Chances of viewing sakura Mar-Apr 2015

Hi there!

On my upcoming trip, I will be trying to catch the cherry blossoms on my from south to north. What are my chances, based on averages, that I will hit nice blooms when I'm there?

I'm a fast-paced traveler and this will be my 6th tourist trip to Japan.

3/21-25 Tokyo
3/26 early AM flight to FUK and then Shinkansen to Kagoshima
3/27 to Kumamoto
3/28 to Nagasaki
3/29 to Fukuoka
3/30-4/1 to Hiroshima
4/2 to Matsuyama
4/3 to Okayama
4/4 to Matsue via Bitchutakahashi
4/5 to Kobe
4/6 to Osaka
4/7 to Kanazawa via Kyoto
4/8 Kanazawa
4/9 to Kesennuma via Shirakawago
4/10-12 Kesennuma (Ishinomaki-Rikuzentakata-Ofunato)
4/13 to Hirosaki
4/14 to Hakodate
4/15-16 to Sapporo
4/17 flight to HND
4/18 NRT to ORD

I know, it's nearly suicidal to do, but I've done this before from Sapporo to Fukuoka and back to Tokyo. A 21-day Green Car pass will definitely be my way of travel other than the two flights HND-FUK and CTS-HND.

So, are my chances to see full or near-full blooms good in any of these places based on average bloom dates? I'd like your opinions and I thank you for them!

John

Just depend on weather conditions.

Watch blooming report web one week before enough.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011_when.html

I�fm no expert, but judging by this I think you�fll be fine at the beginning, but too early up north (Hirosaki, Hakodate, Sapporo).

Have a great trip!

Hi John,
We went to Kansai this past March/April. I took the 10-year average and picked Mar. 28 to Apr. 11 and it was perfect.
We went to Kobe on 3/28, mainly to do some business for about 2 hours, then went up the Shin Kobe ropeway. We saw NO cherry trees at all.

Here are a few photos.
3/29/14 At Osaka Jo
http://dickh.zenfolio.com/img/s7/v167/p643980704-5.jpg

4/2/14 Daikaku-ji
http://dickh.zenfolio.com/img/s9/v89/p595162174-4.jpg

4/7/14 At Yoshida Jinja
http://dickh.zenfolio.com/img/s6/v139/p730395332-5.jpg

4/10/14 Near Ninna-ji and tomb of Emperor En'yuu
http://dickh.zenfolio.com/img/s10/v98/p615014944-5.jpg

Same_Qs_over_a_thousand_posed,

Read the question. John B is asking about average timings so he can plan his trip as best you can half a year in advance. Surely he'll adjust to the weekly forecasts once they become relevant.

Thank you AusTF and DIck H. I will look at those photos later, since I'm at work. And yllwsmrf, thank you too, but my itinerary is already made and accommodations reserved. I just wanted to get a feel for what I may encounter there during those days. Usually I don't look at the cherry blossom reports since I'm never in Japan during those times. I usually go in early March (to coincide with the 3/11 anniversary) or in October. This is my first time during what is supposed to be the cherry blossom season, so I'm hopeful and wishing I do get to experience what everyone always talks about. Of course, I will check the reports as the dates get closer so I can research areas in each town that will have trees to see. And don't worry, I usually don't pay attention to those who post as guests with creatively sarcastic names-if they don't have the guts to sign on, I don't have much time for them.

I feel like since you're going pretty much South to North (and the cherries will be going North to South) that you will definitely hit them SOMEWHERE on your trip no problem... just where is kinda the question!

And even if you don't hit them exactly at some point, the differences in elevations at points on your trip will give you a good chance to see some in full bloom, just, as you said, you'll need to keep an eye on the reports and research a bit as your trip draws closer the major cherry blossom places in your list.

But I think when compared to a tourist who is only hitting, say, Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto in a 1 or 2 week period during the same time, you have a great chance to see some nice ones at some point on your trip!

Thank you scarreddragon! I surely hope so! Kyushu and Shikoku will be new to me, so I'm hoping beginner's luck will be on my side. But doesn't the blooming season go SW to NE and the fall from NE to SW? Maybe it's a typo! Thanks again!