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Apr 13, 2025

Dozens of "secret" sakura spots around Japan

Each year I am amazed by the amount of people who travel to Tokyo to see cherry blossoms in places like Ueno Park, where the world and their mother are also viewing cherry blossoms. I am talking about expats who live in Japan, rather than short term travelers. I get that short term travelers and / or tourists want to visit the most famous places. But for long term foreigner dwellers I don't get the appeal. Each to their own I guess. Perhaps it is the atmosphere that is the main draw.


If like me you prefer to visit quieter places, where you can enjoy the view without literally hundreds of people sitting under the trees, there are so many options around Japan. Local type cherry blossom festivals still have an atmosphere, but you are less likely to have to wait in line to get a photo of a cherry blossom tree! And you can often get good photos without other people standing in front of the trees blocking the view.


However, my personal favorite are the "secret" sakura spots. They are not actually "secret", its just they are not famous and / or they don't have a 'sakura matsuri' (cherry blossom festival). There are so many cherry blossoms around Japan that you can find beautiful displays in neighborhoods the length and breadth of the country, where there is literally no-one else around. 

Dozens of "secret" sakura spots around Japan photo


The featured photo of this post is of a line of cherry blossom trees in my neighborhood, by a large river. It stretches for about 800 meters. There is no information online about this spot and there is no festival or parking lot, so the only people who visit it are locals. Most commonly people who walk in this area, not just during cherry blossom season, but all year round. Isn't it beautiful? Have you found "secret" sakura spots in your neighborhood?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

Former nickname was "Saitama". Changed it to save confusion on place review posts! Irish, 20+ years in Japan! I also write on my personal website: insaitama.com


2 Comments

  • TonetoEdo

    on Apr 13

    Two spectacular spots that are hardly ever in the media... On the Saitama side of the Edo River, Showa Park, Kawakubo Park, and the Shonai Ryo aku suiro-zoi (3 kilometers of sakura on an ancient waterway accessible on foot or bicycle) in Kasukabe City. I've cycled through all of these spots. But this year, I gave them a miss due to weather not conducive to cycling. If you have a car, go see these spots in any weather. In the northern part of Chiba Prefecture, my favourite little-known spot is Imai Sakura, 280 trees lining an Edo-era canal in Shiroi City. It's best to see these from Chiba Prefectural Route 282 from the bluff above the rice paddies. I'd say drive or in good weather, bike it.

  • BigfamJapan

    on Apr 13

    @TonetoEdo its amazing how many choices there are, we are very lucky. :)