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Below is an incomplete list of popular cherry blossom spots across the country:
Tokyo
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Ueno Park
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A few steps from Ueno Station
No admission fee
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One of Japan's most crowded, noisy and popular cherry blossom spots, Ueno Park features more than 1000 trees along the street leading towards the National Museum and around Shinobazu Pond. Trees are lit up in the evenings.
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Shinjuku Gyoen
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5-10 minute walk from Shinjuku Station
200 yen, 9:00 to 16:30 (entry until 16:00)
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In its Western and Japanese style gardens, Shinjuku Gyoen features more than one thousand cherry trees of over a dozen species, including numerous late blooming yaezakura. There are spacious lawn areas, and the atmosphere is calm and peaceful.
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Chidorigafuchi
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Kudanshita Station
No admission fee
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Cherry trees decorate the moats of former Edo Castle around Kitanomaru Park. Rowing boats are available for rent. Trees are lit up in the evenings. Many food stands, can be found at nearby Yasukuni Shrine, where another one thousand cherry trees are planted.
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Sumida Park
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A few steps from Asakusa Station
No admission fee
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The park stretches for a few hundred meters along both sides of Sumida River. Some food stands are available. Cherry blossom viewing (hanami) can also be enjoyed from boats that cruise the river. Trees are lit up in the evenings.
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More cherry blossom spots in Tokyo...
Yokohama
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Sankeien Garden
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10-25 min bus ride from Negishi or Sakuragicho Stations
500 yen, 9:00 to 17:00 (entry until 16:30)
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Sankeien is a Japanese landscape garden with a central pond, various historical buildings moved there from across the country, and several hundred cherry trees.
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Mitsuike Park (Mitsuike Koen)
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Mitsuike Koen Kitamon bus stop (city bus #104 from Shin-Yokohama or Tsurumi Stations). No admission fee.
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Mitsuike Park is one of Japan's "100 best cherry blossom spots", the only found in the city of Yokohama. Like its name suggests, Mitsuike Park features three ponds around which over a thousand cherry trees are planted.
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More cherry blossom spots in Yokohama...
Kamakura
Nagoya
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Nagoya Castle
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Short walk from Shiyakusho-mae Station
500 yen, 9:00 to 16:30 (entry until 16:00)
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Many somei yoshino trees, several weeping cherry trees and small numbers of less commonly seen cherry tree varieties are planted around the pleasant park and along the moats of Nagoya Castle.
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Yamazakigawa Riverside
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10 minute walk from Mizuho-Undojo-Higashi Station
No admission fee
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The Shikinomichi ("Path of Four Seasons") along Nagoya's Yamazaki River is justifiably designated as one of Japan's 100 best cherry blossom spots. The river is lined by hundreds of cherry trees for nearly a kilometer.
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More cherry blossom spots in Nagoya...
Kyoto
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Maruyama Park
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Next to Yasaka Shrine
No admission fee
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Maruyama Park next to Yasaka Shrine is Kyoto's most popular public park for cherry blossom viewing. Its centerpiece is a large weeping cherry tree that gets lit up in the evenings. Many food stands are available.
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Philosopher's Trail
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Between Ginkakuji and Nanzenji Temples
No admission fee
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The Philosopher's Trail is a pleasant path besides a canal that connects Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) with the vicinity of Nanzenji. It is lined by hundreds of cherry trees.
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Arashiyama
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Northwest of central Kyoto
No admission fee
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Arashiyama is a pleasant district in the outskirts of Kyoto. Many cherry trees can be found around the Togetsukyo Bridge at the foot of Arashiyama mountains.
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Daigoji Temple
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Daigoji Station (Tozai Subway Line)
600 yen, 9:00 to 17:00
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Daigoji is a temple complex in southeastern Kyoto, which is part of Kyoto's designated world heritage. A cherry blossom festival is held on the temple grounds every year.
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More cherry blossom spots in Kyoto...
Osaka
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Osaka Castle
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Osaka Castle Park
No admission fee (except Nishinomaru Garden)
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Over 4000 cherry trees are planted on the spacious grounds of Osaka Castle. A particularly nice place for a picnic is Nishinomaru Park in the castle's western citadel with wide lawns, views of the castle tower and light up in the evening.
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Osaka Mint Bureau
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10 minute walk from Temmabashi Station
Free, opened to the public during only one week
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More than 300 trees of over 100 varieties, mostly later blooming yae-zakura trees can be viewed on the premises of the Osaka Mint Bureau during one week in mid April.
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Kema Sakuranomiya Park
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Sakuranomiya Station (JR Loop Line)
No admission fee
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Nearly 5000 cherry trees line Okawa River for several kilometers. The seemingly endless rows of cherry trees can be viewed from a pleasant riverside promenade or from ships cruising the river. There are also some lawn areas with space for picnics.
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Expo 70 Commemorative Park
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Banpaku Kinen Koen Station (Osaka Monorail)
250 yen, 9:30 to 17:00 (until 21:00 for light up)
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The former site of the 1970 World Exhibition in Osaka was turned into a large public park with over 5000 cherry trees along its paths and around its large lawn areas. There is light up in the evenings.
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More cherry blossom spots in Osaka...
Yoshino
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Yoshinoyama
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Nara Prefecture
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Yoshinoyama (Mount Yoshino) has been Japan's most famous cherry blossom viewing spot for many centuries. The mountain is covered by approximately 30,000 cherry trees.
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Himeji
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Himeji Castle
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15-20 minute walk from Himeji Station
Inner grounds: 600 yen, 9:00 to 16:00
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The castle grounds of Himeji Castle are decorated by hundreds of cherry trees. Admission to the outer castle grounds is free, but there is a fee for entering the inner grounds and the castle tower.
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Hiroshima
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Hiroshima Peace Park
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Next to Genbaku Domu Mae tram stop
No admission fee (Peace Museum: 50 yen, 8:30 to 18:00)
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Hiroshima Peace Park, located in central Hiroshima City, was built to memorialize those who died during the atomic bombing and as a testament towards world peace. There are about 300 cherry trees planted around the park especially along the river.
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Miyajima
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45 minutes by train and ferry from Hiroshima Station
No admission fee
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Miyajima, is a small island just outside of Hiroshima City that is famous for its giant "floating" torii gate. There are about 1300 cherry trees around the shrine and along the island's walking trails.
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More cherry blossom spots in Hiroshima...
Fukuoka
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Fukuoka Castle Ruins (Maizuru Park)
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5-10 minute walk south of Ohori Koen Station
No admission fee
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About a thousand cherry trees are planted in Maizuru Park among the ruins of Fukuoka Castle. The spacious park provides lots of green space for hanami parties and spectacular views from the observation platform in the former main citadel (honmaru).
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More cherry blossom spots in Fukuoka...
Kumamoto
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Kumamoto Castle
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10 minute tram ride from Kumamoto Station
500 yen, 8:30 to 17:30 (until 20:30 during light up)
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Kumamoto Castle is by far the city's most popular cherry blossom spot. Nearly a thousand cherry trees are planted across the castle grounds and in the adjacent public parks. Trees are lit up in the evening.
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More cherry blossom spots in Kumamoto...
Tohoku
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Kakunodate
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Akita Prefecture
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The city of Kakunodate is famous for its weeping cherry trees, which decorate the city's well preserved, former samurai district. Another few hundred cherry trees stand along the nearby river.
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Hirosaki Castle
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Aomori Prefecture
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Over 2000 cherry trees are planted in the park surrounding Hirosaki Castle. Food stands are available.
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Guide to Cherry Blossom Viewing:
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