Japan Cherry Blossom 2027: Bloom Dates by City & When to Book

If you are choosing spring 2027 dates now, start from this: nobody knows the 2027 cherry blossom dates yet. What does exist is the official record of the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) — 30-year normals (1991–2020) for each city, and the dates it actually observed in 2026. This page puts both side by side for 30 cities, so you can see which part of Japan usually blooms during your dates.

JMA records two dates. First bloom (開花, kaika) is when five or six or more flowers are open on a city's sample tree. Full bloom (満開, mankai) is when about 80% or more of that tree's buds are open. Each date describes one sample tree per city, not every tree in the city. The standard tree is the Somei-yoshino; the exceptions are listed further down.

Kyushu to Kanto: normal and 2026 dates

Hokuriku, Nagano, Tohoku and Hokkaido

Source: JMA's tables of past first-bloom dates and full-bloom dates, which also list the 1991–2020 normals. In the normals, every city in the first table reaches full bloom between March 30 (Kochi) and April 5 (Kagoshima, Kobe), 7 to 10 days after first bloom. In the north the gap is shorter, 4 to 6 days, and full bloom runs from April 8 in Kanazawa to May 6 in Sapporo. (Gaps calculated from JMA's normals.)

Where JMA watches a different cherry tree

JMA uses the Somei-yoshino across Japan so that cities can be compared. Where that tree is not common, it observes a substitute: the Ezo-yamazakura in parts of Hokkaido and the Hikanzakura in the Nansei Islands (Okinawa and Amami). Sapporo and Hakodate are not exceptions: JMA's tables show both on the Somei-yoshino. The Hikanzakura blooms in January and February, so Okinawa's season is a winter trip, not a spring one.

How much the dates move from year to year

JMA's 2021–2026 records show how far one city can swing. Tokyo's full bloom fell anywhere from March 22 (2021 and 2023) to April 4 (2024). Kyoto's ranged from March 24 (2023) to April 5 (2024 and 2025). In the north, Sapporo reached full bloom between April 21 and April 27 in each of those six years, and Hakodate between April 20 and April 28 — every year earlier than their 1991–2020 normals of May 6 and May 2. That is not a forecast for 2027, but it is a reason to look at recent years and the forecasts, not just the normal.

Forecasts move too. For Tokyo's 2026 first bloom, Weathernews forecast March 21 in its first forecast (January 8), March 22 in its fourth (February 25) and March 18 in its fifth (March 4). JMA observed it on March 19.

Who publishes 2027 forecasts, and when

• ●Japan Meteorological Corporation (JMC) forecasts first bloom and full bloom for about 1,000 Somei-yoshino locations, using JMA's criteria. For the 2026 season its first forecast came out on December 18, 2025, and its 14th and last on April 23, 2026. (n-kishou.com)
• ●Weathernews published its 2026 Hikanzakura forecast for Okinawa and Amami on December 24, 2025, its first Somei-yoshino forecast on January 8, 2026, and its tenth and last on April 15, 2026. Its cherry blossom page says next season's information is scheduled for February 2027. (weathernews.jp)
• ●Japan Weather Association (tenki.jp) lists last season's schedule in its forecast FAQ: first forecast on Thursday, January 29, second on February 26, then weekly updates on Wednesdays from March 4. (tenki.jp)
• ●JMA records the official dates. Its current-season first-bloom and full-bloom pages update three times a day from December to June, and the 2027 observations will appear there. (data.jma.go.jp)

When to book: the honest logic

• ●Pick a region before a date. Match your free days to the normal full-bloom dates above. Late March to early April lines up with Kyushu to Kanto, mid to late April with Tohoku, and late April to early May with Hokkaido.
• ●Book free-cancellation rooms now. Full bloom moves from year to year, so cover the days around your city's normal full-bloom date rather than one exact night. Sakura weeks fill up first.
• ●Re-check when the forecasts start. Last season the first ones came out between mid-December and late January, and each forecaster kept updating until the blossoms opened.
• ●Adjust, then release. As the forecasts settle, move nights or cancel the ones you no longer need before each property's free-cancellation deadline. Deadlines differ by hotel and rate, so note them when you book.
• ●Keep a fallback city. If your city peaks early, cities with later normals, such as Kanazawa (full bloom April 8) or Nagano (April 16), give you a second chance.

FAQ

When will the cherry blossoms bloom in Japan in 2027? Not known yet. As of November 5, 2026, no 2027 forecast has been published. JMA's 1991–2020 normals put full bloom on March 31 in Tokyo, April 4 in Kyoto and Osaka, and May 6 in Sapporo. Last season the first forecasts came out from mid-December.

What is the difference between first bloom and full bloom? In JMA's observations, first bloom is when five or six or more flowers are open on a city's sample tree, and full bloom is when about 80% or more of its buds are open.

Is the cherry blossom in Okinawa the same as in [Tokyo](https://tp.media/r?campaign_id=84&marker=732775&p=2076&sub_id=tokyo-autolink&trs=533035&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DTokyo%26nflt%3Dreview_score%253D80%26order%3Dpopularity)? No. JMA observes the Hikanzakura in Okinawa and Amami. In Naha its normal first bloom is January 16 and its normal full bloom is February 4.

When should I book a hotel for cherry blossom season 2027? As soon as you have chosen a region. Pick a free-cancellation rate that covers the days around the normal full-bloom date, then adjust once the forecasts are published.