Written by Shyam Bhardwa
For a cherry blossom festival with history, tradition, and beautiful illuminations, check out the Bunkyo Cherry Blossom Festival.
Curious about when the sakura will bloom in Tokyo? See our regularly updated forecast.
What happens?
Heading into their 53rd year, the Bunkyo Cherry Blossom Festival is one of Tokyo’s most popular spots to see sakura. With swathes of traditional bunting and lanterns, it’s a great place to bathe in the blossoms.
But the fun doesn’t end when the sun goes down, as the festival also has an illuminated portion. From 5 p.m., the lanterns are lit, and an hour later the blossoms are flooded with lights till 8 p.m. This creates a stunning scene through the trees — and the perfect spot for some photos.
Schedule
Note that the lanterns will be up and lit from March 22 to April 6, but the cherry blossom illumination will only stay till March 30. From March 29 (Sat.) to 30 (Sun.) the avenue becomes a pedestrian paradise with stalls, food trucks, and performances.
How to get there
The festival will be held at the Harimazaka Cherry Blossom Avenue (Harimazaka Sakura Namiki). The quickest way to get there is a 7-minute walk from Myogadani Station on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line.
