Googling Japan cherry blossom photo spots will yield hundreds if not thousands of results.

If you look more closely, you will notice that the same spots keep coming up, such as Meguro river canal, Ueno park, or Emperor’s palace in Tokyo, Himeji castle in Hyogo, Maruyama park in Kyoto, and the list goes on, but there’s hardly anything on it for those of you who are looking for more authentic Japan cherry blossom viewing experience.

Here we are not going to cover all of the nice spots accross Japan, most of which are, admittedly, not as convenient to get to as the places in our list, but I hope to give you an idea that the beauty of cherry blossoms can be found in the hidden corners out of the way of major popular sites.

Just the two of you

Lovers bathe this special aura only known to them. And yes, during the blossoming season parks get busy, but as long as you are together, lost in each other’s presence, there’s nothing that can get in the way of happiness being in such a special place at the right moment in time.

And if you can find a photographer that has the eye to show that “just the two of you” world you are in for an awesome experience and lifetime long memories captured in photographs.

The list is in no particular order, so let’s dive right in!

(To keep the places as beautiful as they were when I took these shots, I will not use the real location names. If you are interested in an engagement or other type of session in one of these lovely spots, get in touch today!)

1. Japan cherry blossom nostalgia ー little park in the central Tokyo

This park is for those really looking to get a feel of old, Showa era Tokyo. Old wooden Seiko clock, massive old rocks and plenty of space to walk around and admire the beauty of cherry blossoms.

2. Large field with tall trees and cherry blossoms in Northern Tokyo

This may not the type of place where you’d expect to go to see cherry blossoms, but is worth the trip if you are looking for a path less taken. This quite spacious park is on the border with Chiba Prefecture, but still, just 50min from the central Tokyo ー although it may sound like much, it’s quite normal commuting distance in the Metropolis. The small lake is an added bonus and it looks amazing at sunset!

3. Cute park close to chic area towards Western Tokyo

Although popular and known spot, with the skillful guide you could have this place seemingly just to yourself. I would recommend it for a pre-wedding / engagement shoot, but also for an elopement. Obviously, the latter needs more planning skill, but as they say ー where there’s will, there’s a way. Just look at these two cuties having a blast!

4. Riverside lined up with hundreds of cherry blossom trees

If you don’t mind an hour and a half ride to a nearby city, you will be treated with the densely lined up trees that feel like clouds of cherry blossoms. In all honesty, it could take half of that time just trying to get through the crowds of some of the Tokyo central parks, so in my opinion well worth it ー and you could have some amazing oysters in the evening and make a trip out of it.

5. Perhaps an unusual but beautiful location for the like-minded

Cemeteries may not be to everyone’s taste, but if you keep it short and respectful, it can be iconic af. Just feel these vibes and tell me you don’t dig it!?

6. Classic place with a pinch of effort for this newly engaged couple

Just to show that every rule comes with exceptions, here’s an example of a shoot from one of the more popular (and densely visited) parks in central Tokyo.

7. River banks of many cities’ neighbourhoods

Some of my favorite spots are just random places found in many neighborhoods of different cities in Japan.

8. Beautiful at any stage

Trying to time the cherry blossom season can be tricky sometimes. Due to unforeseen circumstances, rain being the most common of all the cherry blossom season can end unpredictably early. Or if the winter is slightly warmer, the season can start (and end) earlier than expected. Don’t dispair ー E&L came to Japan just for the cherry blossoms, but found the beauty after it was mostly gone, and they could just catch the petals floating in the lake. How perfect that turned out!