Where To See Cherry Blossoms For Free In Tokyo

Visiting Tokyo during the cherry blossom season is an amazing cultural experience! There is little we’ve seen in the world that can rival the image of thousands of Japanese parked on blue plastic tarps under cherry trees enjoying massive picnics with drinks and laughs. It is something that is uniquely Japanese and ingrained in their culture for centuries. We were lucky enough to visit Tokyo at the perfect time to catch the cherry blossoms at full bloom and witness all the festivities. Below is a summary of what this festival is all about and where to see cherry blossoms for free in Tokyo.

What Does Hanami Mean?

Hanami means “flower viewing”. These days, hanami basically refers to having an outdoor picnic underneath the sakura (“cherry blossoms”). Usually, this involves setting up a blue tarp to sit on, and consuming more snacks and drinks than you could possibly could eat. Many popular spots for hanami also have sakura festivals, which include food vendors, lanterns at night and sometimes live performances. Hanami at night is called yozakura, which translates to “night sakura“.

When Is Cherry Blossom Season?

This can be tricky to predict. Depending on weather conditions and the specific geographical area of Japan, the blooms begin as early as January in the south or as late as May in the north. In Tokyo, the blossom season usually takes place in late March and early April. Blossoms usually only last a week or two. The Japan Meteorological Agency predicts the blooming season every year. Keep an eye on updates, as it changes regularly. The JR Pass website keeps the forecast up to date HERE. Worse case scenario, if you book a flight to Tokyo and your vacation does not sync with the blooming times, you can easily take a train to a different area of the country. Since we had booked our trip months in advance, that was our plan, however, we lucked out and managed to be in Tokyo at the right time.

Advice for Sakura Viewing in Tokyo

First of all, book your hotel well in advance! Tokyo accommodations are not known to be friendly to the pocketbook and prices are steeper during sakura season. Secondly, remember that there are many places to see the locals enjoying hanami all over the city for free. Some parks charge an entrance fee, but we found the free spots to be just as fulfilling!

Our 4 Favourite Free Places to See Cherry Blossoms

Ueno Park (Taitō)

This is one of the most popular parks in Tokyo for hanami. It can get quite crowded, but that is part of the fun! There are over 800 cherry trees on the main path and locals arrive early to set up their picnics in every available space. Ueno is also a nice place to visit at night, as lanterns are strung up on the trees for for yozakura. There are also plenty of food and drink vendors to keep your tummy full and the pink champagne was flowing!

Yoyogi Park (Shibuya)

A short five-minute walk from Harajuku Station, this park is home to about 600 cherry trees. It is one of the largest national parks in Tokyo and a great place to have a relaxing stroll.

Imperial Palace East Gardens (Chiyoda)

Located on the former grounds of Edo Castle, it’s the only part of the inner palace area that’s open to the public. The grounds also have old historic ruins and a museum displaying works of art. We were lucky on our visit to enter the inner grounds, which is normally closed to the public!

Chidorigafuchi Park (Chiyoda near Imperial Palace)

Likely our favourite hanami spot in the city, the scenic stroll through this park is definitely worth visiting! It is a long, narrow park that follows the palace moat on the northwest side of the Imperial Palace. The moat is lined with hundreds of cherry trees, making it one of the most scenic spots in the city for hanami. You can rent a boat to view the blossoms from the water or conversely, take the walking path beside the water. In our opinion, it was one of the most peaceful and romantic places in the city to take it all in. The neighbouring park (Kitanomaru Park) is also a great spot to see a lot of cherry blossoms.

Being in Tokyo for cherry blossom season was one of our all time favourite trips! We already love Japan and being there during that time of year only heightened our appreciation for its amazing culture! We can’t wait to go back and experience hanami in other areas of the country!