Cherry blossoms in Japan. Iconic. But also.. overcrowded and overpriced.
Simply compare a hotel room from any hotel in Japan during the “peak” sakura season (last week of March and the first week of April) against the same room in a different month, and this may be enough to convince you that those little pink flowers might not be worth the price- especially when there is so much more to see, and that nature can be unpredictable.
Since I was lucky enough to live in Japan for several years and witness many other gorgeous flowers bloom throughout the year, I hope to provide some enticing alternatives to sakura (cherry blossom) season, that will help your wallet and overall experience for your trip!
February: plum (ume) blossoms
February was my favorite month when I lived in Japan, and when spring started to poke its head out with fragrant plum blossoms. Although the country experiences similar seasons to the East Coast, it is much milder and starts to warm up enough to feel comfortable without a winter jacket. To me, it is the perfect weather to explore- without sweating, like I would in the warm spring and summer months there.
Prices for flights and hotels are more reasonable as February is a less popular time for tourists to travel to Japan, making for fewer crowds too.
In a battle of cherry vs. plum blossom, my vote is actually for the latter. Plum blossoms give off such a pleasant scent, and I could tell a plum blossom tree was nearby before seeing it, bringing a “spring is coming!” excitement. Cherry blossoms are scent-free, which isn’t bad, just a fact. Plum blossoms also come in wider color varieties, whereas sakura are typically just light pink or dark pink.
Although they are all over (just like cherry blossoms) two of my favorite spots to see plum blossoms were the Atami Plum Blossom Garden, which can be done from Tokyo as a day trip, and the grounds of Nagoya Castle, located en route from Tokyo to Kyoto.
May: Wisteria (Fujieda)
If you’ve seen the tunnels of gorgeous wisteria on Instagram or Pinterest and wanted to immediately transport there, then come to Japan in May! While the wisteria take a bit more effort to find than cherry and plum blossoms which are all over, for a flower lover, I think it’s worth the effort!
If I thought plum blossoms smelled good, wow- wisteria are next level. Walking through the tunnels smelled like Welch’s grape juice (the good stuff). You don’t have to go to a flower park necessarily to see wisteria, as they are sprinkled throughout local parks, but to get the big effect, I do think it's worth a trip to a flower park.
From Tokyo, you can visit the Ashikaga flower park by local train, and from Osaka, there are day trips to Shirai Oomachi nearby Hyogo. I found a bus tour easily online to see wisteria and other flowers in the region. In Kyoto, take a short train ride to Uji, known for green tea and Byodin Temple, where wisteria can be found outside. If you’re in southern Japan, Kawachi Wisteria Garden in Fukuoka has some prettiest tunnels that I’ve seen online!
June: Hydrangea
I always knew that summer was coming in Japan because of two things: the insane blanket of humidity that would cover the region...and hydrangeas.
June is the last month that I would recommend visiting until the fall, before the summer heat, humidity, and rain really start to take over in July and August. It will be hot, but as long as you are prepared for this, you’ll get lots of sunshine to explore the country. You can see the hydrangea in early June.
My top recommendation to see these is to take a day trip to Kamakura from Tokyo, where they have curated hillside gardens of hydrangea in early June. The city is also a nice reprieve in June as it is close to the coast, and holds a lot of cultural significance. I mean, it is known as “Little Kyoto!”
Autumn: Changing Leaves
Okay, so not a flower per se, but if we are talking about beautiful nature, I had to throw in the changing leaves in late November. Hakone, Kyoto, Nikko- all of these spots are going to be great for leaf-peeping, as well as anywhere where you can get into nature.
If you have a day (or even better, a night) to spare during your trip, I highly recommend adding Miyajima to your list. It is an island just south of Hiroshima, and most famous for the “floating” tori gate in the water. You can take a local train and quick ferry to the island, which is covered in momoji- Japanese maple trees. The red leaves are commemorated in themed leave snacks on the island, as it is so well known for them.
Which flowers do you want to see in Japan? Let me know below!
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