When do plum blossoms bloom in Japan?
Plum blossoms (ume) open before the cherry blossoms. They bloom from early January in Shikoku and Okinawa to early May in Hokkaido. In Tokyo they typically bloom around January 22 and in Kyoto around February 22 — in a typical city, about 7 weeks before the cherry blossoms.
Good to know: in Hokkaido plum and cherry blossoms open almost together, in Tohoku plums come about one to two weeks earlier, and from Kanto to Kyushu about five to nine weeks earlier (typical dates). A February trip can catch plum blossoms in Kyushu, Shikoku, Kansai and Tokyo.
| City | Typical bloom | Earliest on record | Latest on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matsuyama | Jan 5 | Dec 13 (2020) | Feb 24 (1968) |
| Ishigaki Island | Jan 11 | Dec 16 (1989) | Feb 10 (1995) |
| Takamatsu | Jan 13 | Dec 11 (2020) | Feb 26 (1968) |
| Naha | Jan 13 | Dec 22 (2016) | Feb 5 (2007) |
| Shizuoka | Jan 17 | Jan 3 (2003) | Feb 16 (1961) |
| Matsue | Jan 19 | Dec 19 (1997) | Mar 17 (1986) |
| Choshi | Jan 20 | Jan 3 (1998) | Feb 26 (1967) |
| Tokyo | Jan 22 | Dec 20 (1955) | Feb 27 (1967) |
| Miyazaki | Jan 22 | Jan 2 (1992) | Feb 14 (2012) |
| Nagasaki | Jan 24 | Dec 28 (1986) | Feb 15 (2012) |
| Oita | Jan 26 | Jan 5 (1987) | Mar 2 (1961) |
| Kochi | Jan 27 | Dec 30 (1986) | Feb 20 (2012) |
| Nagoya | Jan 28 | Jan 5 (1998) | Mar 12 (1984) |
| Saga | Jan 28 | Jan 1 (1987) | Mar 7 (1986) |
| Shimonoseki | Jan 29 | Jan 8 (1987) | Mar 6 (1981) |
| Nara | Jan 31 | Dec 25 (2020) | Mar 19 (1963) |
| Fukuoka | Jan 31 | Jan 2 (1969) | Mar 13 (1981) |
| Yokohama | Feb 1 | Jan 13 (2026) | Mar 3 (1981) |
| Kagoshima | Feb 2 | Jan 2 (1956) | Feb 18 (2005) |
| Mito | Feb 3 | Dec 15 (2004) | Mar 14 (2012) |
| Kumamoto | Feb 3 | Dec 30 (1955) | Feb 25 (2025) |
| Tsu | Feb 4 | Jan 12 (1987) | Mar 2 (1963) |
| Maebashi | Feb 6 | Jan 11 (1953) | Mar 27 (1984) |
| Hiroshima | Feb 6 | Jan 4 (1955) | Mar 13 (1986) |
| Kobe | Feb 6 | Jan 16 (2026) | Mar 27 (1984) |
| Tokushima | Feb 6 | Jan 4 (1955) | Mar 4 (1984) |
| Okayama | Feb 8 | Jan 10 (1994) | Mar 13 (1984) |
| Utsunomiya | Feb 10 | Jan 19 (1998) | Mar 28 (1984) |
| Tottori | Feb 10 | Jan 1 (1969) | Mar 17 (2012) |
| Kumagaya | Feb 12 | Jan 17 (2023) | Mar 7 (1984) |
| Wakayama | Feb 12 | Jan 10 (1957) | Mar 14 (1984) |
| Osaka | Feb 13 | Jan 17 (1981) | Mar 11 (1961) |
| Gifu | Feb 17 | Jan 11 (1992) | Mar 21 (1984) |
| Fukui | Feb 19 | Jan 4 (2016) | Mar 30 (1984) |
| Hikone | Feb 20 | Dec 15 (1954) | Mar 18 (1986) |
| Kyoto | Feb 22 | Jan 27 (1979) | Mar 15 (1963) |
| Kanazawa | Feb 23 | Jan 28 (1998) | Apr 6 (1957) |
| Kofu | Feb 24 | Jan 24 (1981) | Mar 15 (1984) |
| Sendai | Mar 1 | Jan 9 (1979) | Apr 12 (1984) |
| Toyama | Mar 2 | Jan 23 (1972) | Apr 6 (1984) |
| Fukushima | Mar 7 | Feb 2 (1979) | Apr 6 (1984) |
| Niigata | Mar 11 | Feb 2 (2020) | Apr 15 (1984) |
| Nagano | Mar 18 | Feb 15 (1979) | Apr 17 (1984) |
| Yamagata | Apr 3 | Mar 3 (1979) | Apr 28 (1984) |
| Morioka | Apr 6 | Feb 22 (2016) | May 4 (1984) |
| Akita | Apr 8 | Mar 23 (2023) | Apr 28 (1984) |
| Aomori | Apr 19 | Apr 5 (2023) | May 11 (1984) |
| Hakodate | Apr 26 | Apr 10 (2023) | May 23 (1984) |
| Sapporo | Apr 29 | Apr 15 (2023) | May 17 (1984) |
| Muroran | May 3 | Apr 14 (2023) | May 20 (2013) |
Typical bloom = the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991–2020 normal for the day the sample plum tree opens its first flowers. City links go to the cherry blossom page for that city. Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (processed by Japan Bloom Calendar). Not a forecast.
By region
Hokkaido: Hakodate Apr 26, Sapporo Apr 29, Muroran May 3
Tohoku: Sendai Mar 1, Fukushima Mar 7, Yamagata Apr 3, Morioka Apr 6, Akita Apr 8, Aomori Apr 19
Kanto: Choshi Jan 20, Tokyo Jan 22, Yokohama Feb 1, Mito Feb 3, Maebashi Feb 6, Utsunomiya Feb 10, Kumagaya Feb 12
Chubu: Shizuoka Jan 17, Nagoya Jan 28, Gifu Feb 17, Fukui Feb 19, Kanazawa Feb 23, Kofu Feb 24, Toyama Mar 2, Niigata Mar 11, Nagano Mar 18
Kansai: Nara Jan 31, Tsu Feb 4, Kobe Feb 6, Wakayama Feb 12, Osaka Feb 13, Hikone Feb 20, Kyoto Feb 22
Chugoku: Matsue Jan 19, Shimonoseki Jan 29, Hiroshima Feb 6, Okayama Feb 8, Tottori Feb 10
Shikoku: Matsuyama Jan 5, Takamatsu Jan 13, Kochi Jan 27, Tokushima Feb 6
Kyushu: Miyazaki Jan 22, Nagasaki Jan 24, Oita Jan 26, Saga Jan 28, Fukuoka Jan 31, Kagoshima Feb 2, Kumamoto Feb 3
Okinawa & Amami: Ishigaki Island Jan 11, Naha Jan 13
Next in the season: when is cherry blossom season in Japan?