Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival 2027 Dates TBA

河津桜まつり — Kawazu, Shizuoka (Tokai)

Last updated: Fri, October 30, 2026

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About 8,000 Kawazu-zakura trees, an early-flowering deep-pink cherry, grow across the town of Kawazu on the Izu Peninsula, around 850 of them lining the Kawazu River. They usually start opening in early February and can be seen into early March, weeks before most of Japan's cherry trees flower. The Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival runs through the bloom with food stalls and nightly illuminations; in 2026 the 36th festival ran from February 7 to March 8. The 2027 dates have not been announced yet.

Background

The original tree grew from a seedling that local resident Katsumi Iida found by chance around 1955 and planted at his home in the Tanaka district of Kawazu, where it still stands about 1.2 km from Kawazu Station towards Mt Amagi. It first flowered in 1966. After prefectural and local researchers studied it, the variety was named Kawazu-zakura in 1974 and made the town tree in 1975. It is thought to be a natural hybrid of an early-flowering Oshima cherry and the Kanhi-zakura (Taiwan cherry). Around 1975, local people planted about 200 trees near the river mouth and the station. The first festival was held in February 1991, and by 1999 it was drawing more than a million visitors.

Getting there

The riverside cherry walk starts near Kawazu Station on the Izu Kyuko Line. From Tokyo Station, the direct Limited Express Odoriko takes about 2 hours 40 minutes. Otherwise, take the shinkansen or a local train to Atami and change to a JR Ito Line train bound for Izukyu-Shimoda. Roads around the town jam up at peak bloom. If you are driving, the organisers suggest parking at Izu-Kogen Station and taking the train the rest of the way with Izu Kyuko's discounted Park & Train return ticket.

Tips

• The town announces a peak-bloom (mikoro) date each year, and it moves a lot: over the last five festivals it fell between February 12 and February 28 (February 13 in 2026). Check the official bloom page or the live cameras on the festival site in the week or two before you go, rather than planning around the festival's opening day.
• Because the blossoms open gradually from early February into early March, there is usually something in flower throughout the festival. The best few days are around the peak declaration, though.
• In 2026 the riverside was lit up every night of the festival from 18:00 to 21:00, along the stretch downstream of Tatebashi bridge by Kawazu Station and behind the Odoriko Onsen Kaikan. Several named trees around town were lit too. Evenings are calmer than the daytime crowds.
• Weekends at peak bloom are the busiest time, and the organisers warn that weekdays get crowded then too. Coming by train avoids the traffic. If you drive, the free car park at Kawazu Bagatelle Park (250 spaces) is an option, but the walk from it is hilly.
• Upstream along the river, the Mine Onsen Daifunto geyser sends 100°C spring water about 30 m into the air for around a minute, on the half hour from 9:30 to 15:30. Entry is free, and there is a free footbath and eggs boiled in the spring for sale (¥100 each, minimum two). On its Tuesday and Friday maintenance days during the festival, eruptions start only after cleaning, around 12:30.
• Drones are banned all day along the festival stretch of the river from Hamabashi to Minekobashi bridges.

Maintained by Tetsu Yamamoto · Last verified against the official source: Fri, October 30, 2026