Popular cherry blossom festival cancelled due to misbehaving tourists
In the past, tourists have wandered into private homes and demanded to use the bathroom.
Cherry blossom season is just a few weeks away in Japan — a magical time where city streets and parks alike are bursting with the iconic flowers.
It’s a time that draws in hordes of tourists from around the world. From the yozakura experience, which invites people to take in the blossoms at night, to countless local festivals, to cherry blossom maps that forecast the best dates and locations to see the blooms, visitors won’t run out of things to do.
The official 2025 cherry blossom map. (Japan Meteorological Corporation)
But one popular festival is cancelling 2026 events following years of disruptive behaviour from tourists.
Fujiyoshida, a city in the Yamanashi Prefecture of Japan, has announced it will not host its Arakurayama Sengen Park cherry blossom festival this year.
Related video: How social media is putting nature at risk
Numerous concerns
Officials cited several concerns, including tourists pushing local schoolchildren off designated paths, people wandering into private homes and demanding to use the bathroom, excessive litter, and incidents of becoming belligerent when asked to respect the park and local residents.
Despite the cancellation, officials are still preparing for an influx of tourists and will implement enhanced security measures, additional parking, and portable toilets.
Cherry blossoms typically reach peak bloom in Japan in late March or early April, and normally last 10 to 14 days, from the opening of the first buds.
Related video: Check out Japan’s iconic Yozakura festivities
Header image: File photo sourced from Canva Pro.