2025 Cherry Blossom Forecast (as of January 29th)

2025.02.21

In Japan, sakura (the Japanese word for cherry blossom) bloom in spring, from around March to May.
Japanese people visit famous spots to view the cherry blossoms and enjoy the scenery, which is a Japanese tradition known as ‘hanami*’.

*Hamani, created from the words “flower” and “see.”

Although it varies by region and climate, cherry blossoms generally take 10 days to two weeks from the start of blooming to full bloom and for the petals to begin falling. After reaching full bloom, the flowers typically shed within a week. Therefore, the period to enjoy cherry blossoms in full bloom is short and limited.

Japan Weather Association publishes forecasts of blooming and full bloom dates for cherry blossoms across Japan’s various regions to ensure that people do not miss the short cherry blossom season.

Note: Full bloom dates will be available from March 2025.

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Estimated blooming dates in spring 2025

The latest forecast of the cherry blossom blooming dates* announced by Japan Weather Association on January 29, 2025:

* The cherry tree’s Blooming date is defined as the first day when five to six or more flowers open on a specimen tree.

Comparing the 2025 predictions to the past cherry blossom blooming dates

A comparison of the predicted cherry blossom blooming dates in 2025 with the usual years* and last year’s actual blooming dates:

*usual years: The mean values over the past 30 years, from 1991 to 2020.

On JWA’s weather forecasting media ‘tenki.jp’, the average dates for cherry blossom blooming and full bloom, as well as the criteria for blooming and full bloom, are explained.
Click here to read: 【tenki.jp】Cherry Blossom Season in Japan

Timing of Cherry Blossom Blooming

The timing of cherry blossom blooming is greatly influenced by the temperatures from the previous fall to the spring.

The buds are formed in the previous summer and then enter a dormant phase with the arrival of autumn and colder temperatures. After being exposed to a certain period of low temperatures during the winter, the buds break dormancy* with the warmer weather arriving along with spring.
Once they wake from dormancy, the buds grow and bloom as the temperatures rise. It is believed that the higher the temperature, the faster the growth of the buds, leading to earlier blooming.

*dormancy breaking: The flower buds that formed and entered dormancy in the previous summer awaken after being exposed to a period of low temperatures during winter.

Details of the 2025 blooming forecast

For the fall of 2024, temperatures were generally high across the country.

The November temperatures, which are believed to affect the dormancy of cherry blossom buds, were significantly higher in western Japan.
On the other hand, the December temperatures were as usual or lower than average nationwide, and in western Japan, the January temperatures also remained lower than usual.

In western and eastern Japan, the temperatures were severely low in early February, but temperatures from mid-February to March are anticipated to be around or higher than usual.
Although November temperatures were high, the cherry blossom buds were subsequently exposed to cold, so the impact on dormancy breaking* is expected to be minimal.
With many warm days anticipated in March, the cherry blossom buds are expected to develop smoothly, and blooming will generally be around the usual time.

In regions such as Hokuriku and Koshin, blooming may occur earlier than usual.
In the northern parts of Japan, temperatures from February to April are expected to be higher than usual, leading to an earlier cherry blossom blooming than usual years.

Latest Forecasts of Cherry Blossom

On tenki.jp, you can check the latest forecasts of the cherry blossom blooming and full bloom dates announced by Japan Weather Association.

In addition, you can also check the weather and cherry blossom blooming status for various Hanami spots across the country.

Business Utilization of Cherry Blossom Forecasts

The cherry blossom season is one of the peak periods of international travelers visiting Japan.

JWA’s accurate cherry blossom blooming and full bloom forecasts contribute to businesses in various industries, such as tourism, accommodation, transportation, media, and event planning.

If you are interested in JWA’s forecasts, please feel free to contact us.