Sakura in Shizuoka: 8 Top Cherry Blossom Destinations

Shizuoka, with its spectacular views of Mount Fuji, is home to some of Japan’s most breathtaking sakura spots. Whether you prefer lakeside views or walking along scenic trails, Shizuoka offers diverse experiences for hanami enthusiasts. 

If you’re thinking about spending spring in Japan, keep reading so we can share the best places to see cherry blossoms in Shizuoka.

Shizuoka Prefecture is located midway between Tokyo and Nagoya, giving city dwellers a place to escape the hustle and bustle of the crowds and skyscrapers. 

Shizuoka is known for offering two completely contrasting scenes: on one side, discover lush mountains, deep forests, bountiful Japanese tea plantations and the iconic sight of Mt. Fuji; on the other, look out to Shizuoka’s beaches, coastal views and natural onsen.

Either way, Shizuoka is blessed with nature — and that includes cherry blossoms.

If you were to travel from Tokyo to Shizuoka, there are a few options:

Bullet train: Taking the JR Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Shizuoka Station takes roughly an hour and costs around ¥6,000 for an one-way ticket.

Buses: You can catch a Highway Bus from Tokyo Station to Shizuoka and it will take about three hours and cost approximately ¥3,000 for a one-way ticket.

Local trains: You can catch local trains from Tokyo to Shizuoka and it will take about 3.5 hours, costing around ¥3,500 for a one-way journey, though this can vary greatly by the types of trains you take.

Find out more: 17 Best Things To Do in Shizuoka

As you may already know from reading our blog on the types of cherry blossoms in Japan (you’ve read it, right?), cherry blossom season in Shizuoka tends to arrive in late March and into early April — though their famous Kawazuzakura cherry tree may bloom as early as February and last for around a month.

However, the spring cherry blossoms you’re thinking of tend to begin flowering towards the end of March, reaching full bloom in early April.

For the latest, check our 2025 Cherry Blossom Forecast or the Japan Meteorological Corporation’s (JMC) Forecast Map.

Find out more: Cherry Blossoms in Japan: When and Where to See Sakura

For the earliest cherry blossoms in Shizuoka, you absolutely must head to the charming coastal town of Kawazu, on the South-East coast of Izu Peninsula. They are the origin of one of the earliest bloomers of the season: Kawazuzakura.

This unique cherry tree can bloom up to six weeks before any other cherry blossoms in Japan and then do all they can to retain the spotlight, remaining in full bloom for around a month. See why Kawazu makes such a big deal of them?

If you find yourself experiencing winter in Japan, you’re just in time for the Kawazu Sakura Festival, often taking place across the entirety of February — though the dates can change slightly each year, based on when the Kawazuzakura begin to bloom.

Over on the southern tip of Izu Peninsula, there’s a vibrant kaleidoscope of colours between the winter and spring seasons. From early February to mid-March, the Nanohana (rapeseed flower) and Kawazuzakura cherry trees lining the Aono River blossom around the same time

Pastel-pink sakura and yellow rapeseed flowers are set against Shizuoka’s blue skies, hailing the beginning of the new season.

Though some suggest that you can take a day trip from Tokyo to enjoy these sakura sights — since it only takes about three hours by train to reach the area — we’d recommend making at least a weekend of it, explore Shizuoka’s scenics spots and local delicacies.

Find out more: What to Eat in Shizuoka

Atami Onsen Town is a beacon for anyone in need of a healing soak, both for body and mind — even frequented by the Edo Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, if you’re looking for a claim to fame — boasting sulfate and salt-rich hot springs.

But, if you can tear yourself away from the revitalizing waters of the onsen for long enough, Atami is also a must-visit spot for sakura and ume plum blossoms!

Beginning in mid-January, there’s the Atami Baien Plum Festival, lasting into early March, at which point the dark pinks of plum blossoms are joined by the alluring pinks and whites of Shizuoka’s cherry blossoms.

At this time, the Itokawa Promenade Sakura Festival 2025 begins, featuring nighttime illuminations, cherry blossom teas, street performances and plenty of excuses to simply soak your feet in a footbath while savoring the sights of the season.

Find out more: Ume in Tokyo: The Japanese Plum Blossom

Claiming the first-place prize for “Japan’s top 100 tourist attractions,” Nihondaira is a must-visit destination in Shizuoka, regardless of the season. This 307m-high hilly area offers sweeping views of Japan’s tea plantations, Shimizu Harbor, further across the stunning Izu Peninsula and even over to the Japanese Southern Alps.

With all of this going on, you may have almost forgotten why you’re here… Cherry blossoms! This area is famous for having over 2,000 cherry blossom trees, painting the tea plantations with visions of whites and pinks from late March and into early April.

If you happen to arrive a little too early for cherry blossom season or the weather is unseasonably cold, you’ll still get to enjoy beautiful plum blossoms from February into early March.

Don’t fancy walking up to the Nihondaira Plateau? The Nihondaira Ropeway will take you to the top for ¥600 (one way) and ¥1,100 (round trip).

Based in the centre of Hamamatsu City, Hamamatsu Castle Park is a place of both rich history and modern reincarnation, transforming through the decades from the setting of the Children's Expo in 1950 to the commemoration of Emperor Showa's ascension in 1977. 

Rewind back to 1958 and it’s also the home of a reproduction of the original castle keep — donated for by the city’s citizens — along with a Japanese garden, an art museum, a children's pool and more.

Visit this spot during spring and find it even more breathtaking than usual, with cherry blossoms blooming around the castle’s surroundings.

Hear us out… While visiting a Japanese cemetery might not have been high on your Japan trip itinerary, this isn’t just any cemetery. Lining the roads to its entrance is over 8,000 cherry blossoms — earning its rightful place on the list of “Japan’s 100 best cherry blossom spots” — setting the scene for a cemetery with a grand mausoleum, a place of worship, a free rest area and, overlooking it all, Mt. Fuji itself.

Imagine yourself soaking in an outdoor onsen while gazing at sakura in full bloom — that’s what you’ll get when you head to Odoriko Onsen Kaikan, a Japanese-style onsen facility in the Kawazu Onsen area.

Opt for one of the open-air baths and allow the sound of the nearby stream to wash away all your troubles, paired with sakura views.

Prefer to just soak your feet? Head to Hosen Foot Bath (Hosen no Ashiyudokoro), a free footbath on the Kawazu riverbank, supplied with fresh springwater from Mine.

Kakegawa Tatsuo Shrine is where people go to catch a glimpse of Shidare Ume, or weeping plum blossoms, with over 300 plum trees bursting into life from early February to mid-March.

With its ties to the samurai lord Yamauchi Katsutoyo — not forgetting the deity Susanoo-no-Mikoto enshrined within — this gorgeous Japanese temple draws people to Kakegawa throughout the year, but never more than when the adjacent flower garden is blessed with weeping plum and hydrangea.

While they may not be cherry blossoms, they offer a burst of vivid pink while winter chills are still in the air.

Chasing cherry blossoms across Japan? Head to the best cherry blossoms spots in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Or, get a taste for Japanese spring foods, sakura snacks and more things to do in spring.

Follow the cherry blossoms across Japan with our guides:

• Sakura in Chiba

• Sakura in Fukuoka

• Sakura in Hokkaido

• Sakura in Hiroshima

• Sakura in Toyama

• Sakura in Nara

• Sakura in Nagano