Good news for all you Cherry Blossom fans - Japan isn't the only country that has it. It certainly is the only country that markets it best but fret not because there are cheaper alternatives for Cherry Blossom hunters. Taiwan and South Korea are also two other countries that also have their own hanami spirit.
Source: Photo by Winston Chen on Unsplash
Out of the two, Taiwan is relatively cheaper and overall more budget-friendly. Expanses in Taiwan in general are lower in comparison to other East Asian countries. While the initial impression of the tourist passes may come off as pricey but if you really think about it, you will realise that they are actually cost effective in the long run especially when Cherry Blossom hunting is your main objective. On top of that, flights to Taiwan are also considerably cheaper.
To give you an idea of which part of Taiwan to visit and when, here's the Forecast 2020 by The Travel Intern.
Cherry blossoms in Taiwan start blooming as early as January and can still be seen till April, depending on the cherry variety. Cherry blossom viewing in Taiwan can very much dependent on weather conditions too. If it’s rainy, flowers are likely to be sparse, and trends from recent years have shown the flowers to be blooming around two weeks later than usual.
Sources: The Travel Intern,