Plum Blossom Hunting in and around the Kanto Region

Plum blossoms can be found in all kinds of places across Tokyo. From parks and walking tracks to even residential streets, it’s not uncommon to see at least a couple of trees while on a commute through the city. But for a more concentrated and impressive display, there are few better spots than Jindai Botanical Gardens.

The plum blossom-lined walking tracks at Jindai Botanical Gardens make for a picturesque stroll during winter.

Offering an incredible variety of flowers and foliage regardless of the season, including an enormous tropical greenhouse, Jindai Botanical Gardens is home to more than 200 plum trees that bloom between late January and March. With a number of small cafes and eateries dotted throughout the gardens, visitors here can enjoy a hot drink on a winter’s day while soaking up the beauty of the plum blossoms overhead.

While they are in full bloom, there is also a plum blossom festival held at the gardens. Priced at 500 yen for adults and 250 yen for children, the festival includes other attractions such as food trucks and live music performances and runs from February 14th until March 5th for 2023.

Please note: The Jindai Botanical Gardens are closed every Monday, and should the Monday fall on a national holiday, the gardens will be closed on the following Tuesday.

Address: 5 Chome-31-10 Jindaiji Motomachi, Chofu, Tokyo 182-0017

Located in the picturesque hot spring resort town of Atami, the sprawling Atami Baien boasts not only an incredible number of plum trees, but is also known for being one of the places where plum blossoms bloom earliest in Japan.

Early blooming plum trees at Atami Baien make it a popular destination for avid plum blossom hunters.

Originally opened in 1886, Atami Baien is today home to nearly 500 plum trees which bloom throughout January, February and March depending on the particular variety. This means that whenever you decide to visit during the season, the gardens will always have blossoms on display.

Running from January 7th until March 5th 2023, the Atami Baien Plum Garden Festival is a great way to take in the beauty of the park. At only 300 yen for general admission and free for junior high school students and under, visitors can enjoy live music, foot baths, souvenir shops and great food amidst a serene plum blossom back drop.

Address: 8-11 Baiencho, Atami, Shizuoka 413-0032

Situated across an enormous 304-hectare landscape, a space equivalent to the size of 65 Tokyo Domes, the Musashi-Kyuryo National Government Park was originally constructed to commemorate 100 years of the Meiji era in Japan.

The incredible size of Musashi-Kyuryo National Government Park means there are countless plum blossom views to enjoy.

Today the park offers a wide range of nature in the form of sprawling gardens, ponds and grassland, as well as a plum forest of around 500 plum trees consisting of over 100 different varieties. This large variety of plum trees ensures not only that there are always trees in bloom between February and March, but also provides a beautiful array of colours between the white, pink and red blossoms.

For those with families or four-legged friends, the park is also home to a number of other facilities. These include Ponpoko Mountain, the largest air trampoline in Japan, and 6000-square-metre dog run designed for small-breed dogs, making the park a great day out for anyone.

General admission to the park is 450 yen for adults, 210 yen for people over 65 and free for junior high school students and younger.

Address: 1920 Yamata, Namegawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0802

In one of the largest plum blossom displays in all of Japan, the annual Odawara Plum Festival sees an ocean of red, white and pink burst across plantations of more than 35,000 plum trees. A sight made all the more impressive by the backdrop of either Odawara Castle, or if you’re really lucky, a snow-capped Mount Fuji on a clear day.

The plum trees of Odawara Plum Festival appear magical beneath the backdrop of a distant Mount Fuji.

Spread across two main locations, Soga Bairin and the Odawara Castle Ruins Park, visitors here can enjoy a variety of festivities amongst the blossoms. Craft events, guided tours and a special plum-inspired menu of traditional Japanese dishes are all available during the festival, which runs from February 4th until February 26th.

Admission to the plum garden is free for all ages, but for those who wish to explore the tropical greenhouse nearby, admission is 200 yen per person.

For visitors who choose to drive to the festival, there is also free on-site parking available, but it is capped at 140 vehicles.

Address: 3798-5 Kuno, Odawara, Kanagawa 250-0055

Constructed in 1841 by Nariaki Tokugawa, a Japanese feudal lord, the garden of Kairakuen was designed as a place where he and the general public could enjoy themselves together. Today, Kairakuen is ranked as one of the top 3 landscape gardens in all of Japan and is home to an incredible forest of more than 3000 plum trees.

Populated by more than 3000 trees, the plum forest of Kairakuen is one of Japan’s most famous.

Celebrating their beauty during full bloom, the Mito Plum Blossom Festival takes place at Kairakuen from mid-February to late March. During the festival visitors can enjoy plum inspired food and drink, guided tours of the garden, and for those that stick around into the evening, there is even a night time illumination in which the plum blossoms are lit up, creating a unique display of colour and light throughout the garden.

Running from the 11th of February until the 19th of March, 2023, admission to the Mito Plum Blossom Festival is 300 yen per person.

Address: 1-1251 Migawa, Mito, Ibaraki, 310-0912

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Tokyo Choufushi Jindaijimotomachi 5-31-10

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