murmurNakijin Gusuku Cherry Blossom Festival
Nakijin Village · Nakijin Castle Ruins (World Heritage Site)
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Nakijin Tourism Association · Last checked: Oct 11, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Jan 31 – Feb 8, 2026 （Ended）
- 2027
- Jan 30 – Feb 7, 2027
- Usual timing
- Usually late January
- How the date is set
- Announced each year Dates are announced each year to match the cherry blossom season
- Venue
- Nakijin Castle Ruins (World Heritage Site)
- City
- Nakijin Village, Okinawa
About
While the cherry trees bloom, the World Heritage-listed Nakijin Castle Ruins host a festival promoted as Japan's earliest chance to see cherry blossoms at night. After dark, illumination picks out the long stone walls and the blossoms, and in the Shijima enclosure a light-and-music show tells the story of the Three Kingdoms period. Nakijin was the castle of the Hokuzan kings, who ruled the north of Okinawa Island while the Ryukyus were divided into Hokuzan, Chuzan and Nanzan. The festival lasts about nine days; parking is limited, so buses or taxis are recommended.
Sources
- OfficialNakijin Tourism Association www.nakijinson.jp
- OfficialNakijin Gusuku Cherry Blossom Festival Committee (special site) nakijingusuku.axizlight.com
- OfficialOkinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau (Okinawa Story) www.okinawastory.jp
Last checked: Oct 11, 2026. Event information is based on official announcements, but changes may not always be reflected here. Please check each official website for accurate details.
Other events this month
On the day, see what locals are murmuring on the murmur map
murmur is an app that shows short, anonymous posts on a map, right where they were written. On festival day, open the map around the venue and see what people nearby are saying.