Sakura viewing doable with tourist boom?

Hi,
Next year I plan on visiting Japan during late March to early April, trying to time in the Sakura blossoming.

However. I got news that there is a tourist boom into Japan lately, times like Sakura blossoming being a peak.

Is sakura viewing still doable with this? Will there be trains and parks overcrowded? Hotels fully booked several months before?

I got the idea from someone to have backup cities in case the Sakura is delayed or passed when arriving, so I would not miss it, as I would need to reserve flight early on. But in case hotels are hard to find it might not work.

What could I expect? Any areas expected to be less crowded?

Depends where you go. The vast majority of tourists never leave the Tokyo-Osaka axis.

Kyushu?

I was in Kagoshima, Kumamoto and Nagasaki during Sakura last year and you could count the Westerners with one hand. Being closer to China and Korea, there were quite a few tourists from those countries, but not to the extent you'd likely see in Kyoto. As previously said, if you go off the beaten path, for lack of a better term, you can still find a Japan not invaded by tourists. Most of those people you see in Tokyo or Kyoto may be part of organized tours, so by going to places that aren't that popular, you'll have a good Sakura experience.

I was there last week and shocked by the ebormois crowd arriving at Narita on Saturday. It's like everyone is going to Japan this year.

The best sakura viewing during my trip was at Totsuka when changing train to Kamakura. There is a river with blooming sakura trees lining up on the sides, and plenty of locals enjoyed the food or just chillaxing. Me and my parents took plenty of pictures and enjoying the hanami, without being swarmed by tourists. We also discovered a small park near Kappabashi with blooming sakura and literally no tourist. We didnt go to Ueno or Shinjuku or other main sakura attraction sites as it will be super crowded.

I think the beauty of the sakura is worth the hassle of some spots being crowded with people. Just dive into it with a bit of patience and a positive attitude. The worst that could happen are packed buses in Kyoto and a couple of people photobombing your pics. :)

You do need to start booking hotels well in advance. They tend to sell out fast.

Honestly, if you want to visit Japan, you're just going to have to accept that other people also want to visit. The cherry blossom season is always crowded and hotels in Kyoto are always booked throughout that season.

But there are plenty of places that are not overcrowded but still worthwhile. Go to the San-in area, Mimasaka area, Hokuriku, Shikoku, Yamagata, etc.

Even if you go to the more famous places, there are still places in Kyoto that are top-knotch and have no crowds. You have to be willing to do a little research and also be willing to think outside of the places that are promoted the most.

I am touring for two months with people this year (all of March/April) and it really depends where you go (at a micro level) and where. For example, yesterday at Nara was not crowded, but 10 days ago it was. My guests had some great pictures of the cherry grove with no other people in shot.

However, even on a crowded day there are places in Nara where the number of people rapidly reduces to zero - you just need to know where to go.

Most of March we had few tourists, but we were either in non-touristy places or places a bit harder to get to.

The "boom" is only going to get worse, and probably Kyoto will be the focus for it as it does not have the necessary infrastructure. But there are many other places to visit.

Most foreigners don't even know Kyushu and western Honshu even exist. Go off the regular well know tourist routes and it will be a lot less busy.

Take the Hisatsu train line between Kumamoto and Kagoshima.
Go visit a Inari shrine in Yamaguchi.
Take a day in southern Fukuoka and enjoy the temples.

since sakura trees are literally EVERYWHERE to be found in japan, it is absolutely no problem to find them somewhere, with no people at all (even without japanese). just make short stop somewhere in the countryside, or just be willing to walk 10 minutes up some hill or just a little from the most touristic attractions.

it is same like with the beaches in europe: all people lie up like sardines in a box on the first beach before the hotel. but if you are willing to walk 10 minutes left or right to it, you get a deserted place for yourself.

I truly agree with the other posters about visiting places other than Kyoto and Tokyo. There are PLENTY of great touristical spots, sakura and cuisine all over Japan and foreign tourists are missing it.

Plus, it would be a great help for the regional economy to have people visit the off-rail sites, which will eventually help the country as a whole.

Even in Kyoto/Tokyo area, sakura in ordinary residential areas have few or no people at all, but hotel-wise it would be much easier to book accomodation in other cities and towns.