Each year, somewhere between the beginning of March and the end of April, cherry blossom trees in Japan burst into bloom, covering the landscape with a blanket of pastel pink and white. From far and wide, people visit to admire these views, an activity known as hanami.
By an unexpected stroke of luck, in 2024 we found ourselves in Japan with about four days of our itinerary coinciding with the peak bloom of the cherry blossom season.
Cherry blossoms (sakura) are notoriously fickle and short-lived, being at peak bloom for only 1 week and impossible to predict accurately in advance. The Japan Meteorological Corporation provides official forecasts, but they change as the time draws near.
First we were too early for blossoms, then we were too late. Three days before peak bloom, however, it became clear that we had hit the hanami lottery.
And so we found ourselves with a dilemma mid-trip. We were initially supposed to head to Nagano in a few days’ time to see the snow monkeys. However, peak bloom was coming up soon in the lowlands of central Honshu, and due to Nagano being at a higher latitude and elevation, we wouldn’t be able to see many blossoms there.
We decided that we had to take the opportunity that had been so graciously given to us. I usually book refundable accommodation, so we were able to cancel our stay in Nagano with no penalty.
But the question was: where to go?
I knew about all the popular viewing spots in Kyoto and Osaka, but I’d also heard the horror stories of them being jam-packed with tourists. Tourist destinations in Japan are often already operating at peak capacity, and they turn into scenes of absolute mayhem during hanami season.
I love pretty flowers, but I hate crowds. And having spent 4 days in Kyoto earlier during our trip, I didn’t exactly feel like I wanted to go back to being crammed into narrow lanes with hundreds of tourists being endlessly disgorged by tour buses.
We eventually settled on swapping out Nagano for Inuyama. We would stay at Nakatsugawa for 2 days as planned, to see the famous Kiso Valley post towns of Magome and Tsumago, and then we would drive to Inuyama with a stop at Enakyo en route.
Guys. This was the best hasty decision I’ve ever made in my life. Viewing the cherry blossoms in Inuyama and Enakyo was everything I had ever dreamed of and more.
Note: Magic Eraser was not used on any of these photos, as I wanted to accurately depict the crowd situation. Yes, we really did have many of the viewing spots almost completely to ourselves a good portion of the time, at any time of the day.
Inuyama
If I had to pick one place to recommend for off-the-beaten-path cherry blossom viewing in Japan, it would be Inuyama.
Located just a 40-minute train ride from Nagoya, Inuyama is a quiet city on the banks of the Kiso River, home to the 16th century Inuyama Castle. This castle is one of the five National Treasures of Japan, but it doesn’t get much international publicity. The castle grounds contain a beautiful assortment of cherry blossoms, which frame the castle perfectly as you walk up to it.
While I wouldn’t say that there are no crowds in Inuyama, it’s a far cry from the massive throngs you’d see in Kyoto or Osaka. Despite the fact that we had unwittingly arrived close to the Inuyama Matsuri festival, the crowds and accommodation prices were reasonable.
Getting there
- By train: The Inuyama line from Meitetsu Nagoya Station runs every 15 minutes, the ride takes 40 minutes and costs only 630 yen. This is the best way to get to Inuyama by far. From Inuyama station, the main cherry blossom viewing spots are only a 10-15 minute walk away.
- By car: We had a rental car that was due to be returned in Nagoya, since we were initially meant to be driving to the snow monkeys in Nagano. Conveniently, this allowed us to drop by Enakyo on our way to Inuyama. There isn’t really a need to drive if you are only visiting Inuyama, as the city is very compact. If you do drive, make sure that your accommodation includes parking.
Where to stay
- HOTEL μSTYLE INUYAMA experience. This was the rather awkwardly-named hotel that we stayed at, and I felt that it was good value for our money. The hotel itself is very modern and comfortable, and located right next to the Inuyama train station. The service was exceptional. When I asked if I could switch to a room on the other side of the building from the tracks, they spent half an hour trying to find a way to accommodate me, even though I was saying “daijobu (it’s okay, don’t worry about it)” 5 minutes in.
- Stay in Nagoya and take the train. This might be a better option for most people, and the only reason why we didn’t do it was because we had a car and were driving directly from Enakyo. Nagoya is a much larger city than Inuyama, so there will be more accommodation options available.
Cherry blossom viewing spot: Inuyama Castle
The grounds around Inuyama Castle are full of gorgeous cherry blossoms, and there are dozens of locations where you can take photographs like this one:
To enter the castle itself, there is often a line, much like anywhere else in Japan. It only took us about 10 minutes of queueing before we got in, though. This was at peak time, around 2pm. The cost for us was 550 yen per adult, but you should check the official website ahead of time for updated prices and any potential closures.
Note of caution: Getting to the top floor of the castle involves climbing many extremely steep and slippery steps. Apparently it was built that way to repel invaders, back in the day.
If you have mobility issues, you might experience difficulties with the stairs. In my opinion, entering the castle itself isn’t necessary to enjoy its architectural beauty and the cherry blossoms, so it’s still worth visiting even if you don’t enter.
If you do enter, you’ll walk through several floors of antique displays and samurai gear, before eventually getting to the top floor. As you make your way around the viewing platform on the top floor, you’ll be rewarded with sweeping views of the castle grounds, the city and the river.
Cherry blossom viewing spot: Along the river and Inuyama Bridge
After you visit the castle, you can walk alongside the Kiso River until you get to Inuyama Bridge. This extremely short walk, only 1.2km in length, is chock-full of photo spots.
Views of the castle are officially the main focus of this walk, but what the official signage doesn’t mention is that during hanami season, the entire walk is lined with cherry blossoms.
Best of all, you’ll practically have the place to yourself.
There weren’t many people on the walk – neither tourists nor locals. I’m guessing the locals weren’t around because we were there on a Friday evening at 5pm, when most Japanese people are still at work.
We did meet a very nice elderly Japanese lady who smiled at us and pointed at the sparrows above us. The cheeky birds were picking blossoms from the trees, drinking the nectar, and then tossing entire flowers down!
Cherry blossom viewing spot: Inuyama shrine
Just south of the castle is Inuyama Shrine, a Shinto shrine surrounded by cherry blossom trees.
It’s a small area, so we didn’t spend much time here. It was very peaceful, though. Amidst the hustle and bustle of a fairly busy trip, it felt good to take a deep breath and admire the quiet beauty around us.
The path between Inuyama Shrine and the castle is lined with several other shrines – Sarutahiko Shrine, Sankoinari Shrine, Himekame Shrine, and a few others whose names are only written in kanji on Google Maps.
Most of the castle visitors rushed through the shrines, eager to get into the castle and then leave. They’re missing out.
Cherry blossom viewing spot: Inuyama-jokamachi
Inuyama-jokamachi, or “Inuyama Castle Town”, refers to the old town which stretches from the southern castle gate all the way to the city hall. If you walk from the train station to the castle, you’ll almost certainly walk through it.
Many (but not all) of the buildings in the old town are machiya, or traditional wooden townhouses. This is the commercial area of Inuyama – here you’ll find all manner of restaurants, shops, food stalls, etc.
The main street can get pretty busy, and the cherry blossom trees are sporadic and mostly concentrated at the northern end near the castle. It’s still worth strolling down at least once (and, like everywhere else in Japan, the food is heavenly), but if you’re short on time, you can give it a skip.
Bonus: Inuyama Matsuri
Surprise, you’ve arrived during a big festival!
Boy, if I had a dollar for every time that happened to me… well, I wouldn’t be rich, but I’d be able to buy a coffee in Melbourne, at least (which is a big deal, trust me!).
Inuyama Matsuri is held at the beginning of April each year, typically during the full bloom of cherry blossom trees.
People wheel huge, three-tier, ornately-decorated floats from the castle gates all the way down the streets of the old town. There are typically performers seated on the bottom two tiers playing instruments, and automated moving puppets on the top tier.
Food stalls are set up along the way, because obviously you’d need to narrow the streets even further when you’re trying to squeeze a massive float through them. Otherwise, where’s the challenge?
We did our sightseeing in Inuyama on Friday (the day after we arrived), and it’s a good thing that we did, too. Come Saturday, the 6th of April, Matsuri began, the crowds flowed in, and the streets of the old town were transformed. I believe the first day was the rehearsal, and the actual festival was on a Sunday, but it was extremely crowded all the same.
It was a beautiful, once-in-a-lifetime thing to witness. The floats were gorgeous displays of intricate craftsmanship and art, and the performers were fantastic.
Still, I was glad that we had one day to experience Inuyama the way it normally is, outside of the festival. If you want to visit for Matsuri, check the official website for dates, and try to arrive a day early so that you can do the same.
Otherwise, if you’re not interested in the festival, it’s best to time your cherry blossom visit for a weekday (I believe the festival is always held on a weekend).
Enakyo
Ena Gorge (Enakyo) is a river valley running along the Kiso River, near the city of Ena in Gifu Prefecture. Located conveniently between Nagoya and the historic post towns in Kiso Valley, the area is known for its rock formations, the iconic red Enakyo bridge, and Ena Gorge Sazanami Park (also known as Enakyo Park).
Fortunately for us, this park happened to be the perfect spot for a picnic under the sakura trees! We strolled down idyllic riverside paths lined with cherry blossoms and ate our lunch amidst the falling petals.
There were very few tourists and virtually no crowds when we arrived.
Getting there
- Public transport: Getting to Enakyo Park is a bit inconvenient if you don’t have a car. You can take the Chuo Line or the Shinano Line from Nagoya to Ena Station. After that, you’d need to take a bus (Ena Ekimae) from the station to the park. I’m not sure how often the bus runs, but it doesn’t appear to be frequent.
- By car: This is the easiest way to get to Enakyo Park. Ena is right in between the Kiso Valley post towns and Nagoya. Just go down E19 until you reach Ena, and the park is a 10-minute detour away from the E19. There is plenty of car parking available near the visitor center.
Where to stay
There wasn’t that much to do in Ena, so we chose not to stay the night. We just visited the park en route to our next destination.
If you’re interested in staying for a night, Ryokan Ichikawa is a family-owned ryokan near the train station with fantastic reviews. There are also a few business hotel chains like Hotel Route-Inn Ena, but otherwise there aren’t many accommodation options.
Cherry blossom viewing spot: Ena Gorge Sazanami Park
Enakyo Park isn’t very large, and you can walk through all of it in 15 minutes if you are in a hurry. I would advise you not to be in one, however. There are over a hundred cherry blossom trees in this park, and almost all of them were in full bloom when we arrived.
The afternoon that we spent in the park was one of my favorite experiences in Japan. It was so tranquil and beautiful, strolling under the sakura trees and enjoying a laidback picnic lunch.
You’ll want to do the riverside loop first, then go up the hill into the center. There’s a gazebo and several benches at the top.
The detours towards the bridge and along the jetty are well worth it, too. There are deep red and bright pink blossoms along those paths that you won’t see on the main walk.
Tips for a picnic under the cherry blossom trees
- There aren’t many food options near the park. The visitor center area has a couple of food stalls and restaurants, in addition to souvenir shops. If you want a bigger selection of food, it’s best to bring your own.
- One of the stalls was selling cherry blossom ice cream! Well worth a try, although I wasn’t the biggest fan of the flavour.
- We bought most of our food from the Family Mart in Ena before heading to the park. Our haul cost less than 2000 yen and was more than enough for two people.
- There are plenty of benches in the park for you to sit and eat on. If you want to have the place all to yourself, try to find a seat in the central section, as most visitors will be doing the riverside walk along the perimeter.
- It’s totally fine to eat your own food outdoors in Japan, by the way. Eating while walking is the big no-no, not eating outdoors. If you are seated and not moving, it’s okay! There were a few Japanese groups picnicking as well.
- We could not find a single trash can in the entire park. Yes, that’s generally a common issue that most visitors will experience in Japan, but I had expected the park to have at least one outside the visitor center. Spoiler alert: there wasn’t. Bring a rubbish bag, because you will probably be carrying your trash out with you.
What do you think? Which of these spots are your favorite?
Feel free to send me any questions that you have, I’d be happy to help!
Planning a trip to Japan this year? Check out my tips for viewing cherry blossoms in Japan! In it, I explain how the cherry blossom forecast works, how to find off-the-beaten-path sakura viewing locations, and more.
