Cherry blossom (sakura) season is the single most-asked-about detail for a Japan trip, and it is genuinely hard to pin down more than a couple of weeks in advance.
When Cherry Blossom Season Starts
Bloom typically begins in late March in Tokyo and Osaka, reaching Kyoto a few days later, with full bloom lasting roughly a week before petals fall. Forecasts firm up only a few weeks ahead, so most travellers book the trip first and treat exact bloom timing as a bonus rather than a guarantee.
Tokyo Vs Kyoto Timing
Tokyo tends to bloom a few days before Kyoto, so a route that starts in Tokyo and moves west via the bullet train stacks the odds of catching blossoms in both cities on one trip.
Booking Around The Bloom
Late March through early April is peak demand for flights and hotels across Japan — book well ahead of the season, not just ahead of your specific dates.