Since it's only February, it may be hard to believe that this year’s cherry blossoms are already on the horizon. But there they are, and approaching fast: the Japan Meteorological Corporation recently released its third 2025 sakura forecast, giving us a good picture of when to schedule cherry blossom outings this year.
According to this updated forecast from February 6, it seems that in most places across Japan, the cherry blossoms will bloom generally around the same time as they have in the past few years, with fluctuations only by a couple of days. But as we’ve mentioned before, it’s still only February, and the weather could have a massive impact on when this year’s blossoms open up. Take last year for example, when cooler temperatures in early spring eventually resulted in the flowers blooming a few weeks later than usual.
So far for Tokyo, the cherry blossoms are predicted to start flowering on March 24 and will potentially reach full bloom by April 1.
In Kyoto, the blossoms are expected to open up on March 29 with full bloom by April 6. Nearby, Osaka is also looking at March 29 for its initial flowering date and full bloom arriving by April 5.
Taking a look further north, Sapporo will be the last to see the cherry blossoms open up, with the expected flowering date on April 28 and full bloom by May 2.
We'll continue to keep you posted as the forecast changes. The next update from the JMC is scheduled for February 13. In the meantime, you can expect to see Japan’s winter cherry blossoms ahead of spring starting this month.
This article was published on January 17 2025 and updated on February 7 2025.
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