Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival 2025
Kawazu Sakura Matsuri: the Earliest Cherry Blossoms in Japan
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Don’t miss the first blooming cherry blossoms in Japan! Cherry blossoms in Kawazu City, Izu Peninsula will be in full bloom in February. Here is a detail for Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival 2025!
*Please note that this article contains affiliate links.
Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival or Kawazu Sakura Matsuri (河津桜祭り) is an annual festival held in February in Kawazu city, Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka prefecture. Kawazu Sakura (or Kawazu-zakura) is the type of cherry blossom trees in Japan, which is in bloom 1 or 2 months earlier than many other cherry trees in Japan.
While the blooming season of the most common cherry blossoms in Japan, Somei Yoshino is typically mid March to early April, and the full blooming period lasts about 1 week, Kawazu Sakura usually starts blooming in early February and has long-lasting blooming period for about 1 month depending on temperature. Another notable feature of Kawazu Sakura is that its petals are larger and more vivid pink colour than Somei Yoshino’s.
As you can see from its name, Kawazu cherry trees were discovered in Kawazu City in 1950s. The festival has been held from 1980s every year when the cherry blossoms bloom and more and more visitors enjoy the festival year by year. The 35th Kawazu Chery Blossom Festival is scheduled to be held from 1st to 28th February 2025.
There are over 8,000 Kawazu Sakura trees in Kawazu city lined along Kawazu River for approx 4 km. Visitors can enjoy walking along the river under the arch of cherry blossom flowers. Also there are pretty yellow canola flowers along the riverbank, making a spectacular view of flowers with two contrastive colours. Festival stalls are lined along the waking path offering local food and souvenirs. Light-up of the cherry trees is also held at night during the festival.
Want to go see the Kawazu Sakura? Buy your train ticket in advance!
During cherry blossom season, Kazawa attracts both tourists and locals, and express trains operate with a reserved seat system, meaning they can quickly become fully booked. So make sure to book your tickets ahead of time to secure your seat.
▶︎Buy your train tickets here!
MAP:
Access: 2 mins walk from Kawazu station (Izukyu Railway Line or Super View Odoriko)
Date: 1 to 28 February 2025
Official website: http://www.kawazuzakura.net/
If you are planning to visit Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival, it’s definitely recommended to spend some time in the surrounding area of Izu Peninsula! Izu is one of the most attractive side trip destinations from Tokyo and offer a plenty of attractions such as beaches, mountains, scenic spots, hot spring, etc. There are also amazing hotels, ryokan and holiday rentals and some of them have private or outdoor onsen baths!
▶ Check out popular accommodations in Izu Peninsula with the best rate!
Check more spots to see early blooming cherry blossoms in Japan!
Excited about cherry blossom seasons in Japan?? For more info for spring in Japan, please check out these articles, too!
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"The world is my oyster." As a dedicated globetrotter and hammock enthusiast, I’ve spent years chasing new experiences, collecting stories, and discovering the world’s most incredible destinations. Born and raised in Japan, I’ve always had a deep connection to my roots, but my love for adventure has led me to spend over a decade exploring countries across the globe—from culture-rich cities to remote hideaways.
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