Tokyo's yozakura in 2026: cherry blossoms illuminated at night

A magical sight to behold

A visit to Tokyo in late March or early April isn't complete without a hanami (flower-viewing) session to see Japan's iconic cherry blossoms, or sakura. If you can't get enough of these tiny, delicate blossoms in daytime, they're just as lovely at night. During cherry blossom season, many parks and gardens—and even some neighborhoods—light up their cherry trees from sundown. The illuminated flowers, which give off an ethereal glow, are called yozakura—cherry blossoms at night.

Central Tokyo

Sakura Festival in Chiyoda

Photo courtesy of Chiyoda City Tourism Association

The cherry tree-lined path along the banks of the Chidori-ga-fuchi Moat is a sight to behold. The sakura fill the air above your head, forming what looks like a tunnel of cherry blossoms. At night, the illuminated blossoms and the buildings in the Marunouchi business district, complement each other beautifully.

SAKURA FES NIHONBASHI

Nihonbashi is lined with long-standing department stores and shopping centers, and in spring, the neighborhood is painted pale pink. The townscape's atmosphere and beautiful blossoms make for a wonderful time.

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Southern Tokyo

Naka-Meguro Cherry Blossom Festival

Illuminated cherry blossoms along the Meguro River

Illuminated sakura and a red bridge evoke quintessential Japanese spring scenery

Nakameguro is a low-key but chic neighborhood full of trendy restaurants and shops. The Meguro River flowing through this residential district is one of Tokyo's most famous spots for cherry blossom-viewing. Some 800 trees lining a 3.8-kilometer-long stretch form a pale pink arch over the river—a gorgeous sight that makes for lovely photos.

MIDTOWN BLOSSOM

Photo from past event

The area around Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi has around 100 cherry trees, most of which are of the Somei Yoshino variety. Together with the cherry trees in nearby Hinokicho Park, they make for some amazing spring scenery in an urban townscape.

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Northern Tokyo

Weeping cherry in a feudal lord's garden

Rikugien Special Nighttime Spring Viewing

Sakura in a Japanese garden shine at night

Rikugien is the perfect example of an Edo period Japanese garden. It was constructed in 1702 by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, a feudal lord and vassal to the shogun (military commander), who was inspired by the picturesque scenes in waka poetry. On the flatlands of the former Musashino region, Yanagisawa dug ponds and built hills to create a classic example of a luxurious garden, worthy of a feudal lord. Walking past the front gate within the gardens brings into view an impressive shidarezakura (weeping cherry blossom) tree that's around 70 years old. Even today, its branches are each covered in pale pink flowers during cherry blossom season. The sight of its petals flowing down like a waterfall is absolutely worth seeing.

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Eastern Tokyo

Sumida Park Cherry Blossom Festival

Image credit by Taito City

Located along the picturesque Sumida River, Sumida Park is a wonderful place to view cherry blossoms at night. The park is home to over 500 cherry trees of the Somei-yoshino, Oshima and Sato-zakura varieties. It also boasts a fantastic view of the TOKYO SKYTREE.

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Western Tokyo

Inokashira Park

Inokashira Park spreads across 36 hectares on the border between Musashino City and Mitaka City. The park is home to around 500 sakura trees, with 250 trees of the Somei-yoshino and Yamazakura varieties blooming around Inokashira Pond. The area is lively during the day, and you can ride a boat on the pond while looking at the cherry blossoms. At night, the illuminated sakura are beautifully reflected in the pond's surface.

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Outlying Area

Yomiuriland Jewellumination®

The annual "Yomiuriland Jewellumination®" event at the Yomiuriland amusement park runs from autumn to spring. Motoko Ishii, a world-famous lighting designer, designs the jewel-like LED illuminations that decorate the park during this event. From mid-March to early April, a 180-meter row of sakura trees is magically lit up. The jewel-like illuminations and nighttime cherry blossoms make for a dazzling spectacle that can't be seen anywhere else.

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