained in choosing a region instead of chasing a date and sakura trip flexibility. For autumn, read the koyo glossary page and the flexible autumn itinerary. The matching spring term is hanami.
What about autumn leaves?
We hold no verified average dates for autumn colour, so we do not give any. The pattern is steady, though: higher ground and the north change first, and cities and the south change later.
Send us your possible travel weeks and we will match them to regions where blossom or leaves are most likely, with a back-up plan built in.
Keep planning
Hanami, cherry blossom viewing
You dream of sakura, but nobody can tell you the exact week it will bloom.
Koyo
You want to see autumn leaves but cannot tell which week is the right one.
A flexible autumn foliage itinerary
You booked for the red leaves, and now you fear arriving a week too early.
Planning a sakura trip without promises
You want to see cherry blossoms, and no one can tell you the exact week.
Airport transfer choices into Tokyo and Osaka
You land tired with big suitcases and want the easiest way to reach your first hotel.
Questions travellers ask
Does the table predict this year's bloom?
No. It shows the average first-flowering date over 1991 to 2020, not a forecast. Real dates swing by a week or more with winter and spring temperatures. Use it to choose a region and a window, then watch current forecasts as your trip nears.
Why is there no autumn leaf table?
We only publish numbers we can source from an official dataset. We have no verified average for autumn colour, so we describe the pattern in words: north and high ground first, south and cities later. Check current forecasts before you fix dates.
Sources
Figures are checked against these sources and dated so you can see how current they are.
- Japan Meteorological Agency, cherry blossom normalsaccessed 2026-10-20
- Japan Meteorological Agency, cherry blossom normalsaccessed 2026-10-20
Ready to shape your Japan trip?
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and what you hope to see. We will reply with ideas and a tailored quote.