In Portland Japanese Garden, the arrival of spring is often heralded by the awakening of our cherry blossoms. Our delicate and beautiful Yoshino and Weeping Cherry trees glow with the whites and pinks we sorely missed during the gray days of winter. While every year is different, the Garden typically sees blooms beginning at the end of March and through the first few weeks of April. Make sure you stay tuned to this space, as we will regularly update it with photos of the state of our cherry blossoms, beginning in mid-March.
Final 2024 Update: Friday, April 5th
Cherry Tree Hill in the Strolling Pond Garden. Photo taken 4/5/24. 
Cherry Tree Hill in the Strolling Pond Garden. Photo taken 4/5/24. Cherry Tree Hill in the Strolling Pond Garden. Photo taken 4/5/24. Cherry Tree Hill in the Strolling Pond Garden. Photo taken 4/5/24. Cherry Tree Hill in the Strolling Pond Garden. Photo taken 4/5/24. Cherry Tree Hill in the Strolling Pond Garden. Photo taken 4/5/24. The weeping cherry in the Flat Garden. Photo taken 4/5/24. The cherry next to the Umami Café. Photo taken 4/5/24. The weeping cherry in the Flat Garden. Photo taken 4/5/24. The weeping cherry in the Flat Garden. Photo taken 4/5/24. The weeping cherry in the Flat Garden. Photo taken 4/5/24. The weeping cherry in the Flat Garden. Photo taken 4/5/24. The weeping cherry in the Flat Garden. Photo taken 4/5/24. The cherry next to the Umami Café. Photo taken 4/5/24. The cherry next to the Umami Café. Photo taken 4/5/24. The cherry next to the Umami Café. Photo taken 4/5/24. The cherry next to the Umami Café. Photo taken 4/5/24. The weeping cherry in the Flat Garden. Photo taken 4/5/24.
Friday, April 5 marks the final day we’ll update our 2024 Cherry Blossom Watch page. While some flowers are still in bloom, petals have begun to rapidly drop from the trees next to the Umami Café and in the Strolling Pond Garden, creating an almost snow-like blanket in some areas. While it may be bittersweet to see these delicate harbingers of spring leave until next year, it is nonetheless an exciting time for Portland Japanese Garden as we now enter into shinryoku, the next phase of spring that sees green foliage following the departure of sakura (cherry blossoms).
As of Friday, April 5, there are many other flowers in bloom, including camellias and magnolias, and we’re even beginning to see some azaleas. Visit Portland Japanese Garden soon to see these spring showstoppers in person.
Best of 2024
Cherry Tree Hill. Photo taken 4/1/24. The weeping cherry in the Flat Garden. Photo taken 4/1/24. Cherry Tree Hill. Photo taken 4/1/24. The cherry tree next to the Umami Café. Photo taken 4/1/24. The weeping cherry in the Flat Garden. Photo taken 4/1/24. Cherry Tree Hill. Photo taken 4/1/24. The weeping cherry in the Flat Garden. Photo taken 4/2/24. The weeping cherry in the Flat Garden. Photo taken 4/1/24. The cherry tree next to the Umami Café. Photo taken 3/25/24. Cherry Tree Hill. Photo taken 4/1/24.
The cherry blossom is a deeply symbolic flower of Japan and many resonate with sakura, or cherry blossoms. The Yoshino Cherry is a hybrid cherry and is one of the most popular and widely planted cultivated flowering cherries worldwide. Because Japan is known as the “Land of Cherry Blossoms,” the flowers represent the Japanese people and notably the samurai.
Read More: What the Cherry Blossoms Can Teach Us About the Nature of Life
If you’re as excited for the cherry blossoms as we are, we highly recommend becoming a Garden member. Not only will you be able to make regular visits to see the progress of our cherry blossoms in person, you’ll be able to view them during exclusive hours, as well as enjoy a host of many other benefits and perks.
Shining on the sea
Buson (1716-1784)
Dazzling sun shaking over
Hills of cherry bloom