Illuminated Cherry Blossoms Draw Crowds to Viewing Spot in Niigata Pref.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:29 JST, April 8, 2026

The cherry blossoms are now being lit up at night at Takada Joshi Park in Joetsu, Niigata Prefecture, delighting large crowds of flower-viewing visitors.

The park is home to about 4,000 cherry trees, and thanks to the beautiful sight of the trees illuminated by paper lanterns and other lights, it is counted as one of Japan’s “Three Great Nighttime Cherry Blossom Viewing Spots,” alongside Hirosaki Park in Aomori Prefecture and Ueno Park in Tokyo.

This year, the blossoms began to open on April 1 and reached full bloom on Sunday. The best viewing period is expected to last through this weekend. The illuminations will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. nightly for the duration of the local cherry blossom viewing festival, which runs through April 19.