Thankfully, so far, the 2026 sakura season seems close to an average year. You might remember, last year (2025), the season was very late to start. The Kawazuzakura, one of the earliest blooming varieties of cherry blossoms, didn’t really start blooming until March in 2025. But this year, they have already started on February 16th. My “benchmark” Kawazuzakura, the ones that are always the first to bloom each year, have more than five open blossoms on five trees, and one of the trees has at least 20 open blossoms, so today, February 16th, I am declaring the 2026 Saitama Prefecture Sakura Season open! From today, for at least the next eight weeks, but probably more like ten weeks, you will be able to find at least one variety of cherry blossom trees with some percentage of bloom in Saitama Prefecture.
My Sakura Diary 2026
I tried keeping a live update of my sakura ‘diary’ / journey in the past on the blog, but it didn’t really work out. But I know why it didn’t work out those times – I was trying to update it with full information in the evening after full days of cherry blossom chasing! So this year, I will just do photos with links to the location. I’ll give it a try and see if I can manage it. If I manage it, I will be adding to this post frequently over the next eight to ten weeks.
My Sakura Diary March 2026
This Week
- Sunday March 22nd, Weeping Cherry blossoms, Kawajima
- Monday March 23rd, Weeping cherry blossom, full bloom, Ogawa, picture 1 above.
- Monday March 23rd, sakura x plum x peach x cornelian cherry, one of the most beautiful places, picture 2 above.
- Monday March 23rd, Weeping cherry blossom around 60%, Edohigan nearly full bloom at this temple in Ogawa, picture 3 above.
- Monday March 23rd, Stunning weeping cherry x red torii, coming soon
- Tuesday March 24th, Somei Yoshino, around 30%, park in Ageo,
- Tuesday March 24th, Yoko Cherry blossoms and Somei Yoshino, light up has started – was there in the morning and again at night!
- Wednesday March 25th, Higanzakura in full bloom, Hatoyama
- March 1st, Kanhizakura, Kawajima
- March 4th, Kawazuzakura, Sakado – full bloom, but hints of green leaves and shedding
- March 4th, Kawazuzakura, Sakado – not looking good again this year, probably won’t bloom
- March 4th, Kawazuzakura, Sakado – just two trees, but lovely free barbecue spot
- March 4th, Kanzakura, Sakado – more flowering than expected, won’t be long now
- March 4th, Kawazuzakura, Tokigawa – full bloom, picture perfect
- March 4th, Kawazuzakura and Kanhizakura, Moroyama – Kawazuzakura in full bloom, stunning, but only four trees. Kanhizakura still buds.
- March 8th, Kanhizakura and Fujizakura, Okegawa – just one of each, both blooming beautifully
- March 9th, a rare type of early blooming cherry blossom nobody knows the name of! In full bloom, the white ones in this post. Okegawa. Pictured above.
- March 9th, kawazuzakura, they are turning green without blooming.
- March 10th, Kawazuzakura, Shingashi River, Kawagoe, full bloom.
- March 11th, Kawazuzakura, Sayama, past prime. I won’t get to add this location this year, something to look forward to next year!
- March 12th, Angyo kanzakura in full bloom, Sakado.
- March 13th, Kawazuzakura, past prime, Konosu.
- March 14th, Ookanzakura, in full bloom, Kikushidare about 20%, Kitamoto.
- March 19th, Kanhizakura, Weeping Cherry, Kawagoe
- March 20th, Edohigan
- March 21st, Somei Yoshino, Kawajima
- March 21st, Kanhizakura, Kawajima
My Sakura Diary February 2026
- February 16th, Kawazuzakura, Kawagoe
- February 16th, temple Kawazuzakura, Kawagoe
- February 17th, Kanzakura, Chotokuji, Kawagoe
- February 18th, Kobukuzakura and Kawazuzakura, Kitamoto
- February 19th, they don’t look like they are going to bloom, Kawazuzakura, Sakado
- February 20th, a FREE cherry blossom barbecue spot, mainly somei yoshino, but I went to see the Kawazuzakura, Sakado
- February 21st, shrine kawazu, too early and I went again and they were too late – see March 4th
- February 22nd, Kawazuzakura, Okegawa, found literally two open blossoms on a kilometer of cherry blossom trees!
- February 23rd, Kawazuzakura, Kawagoe
- February 24th, Kawazuzakura, Fujimi
- February 25th, Kawazuzakura, Sakado
- February 26th, Kawazuzakura, Sayama, too early, went back March 11th and too late!
- February 27th, Kawazuzakura, Kawagoe
- February 28th, Kawazuzakura, Fujimi – never before shared on SM, new to the blog
February 16th 2026 – Kawagoe
Kawazuzakura
Right now the most common variety that has started blooming in Saitama Prefecture is the “Kawazu” cherry blossom, kawazuzakura in Japanese. The current feature photo at the top of the post is from “Location ①”↴
February 17th 2026 – Kawagoe
Kanzakura
Both of the photos above are from Chotokuji. A temple I have visited many times, but just never got around to putting on the blog. It is very famous within Kawagoe as it is on the remains of the powerful Senba clan’s mansion. The cherry blossoms in this post are a type of Kanzakura. Many years ago, a stranger once told me their specific variety, but unfortunately, I can’t remember what it was! Furthermore, I can’t find any information online other than “kanzakura”. There are just two and they are easily visible from the narrow, sloped road. There is a parking lot for the temple at the top of that road, for about three cars, but I would advise against it in a car anything bigger than a K-car. The parking lot at the bottom of the slope is a private parking lot, nothing to do with the temple. View temple on Google Maps.
February 18th 2026 – Kitamoto
Both of today’s photos – one of Kobukozakura and one of Kawazuzakura – were taken in the same park in Kitamoto.
Kobukuzakura
The Kobukuzakura is from the Rosaceae family of cherry blossom trees. Like the Jugatsuzakura, it blooms twice a year. Typically, they bloom between October and December and then again in April, but in my experience this one often has blossoms in February, even January sometimes. The name in Japanese comes from the fact that the flower produces one to three cherries.
Kawazuzakura
February 19th to 22nd
I didn’t have time to update over the long weekend, but each of the locations I went to between February 19th and 22nd were only just starting to bloom and I plan to go to them again this year, so I will add them then.
February 23rd 2026 – Kawagoe
There are only a handful of kawazu at this location, and they are still quite young. The linked post contains information for the festival at this spot, when their somei yoshino cherry blossoms are in bloom.
February 24th 2026 – Fujimi
Above, unedited photos from this kawazuzakura spot in Fujimi City. I’ve another location to add later today too.
February 25th 2026 – Sakado
In the rain! This mature Kawazu (there are two) was at about 50% at a temple in Sakado.
February 26th 2026 – Sayama
It was too early for this location in Sayama, they were only at 10% bloom. I hope to go back next week and I will share more then. I visited last year too, but I have yet to get a post on the blog. Will try to in the coming days.
February 27th 2026 – Kawagoe
Back to Sembagashi, same location as number one on February 16th:
These have actually peaked though, as there were some green leaves already.
February 28th 2026 – Fujimi
Brand new to the blog and I haven’t shared on social media before. Moreover, they haven’t reached full bloom yet, so if you are looking for full bloom later this week:
Lovely flowers, I reallyenjoy the flowers in Sakado.
Hello OzBurger, good to see your name, and on Reddit recently too. I hope you are well 🙂