Plum Blossom Season in Japan and Where to See Ume
Plum blossoms are one of the earliest signs of spring in Japan, appearing while the weather is still cold. In fact, ume (Japanese plum blossoms) often burst into color weeks before the famous cherry blossoms, sometimes while snow still lingers on the branches and ground.
Celebrating the ume season has origins in Japanese culture dating back thousands of years and can offer a more serene flower-viewing experience compared to the more festive sakura season. Below, we explore when plum trees bloom, how they differ from cherry blossoms, and where you can enjoy their beauty in and around Tokyo.
When Do Plum Blossoms Bloom?
Typical Season: In most of Japan, plum blossoms (梅, ume) open between early February and early March, making them the first significant blossoms of the year.
Southern Japan: In warmer regions like Kyushu or Shikoku, ume can start blooming as early as late January, with peak viewing in February.
Tokyo & Central Japan: Around the Tokyo area (Kanto), plum trees typically hit their peak in mid to late February, though early varieties may start in the first half of February.
Colder Regions: In chillier areas (Tohoku or high elevations), plum blossoms are delayed until late February or even mid-March. For example, in northern Honshu, the ume bloom can overlap with the very beginning of cherry blossom season.
Ume always bloom before sakura, often a full month or earlier; if you see blossoming trees in Japan in February, they are almost certainly plum blossoms. This early timing means plum trees bloom in brisk weather when few other flowers dare to, sometimes even blooming through frost or snow.
Plum Blossoms vs Cherry Blossoms
Although plum blossoms and cherry blossoms are often confused, they differ in appearance, scent, and the atmosphere surrounding their viewing seasons.
Appearance
Plum blossoms (ume) tend to have rounder petals and grow directly from the branches, giving the tree a denser look. Their colors range from white to deep pink and even red, and the blossoms often appear slightly earlier while branches are still bare.
Cherry blossoms (sakura), by contrast, usually have notched petals and bloom in clusters on longer stems, creating a cloud effect. Most varieties are pale pink to white, and the trees often bloom after new buds begin to form.
Fragrance
Ume are known for their distinct, sweet fragrance, which can be noticeable from a distance. Sakura generally have a much lighter scent, and in many varieties the fragrance is subtle or barely perceptible.
Atmosphere
Perhaps the biggest difference is in the viewing experience; plum blossom viewing is typically calmer and less crowded, often centered around gardens and shrines. Cherry blossom season, on the other hand, becomes a nationwide event, with large gatherings, hanami parties, and extensive media coverage, creating a more festive and highly anticipated atmosphere.
Symbolism of Ume
Plum blossoms carry deep cultural meaning in Japan, embedded in both nature and literary history. Their ability to flower despite cold temperatures, often while snow still lingers, has long symbolized perseverance, resilience, and renewal. The sight of these delicate flowers thriving in harsh weather has long inspired poets and artists as a metaphor for enduring hardships with grace.
Historically, plum blossoms held even greater cultural significance than sakura in early Japan. During the Nara period (710–794), ume was regarded as the flower of elegance. In the following Heian period (794–1185), it was frequently celebrated in poetry and court culture. Before cherry blossoms rose to prominence, plum blossoms were considered the more refined symbol of seasonal beauty.
Plum blossoms are also closely tied to scholarship and learning; the famous scholar from the Heian period Sugawara no Michizane loved ume, and after his death he was deified as Tenjin, the Shinto god of learning. As a result, almost every shrine dedicated to Tenjin in Japan has plum trees in its precincts. Ume is also the official crest of Tenmangū shrines, and blooming plums are thought to please the spirit of Michizane.
Best Places to See Plum Blossoms in Tokyo
Yushima Tenmangū (Map)
Yushima Tenmangū (Yushima Tenjin) is a historic Shinto shrine dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, and it has been one of Tokyo’s most famous plum blossom spots since the Edo period. The shrine grounds hold around 300 plum trees, and the blossoms range from white to deep pink.
Every year Yushima Tenjin hosts the Bunkyō Ume Matsuri (Plum Blossom Festival), which in 2026 runs from February 8 to March 8. During the festival, food stalls selling sweet amazake (rice malt drink) and plum snacks, weekend performances like traditional music, dances, and even outdoor tea ceremonies can be enjoyed. It’s especially crowded with students in late February, who come to enjoy the blossoms and pray for good exam results, tying it to the shrine’s scholarly heritage.
Hanegi Park (Map)
Hanegi Park in Setagaya is home to one of Tokyo’s largest plum collections; about 650 plum trees of 60 varieties grow on its hillsides. The park offers a spacious setting to experience ume in full bloom.
Each year, Hanegi Park hosts one of Tokyo’s largest Plum Blossom Festivals, the Setagaya Ume Matsuri (this year from February 7 to March 1). During the festival period, the park comes alive with activities such as koto (Japanese harp) performances, tea ceremony demonstrations, and mochi (rice cake) pounding events. There are also stands selling plum based foods such as umeboshi (pickled plum) onigiri, plum sweets, and hot umeshu (plum wine).
Mukōjima Hyakkaen Garden (Map)
Mukōjima Hyakkaen is a charming little Edo period flower garden tucked away in eastern Tokyo. Originally established in the early 19th century by prominent cultural figures of its time as a gathering place for poets, scholars, and artists, and influenced by the artistic tastes of scholars, it possesses a character distinct from the formal gardens of feudal lords.
When the garden was founded, it was planted with 360 plum trees as the main attraction, and it became known as the “New Plum Estate” in competition with the famous plum house of Kameido. Today, Mukōjima Hyakkaen has fewer plum trees, around 20 varieties totaling several dozen trees in bloom, but it remains a historically rich spot for viewing plum blossoms.
From February 7 to March 1, the garden holds a Plum Blossom Festival; alongside enjoying the blossoms, visitors can experience events like haiku and waka poetry gatherings, performances of Edo period street arts, and tea ceremonies.
Ikegami Plum Garden (Map)
Located in Ōta Ward in southern Tokyo, Ikegami Plum Garden, also known as Ikegami Baien, is a hillside garden dedicated almost entirely to plum trees, built on the former residence of the Japanese painter Shinsui Itō. The sloped terrain allows visitors to look out over layers of blooming trees.
The garden is home to around 370 plum trees of approximately 30 different varieties, including both white and pink types. Ikegami Baien’s plum season stretches from late January through early March due to the many varieties. From February 13 to March 1, the garden is open in the evening so visitors can see the plum blossoms illuminated.
Umeno Park (Map)
Located outside central Tokyo near the Tama River, Umeno Park is one of the metropolitan area’s largest plum groves. Historically, it had tens of thousands of plum trees and was known as one of Japan’s top plum blossom landscapes, but in 2016 many trees were removed and later replanted, and the area has been gradually revitalized. Today, it has around 1,200 plum trees spread across a wide valley, making it a popular early spring destination for those willing to travel slightly beyond central Tokyo.
The Yoshino Baigō Ume Matsuri is a plum festival that runs from February 21 to March 22. Visitors can wander freely through the groves, some of which are set on terraced hillsides offering panoramic views. Local food stalls sell plum themed specialties such as plum udon and plum soft serve ice cream.
Famous Plum Blossom Spots Outside Tokyo
Dazaifu Tenmangū (Map)
Located in Dazaifu, a short trip from Fukuoka City, Dazaifu Tenmangū is one of Japan’s most important Tenjin shrines and has a particularly strong connection to Sugawara no Michizane, as the shrine is built over his grave.
Befitting that status, the shrine is home to more than 6,000 plum trees across its extensive grounds, making it one of the largest plum blossom sites in Japan. These include about 200 different varieties of ume that fill the air with their strong fragrance, especially as many varieties here are richly scented.
Dazaifu’s connection to plum blossoms goes back thousands of years: legend says that when Michizane was exiled to Dazaifu from Kyoto in 901, his favorite plum tree in Kyoto, being known later as the “tobi-ume” (flying tree), uprooted itself and flew to Dazaifu to be with him. It is said that the tree standing to the right of the main hall is the sacred tobiume.
Kairakuen Garden (Map)
Located in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Kairakuen is considered one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens, alongside Kenrokuen and Korakuen. Established in 1842 by Tokugawa Nariaki, the garden was designed as a place for enjoyment where both samurai and commoners could gather and appreciate nature.
Kairakuen is especially famous for its over 3,000 plum trees, representing more than 100 varieties which means the bloom is extended and diverse. The blossoms typically reach peak bloom from mid-February to early March, transforming the hillside into a wide expanse of white, pink, and red.
Kairakuen hosts the massive Mito Plum Blossom Festival every year, from February 11 to March 22. During this period, the garden comes alive with many events and attractions: there are outdoor tea ceremonies, traditional performances such as koto and shamisen, and an umeshu festival; sections of the plum grove are also lit up with lights after sunset.
Kitano Tenmangū (Map)
Located in northwestern Kyoto, Kitano Tenmangū Shrine is one of Japan’s most important Tenjin shrines. The shrine’s expansive grounds have a dedicated plum grove known as the “Baien” (Plum Garden), with almost 2,000 plum trees planted around the precincts.
The shrine is particularly famous for the Baikasai (梅花祭, Plum Blossom Festival) held every year on February 25; this date commemorates Michizane’s life, and the festival is a major event. The highlight of Baikasai is the outdoor tea ceremony (野点, nodate) conducted by geiko and maiko from the nearby Kamishichiken geisha district.
Held on the 25th of each month, there is also an open-air Tenjin-san market, where visitors can buy everything from antiques to snacks.
Soga Bairin (Map)
Located in Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Soga Bairin (Soga Plum Grove) is one of the largest plum groves in the Greater Tokyo area. Unlike formal gardens, this is an expansive agricultural landscape, where plum orchards stretch across open fields with views of Mount Fuji on clear days.
Soga Bairin is a rural area on the outskirts of Odawara that contains a staggering 35,000 plum trees covering farms and fields. Three main areas, Bessho, Nakagawara, and Hara, collectively make up the Soga Plum Grove, turning the surrounding countryside white and pink.
The Odawara Plum Festival typically runs from February 7 to March 1. On weekends, the groves become livelier, with taiko drum performances and folk dance shows taking place among the blooming orchards. Local farmers set up stalls throughout the grounds, offering homemade umeboshi (pickled plum), umeshu, plum jam, and other regional produce, adding a seasonal food element to the experience.
Late Winter, Early Bloom
Plum blossom season provides an early opportunity to experience Japan’s spring culture before cherry blossom crowds arrive. Blooming in late winter, ume are closely tied to history, scholarship, and traditional gardens.
Locations in Tokyo and across Japan make plum viewing accessible, especially from February to early March. For travelers during this period, adding ume spots to an itinerary allows for a different cultural experience that captures another stage of Japan’s spring calendar.
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