Each spring, Japan comes alive with delicate cherry blossoms. Across the country, the landscape is filled with splashes of gorgeous pale pink or white. Japan’s Sakura or cherry-blossom season is zealously anticipated by locals and visitors alike. While foreign tourists have been kept away by COVID restrictions, you don’t have to fly all the way to Japan to witness this spectacle. Cherry blossoms bloom often in Northeast India. Here’s where you can see cherry blossoms right here in India.
Meghalaya
Even as winter begins to set in, clusters of cherry blossoms bloom across the Khasi hills in Northeast India, reminding you that spring is just around the corner. If you have not witnessed the blooming of cherry blossoms then you should definitely visit Shillong between October and December. The Government also organises a Cherry Blossom Festival for locals and tourists. During the festival, several contests are held including singing and dancing, fashion shows, local wine-making, and Japanese and Korean food preparations.
Nagaland
Nagaland is home to the wild Himalayan cherry blossom. Cherry blossoms adds to the scenic beauty of Impur under Mokokchung district. During the autumn season, between September and October, the cherry blossoms are in their full glory. The route alongside Longkum village is lined with vibrant pink flowers, making it a picturesque scene.
Sikkim
You can experience cherry blossom across Sikkim, especially at Khangchendzonga National Park, a bioreserve in the north of the state. The species of cherry blossoms found here varies slightly from Japan’s sakura trees. Flowering starts in Sikkim from the first week of November.