Sakura Festival Canceled at Chureito Arakurayama Sengen Park: What’s Happening in 2026 | Cherry Blossom Festival Mt. Fuji view

2026年2月4日

arakurayama sengen park, sakura, cherry blossom and mt.fuji

Hi, it’s Daichi. Recently, this topic has been widely covered in Japanese news.

On February 3, 2026, Fujiyoshida City (the city at the foot of Mt.Fuji) announced that it will not hold the annual Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) at Arakurayama Sengen Park this spring.

This decision was made in response to serious overtourism issues that have developed around the popular site.

Source from Japanese Media

chureito pagoda january 2026 with bright blue sky — Chreito Pagoda / Arakurayama Sengen Park

Arakurayama Sengen Park is one of the most famous spots in Japan because you can see Mt. Fuji, the five-story Chureito Pagoda, and rows of trees all together (which are cherry blossoms) — a photo motif that attracts visitors from around the world. Before this announcement, the Sakura Matsuri had been held every April since 2016.

Fujiyoshida City says that in recent years the number of visitors — both domestic and international — has grown beyond what the area can safely absorb. During peak cherry blossom season, around 200,000 people visit the park, and that heavy influx has caused problems in nearby residential neighborhoods.

Some specific issues the city mentioned include:

Visitors entering private residential land without permission
Traffic congestion on narrow neighborhood roads
Illegal trash and cigarette butts left behind
Temporary use of private spaces for toilets (reported in local coverage as part of overtourism frustrations)

Because of these concerns, the city chose not to hold the official festival this year.

Instead, they plan to focus on crowd safety and management during the cherry blossom period, including deploying more staff for traffic control, setting up temporary toilets, and arranging parking and other measures from early April through mid-April.

TOC

Notes from a Guide’s Perspective

From a local’s perspective, even though the Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) itself won’t be held, I expect super heavy traffic congestion and crowds again this spring.

Cherry blossom season around Mt. Fuji has been extremely busy every year, and the absence of an official festival doesn’t change the popularity of the location itself.

Because of this, I may adjust my tour plans this season. In some cases, we may avoid Arakurayama Sengen Park altogether, or only visit very early in the morning when the area is quieter. This is simply to make sure guests can enjoy the experience more comfortably, while also being mindful of the local community.

As always, my tour goal is to balance a great travel experience with respect for the people who live here.