How to maximize your spring season in Japan

Spring is one of my favorite seasons in Japan, in big part because of all the stunning flowers there are to appreciate at this time of year. From plum and cherry blossoms through to azaleas, tulips, and more, these are my tips for maximizing your enjoyment of the season – it's just around the corner!

Know what’s in bloom, when

This may sound incredibly, incredibly obvious, but the blooming time for flowers can differ substantially from year to year depending on weather conditions.

Some flowers are also at their best for a very limited amount of time, so there’s that element, too. I say this because during my first year in Japan, I wanted to see the nemophila at Ibaraki’s Hitachi Seaside Park and didn’t realize they were only there for a limited amount of time – rookie mistake. We drove all the way there from Tokyo, only to find an empty hillside where the iconic flowers should have been.

I highly recommend checking official garden/park websites before you visit, which is particularly useful if they’re hosting a special festival or flower-related event. There, you’ll be able to get concrete confirmation about when they anticipate their flowers to be at their peak. Some places even have live camera feeds or updated daily photos so you can time your visit right.

Check social media for helpful updates

One of my most reliable ways of knowing if a destination’s flowers are looking their best is by searching on social media. Instagram is especially helpful in this regard! You can search by location and sort photos by which are most recent, and see how a destination is looking before you stop by.

Remember that if you miss a particular bloom in your local area, you might be able to catch it elsewhere

I’ve had years in the past where I missed particular flowers in my local area because of scheduling conflicts, poor weather, and a host of other reasons. The good thing is that because Japan has such varied weather from north to south, you can usually catch your favorites somewhere else! Want cherry blossoms in January or February? Head to Okinawa! Would it be easier to enjoy them in late April, early May? Plan a visit to Aomori or Hokkaido. The seasons for flowers are much longer when you take into account that you can see them at different places across the country.

Got any other tips on how you can maximize your spring season in Japan?