10 Must-Visit Flower Festivals around Tokyo in Spring

Spring in Japan is all about flowers. Various beautiful flowers flourish and display colourful scenery during spring. When it comes to spring flower, many people would think of only cherry blossoms, but there are many different kinds of flowers that can be admired in spring, and flower festivals are held across the country.

In this article, I have picked the best flower events held in/near Tokyo! Even though some are located outside of Tokyo, they are all easy to access and perfect side trip destinations in spring. Enjoy viewing beautiful, colourful flowers as well as delicious food and drinks served at festivals!

▶ Must-Visit Flower Festivals around Tokyo in Summer
▶ Must-Visit Flower Festivals around Tokyo in Autumn

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1. Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival

Best Viewing Time: early February to early March

Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival (河津桜まつり) features Kawazu Sakura (or Kawazu Zakura), a type of cherry tree which starts blooming earlier and has longer blooming period than Somei Yoshino, the most common type of cherry tree in Japan. Kawazu Sakura is originated in Kawazu Town in Shizuoka Prefecture, where the large scale Kawazu Sakura festival has been held for many years.

The town boasts approx 8,000 cherry trees, and many of them are lined along the Kawazu River bank for about 4km. Yellow canola flowers are also in season and displays an amazing contrast with pink cherry blossoms and blue sky. The cherry blossom festival is held for a month from early February. Visitors can enjoy hopping on vendors selling food and local products while strolling down next to beautiful winter cherry blossoms.

More info: Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival

Check more winter cherry blossoms in Japan: Best Early Blooming Cherry Blossom Spots in Japan

2. Plum Blossoms

Best Viewing Time: early February to early March

Plum blossom, Ume in Japanese, is one of the most beloved flowers in Japanese history, and has been admired as the symbol of the beginning of spring. Plum blossoms usually start blooming from February to March ahead of cherry blossoms, and plum blossom festivals are held across the country during the season.

If you are in Tokyo, the most accessible plum blossom spot is Yushima Tenjin Shrine in Bunkyo ward, where Bunkyo Plum Blossom Festival is held annually. For something with bigger scale, Mito Plum Blossom Festival in Ibaraki Prefecture features impressive 3,000 plum trees at the beautiful Japanese landscape garden.

More info:

Bunkyo Plum Blossom Festival

Mito Plum Blossom Festival

Check more plum blossom spots in Japan: Best Places to See Plum Blossoms in Japan

3. Canola Flower

Best Viewing Time: February to March

Canola flower (also known as rapeseed or field mustard), Nanohana in Japanese, is bright and cheerful yellow flower to welcome the spring season. There are many flower fields in Japan where you can enjoy the field of canola flower in early spring.

In central Tokyo, Hamarikyu Garden is a popular site for canola flower viewing as you can capture a unique view of the yellow flowers surrounded by Tokyo’s modern skyscrapers. Gongendo Tsutsumi in Saitama Prefecture is a famous spot where you can enjoy canola flowers and cherry blossoms at the same time, making an amazing contrast of yellow and pink colours.

4. Cherry Blossoms

Best Viewing Time: mid March to early April

Cherry blossoms are adored not only by Japanese people but it’s also a top attraction among tourists. The mesmerizing pastel pink flower brings joy and happiness to the country every year and we just can’t stop loving it. In Tokyo, there are numbers of cherry blossom viewing spots as well as cherry blossom festivals held across the city with special events and food vendors.

In Tokyo and neighbouring cities, cherry blossoms usually start blooming from mid to late March and flourish for about 2 weeks (depending on weather condition). From the most visited spots to lesser-known hidden gems, you can find the greatest cherry blossom spots in and around Tokyo from the links below!

Top Spots in Tokyo: Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo

Hidden Spots in Tokyo: Hidden Cherry Blossom Spots in Tokyo

Around Tokyo: Best Cherry Blossom Spots in Kanto

5. Sakura Tulip Festa

Best Viewing Time: late March to late April

Sakura Tulip Festa (佐倉チューリップフェスタ) is the biggest Tulip festival in Kanto area. It’s held at Sakura Furusato Square, a riverside park in Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture. It’s a great spring getaway, which can be accessed within 1 hour by train from central Tokyo.

The vast filed is filled with approx 700,000 colourful tulips in 100 varieties, which display an astonishing scenery together with the charming Dutch windmill. At the festival, there are various events that visitors can fully enjoy the spring such as digging experience of tulip, market selling local products and food, and organ performances.

More info: Sakura Tulip Festa

6. Bunkyo Azalea Festival

Best Viewing Time: April

Bunkyo Azalea Festival (文京つつじまつり) is an annual flower event held at Nezu Shrine in Bunkyo ward, Tokyo in April. At the Azalea Garden in the shrine, there are over 100 kinds of 3,000 azalea plants (called Tsutsuji in Japanese), well trimmed in round shapes and blooming in various colours for about a month.

During the season, the festival is held with small stalls selling food, drinks, pot plants and other items as well as special events. Visitors can enjoy the spectacular landcape of azalea flowers together with shrine’s iconic vermilion torii gates.

More info: Bunkyo Azalea Festival Tsutsuji Matsuri

7. Shibazakura

Best Viewing Time: mid April to late May

Shibazakura (pink moss/phlox moss) means “lawn cherry” in Japanese as it covers the ground with charming pink colours which is similar to cherry blossoms. The season of shibazakura starts after the cherry blossoms, which is usually from mid to late April, and there are numbers of great spots to enjoy them across Japan.

At Fuji Shibazakura Festival (富士芝桜まつり) near Lake Motosu, you can admire approx 500,000 shibazakura in various colours covering a vast field at the foot of Mt.Fuji. For closer destination from Tokyo, Hitsujiyama Park in Saitama Prefecture boasts about 400,000 shibazakura flourishing beautifully on the slopes of the hilly park.

More info:

Fuji Shibazakura Festival

Hitsujiyama Park Shibazakura

Check more Shibazakura Spots around Tokyo: Best Shibazakura Spots around Tokyo

8. Nemophila Harmony

Best Viewing Time: April

Nemophila Harmony (ネモフィラハーモニー) is a flower event held at Hitachi Seaside Park, Ibaraki Prefecture. Over 4.5 million light blue nemophila (baby blue eyes) covers the 3.5 ha hill and displays the fantastic views with the blue sky on sunny spring days.

More info: Nemophila Harmony at Hitachi Seaside Park

Check more nemophila spots in Japan: Best Places to See Nemophila in Japan

9. Kameido Tenjin Shrine Wisteria Festival

Best Viewing Time: mid April to early May

Kameido Tenjin Shrine Wisteria Festival (亀戸天神社 藤まつり) is a traditional flower event held in Tokyo since Edo Period. The event features elegant lilac wisteria flowers, Fuji in Japanese, hanging from the trellises displaying the stunning scenery with the historic shrine. The light-up of the wisteria is available at night during the festival period.

More info: Kameido Tenjin Shrine Wisteria Festival

10. Great Wisteria Festival

Best Viewing Time: mid April to mid May

Ashikaga Flower Park’s Great Wisteria Festival is one of most popular flower festivals in the world, featuring over 350 colourful wisteria flowers including the Great Wisteria which is over 150 years old and sized over 1000 square meters and the 80m long Wisteria Tunnel. The light-up for wisteria is also available during the peak blooming season. Besides wisteria, a wide variety of spring flowers can be enjoyed at Ashikaga Flower Park including tulip, azalea, rhododendron and clematis.

More info: Ashikaga Flower Park Great Wisteria Festival

Check more spots for wisteria in Japan: Best Places to See Wisteria in Japan

Check out more beautiful flowers in Japan for summer and autumn!

▶ Must-Visit Flower Festivals around Tokyo in Summer
▶ Must-Visit Flower Festivals around Tokyo in Autumn

You can enjoy a wide variety of flowers in Japan throughout the year. Check out our ultimate guide to flowers in Japan and find the best seasonal blooms!

▶ Flowers in Japan

Did you enjoy the list?? Which flower festival do you wanna go most?? Let’s celebrate the coming of spring with charming flowers 🙂 For more information about travelling in Japan during spring, check out these articles listed below, too!

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