Hiroshima: Blossoms Opening

Today I visited Hiroshima to check on the progress of the cherry blossoms. The opening of the first blossoms or kaika in Hiroshima was officially announced on March 19, 2026. One week since that announcement, I found less than 50 percent of the cherry blossoms open in two out of the three popular cherry blossom spots in Hiroshima I visited today. Warm and sunny weather is forecast for the next few days, and consequently I estimate the best viewing in Hiroshima to start from March 29.

Cassie was in Tokyo yesterday and reported that the cherry blossoms were opening slowly, but surely. The best viewing in Tokyo is expected to start from around March 28. I, on the other hand, was in Kyoto yesterday, where the cherry blossoms had just opened. The best viewing in Kyoto is estimated to start from around March 30.

For those interested in the cherry blossom situation in cities apart from Hiroshima, the estimated best viewing information for other major cities can be found on our cherry blossom forecast page. Follow along here to keep up with the latest updates as we bring almost daily on-site sakura reports from various cities.

My first stop today was the Peace Park. There are about 300 cherry trees along the river, and I found that the majority of the blossoms had yet to open. Warm weather is forecast for the next few days, and this should encourage many more blossoms to open. The best viewing here is estimated to start from March 29 and continue for a week or so barring inclement weather.

Hiroshima Castle is another one of Hiroshima's popular cherry blossom spots. I found the cherry trees here to be around the same state as the ones at the Peace Park. Many of the buds look like they need another 1-3 days of warm weather before they blossom. Consequently, I estimate the best viewing here to start from around March 29.

Since March 22, 2026, the interior of Hiroshima Castle has been permanently closed to the public due to structural concerns. However, the castle grounds are open and free for visitors to walk around. The newly renovated Sannomaru area, the castle's third circle of defense, contains shops and restaurants. A castle museum with a viewing deck is scheduled to open later this year.

Shukkeien Garden was my last stop in Hiroshima. The beautiful landscape garden was where I saw the most number of open cherry blossoms in the city. The cherry blossoms at Shukkeien are already at their best viewing, and I expect the next few days through this coming weekend to be one of the best times to see the flowers. Until April 5, the cherry trees in Shukkeien are illuminated from 18:00 to 20:30.