Whether it’s for sightseeing, foodie pursuits, or anime merch hauls, you can’t deny it – Singaporeans simply can’t get enough of the Land of the Rising Sun. Case in point: A record-breaking 691,100 of us visited Japan last year. This fascination usually peaks somewhere around this time of the year, when the annual sakura season transforms the entire country in an alluring landscape of soft pinks and white.
But with this also comes a surge in flight and hotel prices, not to mention, crowds. If you’ve chosen to skip out on the hype this year – and the food-centric sakura matsuri at Orchard isn’t enough to satiate your never-ending thirst for Japan’s spring season – you’ll be glad to know that cherry blossoms are now abloom at Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay with the return of its highly anticipated sakura display at the Flower Dome.
This year marks the 10th year of Gardens by the Bay bringing a slice of Japan to Singapore in the form of real cherry trees and accompanying Japanese-inspired displays. The latest edition is said to feature the largest number and widest variety of sakura trees compared to all past displays – which is sure to make the whole experience even more magical than before. Among species like the early-blooming chishima-zakura, and the distinctly pink kawazu-zakura that’s making its first appearance here, flower-chasers will also get to admire the Yoshino Shidare (Japanese weeping cherry) – a less common sight even in Japan itself.
It isn’t just a delicate sea of pastel-hued blooms for you to feast your eyes on. The whole space is transformed into a scene straight out of a Ghibli movie with replicas of actual Japanese landmarks. In fact, this year’s event places a special emphasis on Fukuoka’s hidden gems, so look forward to larger-than-life installations modelled after Kyushu’s majestic Kokura Castle and Fukuoka Castle’s Phantom Tower. Adding on to that are 130 glowing bamboo lanterns specially flown in from the actual Kokura Castle. This is about as real as it gets in the tropics!
Other familiar sights of Japan here include striking red torii gates, and small wooden plaques bearing handwritten wishes. Specially on loan to Singapore are crafted goods from Fukuoka including fabrics, colourful Magoji kites, and Tsuyazaki dolls.
TIME OUT TIP Time your visit such that you’ll get to admire the cherry blossoms both while the sun is up and after dark, because there’s also a special yozakura (night sakura) experience complete with a stunning light-up.
Despair not if you’ve missed out on Gardens by the Bay’s Sakura Anime Garden, because another cultural highlight you can get in on is the tea ceremony demonstrations, happening at selected timings on March 15, 16, 22, and 23. These will be held within the Flower Dome itself, so no separate fees are required.
This sakura display at Gardens by the Bay just started welcoming visitors on March 8, and will be running for almost a full month till April 6, 2025. Entry is priced at $12 for local adults. Find out more and get your tickets here.
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