Late Sakura Season 2026: Cherry Blossom in Northern Japan

Make northern Japan the other choice for your sakura watching trip to Japan, where the cherry blossoms still flourish with their fancy charms from mid-April to even early May. This late-season spectacle promises an incredible experience, not inferior to the peak bloom - filled with serenity, peace, and a touch of traditional Japanese pathos. With this guide, find the best places to catch the tail of the cherry blossom season in northern Japan.

Why a Cherry Blossom Tour in Northern Japan

It is hard to catch flowing water, so does the short period of blooming sakura. You may already know that the best time for cherry blossom viewing in Japan is typically from late March to early April, but this brief window period is too short to meet all the desires from home to abroad, which also draws massive crowds, skyrocketing prices, and limited availability, making it hard to enjoy the flower to its fullest.

However, Japan's hanami spots are more than just Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka. Venture farther north on this long, slender island and you'll discover a world of unexpected spring beauty and calm. So, if you have missed the cherry blossoms in central Japan, or feel worn down by the crowds and constant sumimasen apology, consider heading north.

Planning your cherry blossom tour in northern Japan is always a good idea. With a unique blooming season from mid-April to early May (sometimes even into late May), this hidden gem offers a peaceful and equally magical alternative for your sakura adventure - think quiet streets carpeted in petals and charming stays near flower-filled parks and castles.

Just be sure to book early to avoid the Golden Week rush. Or better yet, leave the planning to Odynovo and enjoy a worry-free cherry blossom journey.

Where to See Cherry Blossoms in Northern Japan

Sakura viewing spots in northern Japan boat quite a large area, stretching across the Tohoku Region (northeast area) and the northernmost island of Hokkaido. Starting from Tokyo, let's follow the Tohoku Shinkansen northward to explore some of the best northern places to enjoy the late-blooming sakura.

Cherry Blossom Map of Northern Japan

Sendai

Just a 2-hour Shinkansen ride from Tokyo, Sendai is Tohoku's biggest city, ideal for park hopping to admire the spring colors with the food stalls and evening light-ups. Or take advantage of its convenient transport to discover the unspoiled natural beauty of "the city of trees", where poetic lakes and stretching snow-capped mountains stand against the blooming sakura trees.

Morioka

A further hour's train journey takes you to Morioka, where the cherry blossoms bloom roughly 2 weeks later than in central Japan. Home to the graceful Somei Yoshino cherry trees, it is easy to capture the pale pink blossoms in their elegant form during your Morioka sightseeing. There is also a rare natural wonder - ishiwarizakura, the stone-breaking cherry tree that splits a rock, which has grown through a granite boulder for over 400 years.

Akita

Akita's long history of settlement adds a cultural and artistic flavor to the sakura viewing experience, making it a popular westward stop from Morioka. Reachable via the Akita Shinkansen in about 2 hours, you will find the petal-filled former castle town where the samurai lived, castle ruins paired with pale pink sakura and purple wisteria, and world-class art meeting east and west - all under a canopy of spring blossoms.

Aomori

After another 1.5-hour north ride is the destination of the Tohoku Shinkansen, Aomori, also the gateway connecting Hokkaido, with a cooler temperature and a delayed flowering date around late April. You may be surprised by its heavy cherry branches, which borrow from the local apple pruning techniques, blanket this city in a vivid pink glow with dense, double-layered cherry blossoms.

Cherry Blossoms With Double Layers

Hokkaido

Although its early sakura is still possible for your April northward exploration from Aomori, Hokkaido's higher latitude may awaken some sleepy blossoms till May, making this island your last cherry blossom viewing spot to catch the final tail of spring blossoms - just head into the northern town and deep into the mountains, and you'll find the last petals of spring await your drop-by.

Places to See Late Cherry Blossoms From April to May

• Cherry Blossoms from Late April to Early May: Tohoku Region & Southern Hokkaido
• Cherry Blossoms in Mid-May or Late May: Hokkaido

Hitome Senbonzakura, Yamagata

Hitome Senbonzakura, a beloved hanami spot along the scenic bank of the Shiroishi River, with around 1,000 cherry trees lined in an impressive 8 km stretch, where you can capture them all at a simple glance. This sakura tunnel is ideal for a leisurely stroll beneath the century-old pink branches, sampling the lively atmosphere of the Ogawara Sakura Festival with a sitting hanami picnic while admiring the distant Mount Zao in its lovely snow peak.

• Access: About a 40-minute train ride from Sendai
• Best Viewing: Mid-April to Late April

  Cherry Blossoms in Northern Japan, Yamagata

Koiwai Farm, Iwate

A kid-friendly farm with much to fulfill your journey, from animal petting to sampling some freshly made ice cream or dishes, ideal for an overnight stay to embrace the starry night, fresh air, and its special ipponzakura - a solitary cherry tree about hundreds of years old, in its full glory pink hues against the clear skies, lush farmland and white peak, sacred yet idyllic, offering another taste for your Japan cherry blossom watching trip.

• Access: About a half-hour drive or a 50-minute train ride from Morioka
• Best Viewing: Late April to Early May

Kitakami Tenshochi Park, Iwate

A popular stay for some authentic Japanese cultural experiences during your cherry blossom collection in Northern Japan. Apart from its thousands of cherry trees that adorn along the riverbanks, you can also capture those colorful Japanese Children's Day celebrations - koinobori (carp streamers) fluttering in the wind, taste the freshly made croquettes wrapped in old-school wooden packaging, or drop by the nearby folklore village for some well-preserved houses from the Edo period, a true open-air museum.

• Access: About a 2-hour train ride or drive from Sendai
• Best Viewing: Mid-April to Early May

  Koinobori, Carp Streamers

Kakunodate, Akita

Kakunodate, the little Kyoto of northern Japan, is one of the best-preserved samurai districts with about 200 weeping sakura trees along the river and yard, where you can still capture the feudal past of Japan from its black-walled buildings and traditional streets - best for a kimono stroll or a leisurely rickshaw ride through this idyllic village, catching the falling petals while taking a glimpse into the interiors samurai family houses, just like the locals!

• Access: About a 1-hour drive from Akita
• Best Viewing: Mid-April to Early May

Hirosaki Park, Aomori

One of the top 3 sakura watching spots in the Tohoku Region, Hirosaki Park offers a stunning visual feast - a vivid spring tapestry with more than 50 species of sakura and the incredible 2,600 cherry trees. Whether you stroll through the cherry blossom corridor or paddle a canoe through the thick petal moats. Enjoy the local Kanokai parties with picnics and food, or just spend the night unwinding from the dramatic nighttime reflections of the sakura castle.

• Access: About a 1-hour drive from Aomori
• Best Viewing: Late April to Early May
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Ashino Park, Aomori

For some other ways to enjoy the sakura blossoms in northern Japan, the nostalgic and whimsical Ashino Park will surprise your spring break - a tiny railway separates the green land, connecting the old-fashioned train station with its retro car, where you can chug through the dreamy flower tunnel leading to the fairytale world of Spirited Away - looking forward the ending gift it will show to passengers, yet also wishing the idyllic journey will never end.

• Access: About a 1-hour drive from Aomori
• Best Viewing: Late April to Early May

  Sakura Blossoms With Railway

Goryokaku Park, Hokkaido

Blessed by its unique star-shaped layout, Goryokaku Park in Hakodate is a well-known cherry blossom viewing spot in Northern Japan, especially for families and couples climbing up the nearby observation tower to catch the whole view of this French-style fort - a lovely star filled in pink hues, best for an afternoon visit with gentle sunset to catch the golden-hour magic, or the gradual evening light-ups for a fairytale touch.

• Access: About a 10-minute drive from Hakodate
• Best Viewing: Late April to Early May

Matsumae Park, Hokkaido

Though the circumlocution route makes this castle a bit difficult to reach, Matsumae Park is definitely a must-visit during your sakura hunting in northern Japan - a true cherry blossom sea with over 10,000 sakura trees. Home to various sakura species that bloom at different times, you can enjoy its longer flowery displays from April to late May, wrapping the ancient castle, picturesque town, and scenic shrines for your further exploration.

• Access: About a 2-hour drive from Hakodate, or a 1.5-hour bus ride from Kikonai Station
• Best Viewing: Late April to Late May

Nijukken Road, Hokkaido

Stunning rows of 3,000 blooming cherry trees stretching about 7 km, the Nijukken Road is also a must-see for some late cherry blossoms. It is a picturesque driving road leading you step into some dreamy movie scenery, ideal for a slow pass by until the terminal of the final spring colors, or just park the car aside, follow the sidewalk beneath the falling petals, capture the blossoms up close while take part in the local sakura festival in May.

• Access: About a 2-hour drive from Sapporo
• Best Viewing: Early to Mid-May

  Cherry Blossoms Along the Driving Road

Capture the Last Cherry Blossoms in Northern Japan

It is hard to catch the short-lived cherry blossoms, yet there is still the chance to capture their various charms, even in May. Whether a leisurely seeking of an exclusive hanami experience or just missing the peak flowering season in central Japan, go further north with Odynovo! Feel free to contact us for anything about your preferences or needs for your late sakura viewing in northern Japan.