Osaka: Petals Starting To Fall

The peak of the season has passed in a number of cities from Fukuoka to Tokyo, and other cities like Osaka and Kyoto are reaching the end of their best viewing period. As the season ends in central Japan, the front line of the 2023 cherry blossom season is slowly moving towards the northern regions of Japan.

Today I was in central Osaka to check on the state of the blossoms. I found that the cherry blossoms were past their peak, and the petals have started falling. Today is probably the last weekend and one of the last few days to see the cherry blossoms at their best. However, there are still sufficient blossoms for the trees to remain relatively attractive for the next couple of days. I expect more petals to fly off over the coming days and for the sakura season in Osaka to be over in a week.

I started my day at the Kema Sakuranomiya Park, which is north of Osaka Castle. I found the petals to be falling freely, but there were still enough blossoms that the trees remain attractive. However, there are not many days left to enjoy the remaining blossoms, and I recommend those who want to see the sakura to go tomorrow or on Tuesday at the latest.

Over at Osaka Castle, there are a number of places to picnic and see the cherry blossoms. Overall, I found that the petals have started falling, and some trees are closer to the end of their season than others. The blossoms are definitely past their peak, and those who wish to see the remaining cherry blossoms should go to the castle in the next day or two at the latest. There are a number of places to picnic and enjoy the blossoms in the castle park, but note that some places require a fee. Additionally, the Nishinomaru Garden, west of the castle keep, is illuminated in the evenings from March 24 till April 9 from 18:00 to 21:00. An admission fee of 350 yen is charged for the Nishinomaru Garden, and reentry is not allowed.

My final spot for today was the Expo 70 Commemorative Park or Banpaku Koen as it is commonly referred to in Japanese. I found the cherry blossoms to be past their peak here and the petals have started falling. The best viewing at the Expo Park can be considered to be over, but there are still sufficient blossoms on the trees to see. However, I would recommend those who want to see sakura to visit in the next day or two before more petals fall and the trees start looking very bare. From March 17 to April 9, there is a Sakura Festival at the Expo 70 Commemorative Park. During the festival period, park opening hours and facilities are extended by about an hour, food and drink stalls can be found in the park, and the main cherry blossom area is illuminated in the evenings from 18:00 to 21:00.