Cherry Blossom and Full Bloom Forecast for 2025 (Part 6)
The Cherry Blossom season continues from Kyushu to southern Tohoku, with the blooming front heading towards Hokkaido in mid-April
Press Release
Japan Weather Association (JWA) released its part 5 forecast for cherry blossoms and full bloom across 84 locations throughout Japan on Wednesday, April 9th, 2025.
◆Key points for the 2025 cherry blossom forecast (6th edition)
– Many areas from Kyushu to Kanto and Hokuriku are expected to enjoy cherry blossoms in full bloom until around mid-April.
– Cherry blossoms in the northern part of Japan are expected to bloom and reach full bloom earlier than usual.
– Full Bloom is expected to occur in Tohoku towards the end of April, and in Hokkaido from late April to mid-May.
The next cherry blossom forecast (7th) is scheduled for April 16th, 2025.
In case of any extraordinary developments or updates to the forecast between 10rd and 15th of April, an updated forecast will be published on JWA’s weather forecasting media 【tenki.jp】, on their cherry blossom forecasting page.
For the most recent updates and information on the 2025 cherry blossom please visit the 【tenki.jp】 The Cherry Blossom and Full Bloom Forecast page: https://tenki.jp/sakura/expectation/ (Japanese only)
Cherry Blossom Forecast Map
2025 Blossoming Trend
The cherry blossoms have bloomed in all areas from Kyushu through Kinki, Kanto Koshin and Hokuriku.
While some areas at a higher altitude in the Tokai region are expected to bloom around the yearly average, the cherry blossoms in northern Japan are expected to bloom earlier than normal.
For northern Japan, we have experienced many days with a higher-than-average temperature since March, and this warm trend is expected to continue until late April. This will result in most parts of northern part of Tohoku receiving an earlier than average blooming around mid-April, and in Hokkaido, the cherry blossom front is expected to progress from mid-April to mid-May.
2025 Full Bloom Trend
The full bloom can already be seen over a wider area from Kyushu to Kanto and Hokuriku. From Tokai to Hokuriku, with the Full Bloom front expected to pass around the seasonal average or slightly earlier, we will see the remaining areas in Full Bloom soon. For northern Japan, the Full Bloom is expected to arrive earlier than average.
For many areas from Kyushu to Kanto and Hokuriku, the flowers reached Full Bloom around April 5th due to the cold weather returning at the end of March and into early April. The best viewing period typically lasts about a week to 10 days after Full Bloom, so in these areas you may enjoy the cherry blossoms until around mid-April.
Looking ahead, the cherry blossoms are expected to be in Full Bloom in Tohoku towards the end of April, and in Hokkaido, many places will be able to enjoy full bloom around the long Golden week holiday period in the beginning of May.
Cherry Blossom Forecast Information
For more detailed information about JWA’s Cherry Blossom Forecast, please visit the link below.
https://www.jwa.or.jp/english/service/seasonal-news-cherry-blossom-forecast/
Cherry Blossom Season in Japan
For more detailed information on the cherry blossom forecast vocabulary and development, please visit the link below.
https://tenki.jp/sakura/english/160.html
[Description of words]
Normal: Average of 1991-2020
Much earlier: 7 or more days earlier than normal
Earlier: 3 to 6 days earlier than normal
Near normal: 1 or 2 days earlier or later than normal
Later: 3 to 6 days later than normal
Much later: 7 or more days later than normal
References Material
Frequently asked questions regarding cherry blossom forecast
Q1: What is the 2025 schedule for the cherry blossom forecasts releases?
A1: Here are the scheduled releases:
*English release approximately one day later. Further schedule is yet to be determined.
Q2: What are the criteria for the flowering and full bloom dates?
A2: The criteria are the same as those used by Japan Meteorological Agency. The flowering period starts the first day when 5 to 6 or more flowers have started to bloom on the designated observation tree (i.e. sample trees), and the full bloom date is the first day when more than 80% of the buds have opened on the sample trees.
Q3: How many locations are expected?
A3: We announce forecasts for 84 locations nationwide. The forecast locations consist of 53 sample trees observed by each Local Meteorological Observatory and 31 locations where observation data are obtained from cooperating agencies such as municipalities/local governments and parks.
Q4: What are the methods and characteristics of the Japan Weather Association’s cherry blossom forecast?
A 4: We use our proprietary forecasting model that focuses on the temperature trends from autumn onwards, which significantly influence the growth process of the cherry blossom buds. Our forecasts are based on accurate observation data from sample trees at the Local Meteorological Observatories and cooperating agencies, emphasizing meteorological principles. Japan Meteorological Association has been conducting cherry blossom forecasts since 2007, making this year the 19th year of our endeavour.
Q5: What data are utilised for forecasting cherry blossoms?
A5: The following data are used.
1. Temperature observation data from the previous autumn to the forecast date
2. Temperature forecast data from the forecast date to the blooming period (from Japan Weather Association’s point forecasts and long-term forecasts).
The temperature from the previous autumn to spring significantly influences the cherry blossoming period. Cherry buds form during the previous summer and then enter dormancy. Exposure to a certain period of low temperatures during winter breaks this dormancy, and the buds grow and bloom with rising temperatures. It is believed that higher temperatures promote faster bud growth and earlier blooming.
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