🌺 Plum blossom in Japan: the underrated quiet beauty before the cherry-blossom storm
- japansophy
- Jan 18
- 6 min read
There's no doubt about it: sakura season in Japan is absolutely beautiful, and many tourists plan their Japan trip around it. But we're here to tell you about Japan's other blossoms - ume - and why they beat even the cherry blossoms in many ways!
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Japan's plum blossom tradition
Long before cherry blossoms took over poems and postcards, it was the plum (ume) that ancient Japanese poets celebrated. In the 8th-century anthology Manyōshū, plum blossoms were the star of early spring. While the short-lived cherry blossoms symbolise the fleeting nature of life, the longer-lasting plum blossoms came to represent endurance and, because they bloom in February or early March when the snow can still be on the ground, hope and resilience. They are also considered a symbol of good luck, so are often depicted on New Year's cards or well-wishing messages.
So, why do we think the plum-blossom season might be even better that cherry-blossom season?
Well, we love the sakura every bit as much as the next person and would never dream of discouraging anyone from visiting Japan at that time of year. But sakura season is also just about the most expensive time of the year to visit Japan: not only is it the most popular time for overseas visitors, but it also coincides with the end of the school and business year in Japan, so is peak travel/vacation time domestically, too. This dramatically drives up the prices of plane and train tickets and accommodation (plane tickets for the end of March can be twice the price of those for February). And, of course, the top tourist spots are absolutely heaving at this time of year. Your dream of wandering alone down a cherry-lined avenue, the sun filtering through the blossoms and the gentle breeze scattering pink confetti will have to remain a dream: if there's a cherry tree, there will be a crowd around it. The weather can also be very unpredictable at the end of March, early April and several of the cherry-blossom seasons in the last few years have been very wet and cold, making for a very short season and unpleasant o-hanami conditions.
The plum-blossom season, being in February for the most part, can also be cold and, as we said above, you might even experience plum blossom and snow at the same time. But it's also generally a much drier, sunnier month, so it doesn't feel as cold as it says on the thermometer. Moreover, the plum blossoms tend to last much longer than the cherry blossoms, so even a day or two of rain doesn't mean that the season is entirely bust. February is also off-season for tourism, both overseas and domestic, so the favourite tourist destinations will be a lot less crowded and you'll save a bundle on accommodation and transport (including those plane tickets) compared to March/April.
Aaaaand... did you know that, unlike cherry blossoms, ume is fragrant? While they may not be as flamboyant as their sakura cousins, the plum blossoms have a delicate beauty and smell divine!
When to see the plum blossoms in Japan
Like the cherry blossoms, the ume blossom in a wave from south to north as spring temperatures slowly rise.
Region | Typical Bloom Time |
Okinawa | Late January – early February |
Kyushu (Fukuoka, Nagasaki) | Early – mid February |
Kansai (Kyoto, Osaka, Nara) | Mid February – early March |
Chubu (Nagoya, Kanazawa) | Late February – mid March |
Kanto (Tokyo area) | Mid February – early March |
Tohoku (Sendai, Aizu) | Early – late March |
Hokkaido | Late March – mid April |
Best places to see plum blossoms in Japan
Here are some of Japan’s loveliest plum groves and gardens, perfect for travelers who want serenity before the sakura storm.
We've collected together some great spots in our TikTok post on seeing the plum blossoms. Click to view and save for your Japan trip →
Kairakuen (Mito, Ibaraki)
Over 3,000 trees in 100 varieties
Home to the famous Mito Plum Blossom Festival
Lanterns, tea ceremonies, and kimono parades from mid-Feb to late Mar
🚆 About 90 minutes from Tokyo via JR Joban Line
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine (Kyoto)
2,000 plum trees dedicated to the deity of learning, Sugawara no Michizane
The Baikasai (Plum Blossom Festival) on Feb 25 features tea served by geisha and maiko
✨ Combine with Kyoto’s Kamishichiken geisha district nearby
Osaka Castle Park
1,200 plum trees bloom beneath Osaka Castle’s golden roof
Especially beautiful at sunset with petals glowing against stone walls
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine (Fukuoka)
Home to the legendary Flying Plum Tree (Tobiume)
Said to have followed Michizane from Kyoto to Kyushu
Early bloomers (Feb) and delicious plum-themed sweets at the shrine gates
Atami Plum Garden (Shizuoka)
Japan’s earliest plum festival (Jan–Mar)
400+ trees, some over a century old
Perfect for pairing with a hot-spring getaway in Atami
Yushima Tenjin (Tokyo)
300 plum trees, plus traditional ume matsuri events from early Feb to early Mar
Lantern-lit evenings, local foods, and performances
Hikone Castle (Shiga)
A hidden gem for history lovers
White plum blossoms frame the castle tower against lingering winter skies
Japansophy's top tips for plum-blossom season in Japan
Check the bloom forecast (梅開花予想 ume kaika yosoku) from late January onwards. This will give you a good idea of when the ume are expected to be at their peak in the different regions. But the plum blossoms linger longer than the sakura, so you don't have to be just as rigid with your dates.
Watch out for ume festivals at temples, shrines and parks. They often involve traditional dance or music performances, tea ceremonies and little stalls selling hot snacks and drinks. Ask at the local tourism office what's on in the area while you're there. And don't forget to bring cash: these small stalls don't usually accept card.
Eat and drink your fill of plum snacks. Just as you would expect to see plenty of sakura-themed food and drink on the shelves in cherry-blossom season, February is a great time to find lots of ume-flavoured treats. Unlike what we might expect "plum-flavour" to mean (i.e. like the plump, purple, autumnal stone fruits we know in the west), in Japan, plum-flavour tends to be one of two things: either the slight tartness and fruitiness of green plums or the salty sourness of umeboshi, the pickled plums that you'll see in your o-bento or onigiri.
Dress in layers. Though you may be hit be an icy blast when you leave your hotel room early in the morning, February afternoons can be surprisingly mild (at least for those of us from more northern climes).
Plum blossom FAQ
When can you see plum blossoms in Japan?
Peak plum-blossom season in Japan is generally February, with the season starting late January in the south and running through to as late as April in the far north. Mid-February is the best time to see plum blossoms in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, but the season is longer than the cherry-blossom season so your chances of catching the plum blossoms is better.
Are sakura and plum blossom the same?
No, sakura is the Japanese word for cherry-blossom, whereas the plum blossoms are called ume in Japan. They are two different trees and the blossoms look similar but also have differences: ume is more delicate, more fragrant and blooms about a month earlier.
What does the plum blossom symbolise in Japan?
Because it blooms so early in the year, the plum blossom has come to signify hope (after the hard winter) and resilience, but also endurance, since the plum blossom is relatively long-lasting compared to sakura (which famously symbolises the fleeting nature of youth and life). Plum blossom is also considered a symbol of good luck and fortune.
What is the difference between cherry blossom and plum blossom in Japan?
The plum blossoms bloom around a month earlier and are much more delicate than the cherry blossoms. Cherry blossom trees tend to be much bigger and taller than plum trees, so while you wander under cherry blossoms, you can wander among the plum blossoms! Plum blossoms also have a strong perfume, unlike the cherry blossoms and have a wider variation in colour, from bright white to yellow to a deep red.
Where to see plum blossoms in Osaka?
One of the best places to see plum blossom in Osaka is at Osaka Castle. The castle gardens have a large plum grove to the east of the main keep with almost 1300 trees. Or you could visit Expo'70 Commemorative Park, which also has beautiful plum-tree gardens. Suigetsu Park in Ikeda City to the north of Osaka (Hankyu Takarazuka Line Express from Umeda, 15 mins to Ishibashi Station plus around 15 mins' walk from Ishibashi Station) is a little known spot with a gorgeous plum grove.
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