The top 9 places to see cherry blossoms around the world in 2025

It's time to think pink. After months of bleak winter weather, spring is ready to explode in the northern hemisphere with a riot of cherry tree blossoms.

While plenty of seasonal blooms stir souls – like the purple crocuses announcing spring's arrival – no flowering plant inspires admiration like the cherry tree. For centuries, people have celebrated their cotton candy canopies as a sign of rebirth and a meditation on life's transience.  

Festivals from Seoul to Sweden delight in the tree's arboreal opulence, but peak bloom (when roughly two-thirds of a tree's flowers unfurl) doesn't always align with pre-planned events. Timing depends on local temperatures, sunshine and precipitation levels – and once petals appear, they only last an average of 10 days. Stay on top of this year's weather patterns: in 2024, an unusually warm spring triggered peak bloom around two weeks earlier than average in Kyoto, Japan, and three days earlier in Washington, DC. 

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Here are the best destinations to see cherry blossoms in 2025, including important dates to improve your chance of catching this year's ephemeral splendor.

1. Yoshino, Japan

Amsterdam has tulips, Vermont has autumn leaves and Japan has cherry blossoms: a seasonal nature show with cultural cachet. People across Japan have celebrated spring's cherry blossoms, or sakura, since at least the 8th century, enjoying the delicate display in a tradition called hanami – which translates to "flower viewing." Groups gather beneath blooming trees for hanami, often picnicking while enjoying the petals. Ensure you bring some sakura mochi (rice balls with red bean paste filling) to the party – the chewy treat is a flavorful cherry on top of the sweet scenery.

There's no shortage of petal-tastic destinations throughout Japan. The hottest hanami spot is arguably Maruyama Park in Kyoto, where crowds gather for buzzy all-day hangs that transform into sake-soaked soirees. For historical pedigree, drive two hours east of Tokyo to Hokuto's Jindai Zakura – the nation's oldest cherry tree, rooted on the grounds of the Jissoji Temple for about 2000 years. If you want picture-perfect pink landscapes, Yoshino in Kansai is tops. Around 30,000 cherry trees turn Mt Yoshino into a pink patchwork, with aerial trams zipping visitors up slopes to pine over petals.

When to go: According to the Japan Meteorological Corporation, Yoshino's trees will flower around March 28 and peak by April 4. In Kyoto, expect peak bloom around April 5. Head north to elongate the season – Sapporo's petals don't peak until early May.

2. Washington, DC

The US capital might be best known for hard-line politics, but every spring, the city softens with the arrival of arboreal blossoms. Washington's spring traditions date back to 1912, when Tokyo's mayor gave the city as a gift 3000 cherry trees as a symbol of American-Japanese friendship. Now, the city celebrates the floral spectacle for an entire month at the National Cherry Blossom Festival, featuring parties and performances planned around peak bloom.

For commanding (and popular) views, take to the two-mile, pink-hued promenade around the Tidal Basin. Plan an early morning, or twilight visit or prepare to brave large crowds. 

The National Arboretum is a peaceful alternative, with more than 20 cherry tree sites spread across 446 acres. Cycle or stroll along the Arboretum's three-mile self-guided route to see the colorful foliage.

When to go: The National Cherry Blossom Festival is set for March 20 to April 13 – but festivities don't always align with peak petal season. Last year, DC reached its floral apex around March 17, a few days before the festival began. Keep an eye on the National Park Service's Bloom Watch for predictions as the season draws near.

3. Macon, Georgia

In mid-March, this sleepy southern town springs to life as buds erupt from 350,000 Yoshino cherry trees – roughly 92 times the number of cherry trees in DC. The petal proliferation has earned Macon the title "Cherry Blossom Capital of the World," along with a satirically soulful anthem honoring the annual flowering – Cherry Blossom Party Time.

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Spring visitors can participate in a stacked list of events, including a wiener dog race, pageants, performances and a parade, though the best way to experience the blooms is along the Cherry Blossom Trail. The drive zig-zags to areas with high concentrations of cherry trees, passing public fountains and storefront windows dyed pink for the occasion.

When to go: Macon's International Cherry Blossom Festival paints the town pastel from March 21 to March 30. Statistically, most blooms pop around March 23. Check the Bloom Cam – a live stream of local cherry trees – to see the petals progress in real time.

4. Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver's love affair with cherry blossoms began after WWI, when mayors from Kobe and Yokohama, Japan, gifted 500 cherry trees to the Vancouver Park Board – a celebration of Japanese Canadians who served in the war. Now, roughly 43,000 cherry trees bloom all over town, inspiring hanami from Stanley Park to Mount Pleasant and beyond.

Petal season overflows with events thrown by the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (VCBF). Join guided walks to uncover branch-bound splendor in various neighborhoods. Take plein air blossom painting classes. Walk through David Lam Park to see flowers illuminated at night, or map a DIY petal tour using the VCBF finder. The festival's most joyous event is perhaps mid-April's Sakura Days Japan Fair – an all-day jamboree in VanDusen Botanical Garden, with ikebana (flower-arrangement classes), sake tastings, Japanese cuisine and more.

When to go: The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival takes place March 28 to April 23. For info on flowering trees, visit VCBF's Blooming Now page, updated by photo-snapping Cherry Scouts throughout spring.

5. New York, New York

The "concrete jungle" isn't all gray sidewalks. Verdant parks abound across New York City's five boroughs, and by April, 40,000 ornamental trees splash green spaces with wreaths of fuschia, ivory and coral. In Manhattan, the most splendid display pops along Riverside Park's aptly named Cherry Walk and Central Park's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir – a reflecting pool circled by a bridle path.

For the city's most popular blossom destinations, plan a trip to the outer boroughs. More than 200 cherry trees planted at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx are visions in pink, with azaleas and magnolia trees matching their magnificence. Find just as many trees at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, though the Cherry Esplanade is particularly pretty there: 76 trees bloom in unison like a floral ballet. For fewer crowds, snake through Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery. The permanent residents won't make a peep while you marvel at their graveyard's 172 cherry trees.

When to go: Most trees bloom between late March and early May; many peak around mid-April. Some excellent resources for planning timely excursions include Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Cherry Watch, New York Botanical Garden's Bloom Tracker and Central Park Conservancy's blossom guide. 

6. Paris, France

Bouquets of blooms make Paris particularly romantic in springtime. Kanzan trees in the Jardins du Trocadéro frame the Eiffel Tower across the Seine River in wine-colored wonder. More cherry trees in the Jardin des Tuileries turn the outdoor sculpture garden into a museum-worthy exhibit mere steps from the Louvre. Blooms also vie for attention at the Jardin des Plantes, a botanical garden, and along the Promenade Plantée – the world's first elevated park, which zips across the 12th arrondissement.

For a dreamy blossom date, take a 45-minute trip outside the city center to Parc de Sceaux, with its flora-fringed château reminiscent of Versailles. As winter loosens its icy grip, around 150 cherry trees begin showing their stuff – an open invitation for picnics beneath petals.

When to go: The appearance of buds in early to mid-March stirs anticipation, but most petals don't burst open until late March or the first week in April.

7. Valle del Jerte, Spain

You'll find 1.5 million cherry trees in Spain's western Extremadura region, renowned for its sweet cherries – a summertime delicacy. Stone fruits won’t ripen for a few more months, but blushing petals make a journey to this valley worthwhile, especially if you stay in centrally located Cabezuela del Valle. Flowers turn hillsides milk-white for roughly two weeks – stunning to behold with the snow-capped Gredos mountains in the background. The Fiesta del Cerezo en Flor (Cherry Blossom Festival) celebrates the season with markets, tastings and more gastro-centric events. Don't worry if you can't make peak bloom – watching falling petals dance across the valley is equally breathtaking.

When to go: The Cherry Blossom Festival will begin on March 21 in the town of Rebollar and close on April 13 in Cabrero. Expect petals to rain from the treetops throughout the rest of April. Visit the region’s cherry blossom blog for more info. 

8. Stockholm, Sweden

After winter's dark days, Stockholm's Kungsträdgården (King's Garden) wears spring blossoms like a crown. In 1998, the city planted 63 cherry trees along this central plaza, creating two pedestrian allées where visitors can revel in the regal display overlooking a reflecting pool. The park is also a lovely place for a fika – the Swedish custom of taking a break to enjoy coffee, sweets and, in this case, the botanical bounty. Alfresco seats at Tehuset, a café under the park's south-side elms, are particularly inviting. 

For more pastel-and-pastry combos, beeline to Bysistorget – a square in Stockholm's Södermalm district lined with restaurants, cafés and, of course, cherry trees. 

When to go: Stockholm's official Cherry Blossom Day usually takes place at the end of April, when family-friendly workshops and performances in Kungsträdgården honor Japanese culture – but expect to see trees blooming mid-month. Check Visit Stockholm for updates. 

9. Jeju Island, South Korea 

Between March and April, cherry blossoms (called beotkkot) turn treetops throughout South Korea into pillows of petals. The 10-day festival in Jinhae is the most popular, with two million spectators ogling a collection of 360,000 trees. Gyeonghwa Station Cherry Blossom Street is Jinhae's scene stealer: cherry trees along a retired railroad line form a picturesque pink tunnel. There's also the capital city Seoul, home of the Yeouido Spring Flower Festival, which takes place in its eponymous park. More than 1600 cherry trees bloom along the Han River, complemented by gardens flowering with azaleas and forsythias. 

For Korean-centric trees rivaling Japan's ubiquitous Yoshino species, sail to Jeju Island – home of the king cherry tree, which evolved locally to produce snow-white petals so plump they look like popped corn. Join crowds across the island for the annual Jeju Cherry Blossom Festival, bursting along tree-studded roads like Jeonnong-ro (dubbed Cherry Blossom St) in Jeju City. 

When to Go: Jeju Island's king cherries usually bloom by late March. Jinhae peaks a few days later, followed by Seoul in early April. Last year's flowers, however, arrived earlier than usual – starting in Jeju on March 21 and appearing in Seoul on April 2. The Korean Meteorological Administration releases its cherry blossom predictions in early March.