Sakura 2025: 10th display at Gardens by the Bay celebrates Fukuoka with record cherry blossoms and Phantom castle
Fukuoka’s beauty blooms at Gardens by the Bay! In the 10th edition of the Sakura floral display, marvel at the largest variety of cherry blossom trees in Singapore, set amidst stunning landscapes and castles.
2025 Sakura at the Gardens by the Bay: The 10th Edition
For the 10th year of Sakura, Gardens by the Bay has brought the largest Sakura show in Singapore, with some 440 cherry blossom trees of 48 varieties on display. That is also the most diverse collection so far.
Running from 9 March to 6 April 2025, this year’s Sakura floral display is also designed for night viewing, or yozakura. Apart from the recreation of two castles – Kokura Castle and the “Phantom Castle”, which both look stunning at night, the floral display also uses bamboo lanterns to create an enchanting atmosphere, especially among the sweeping blooms.
Enjoy Sakura 2025 while it’s in season. Get your tickets to Gardens by the Bay’s Flower Dome via official ticketing partners Pelago or Klook today!
Night Viewing Photo Tour: Sakura 2025
As part of a collaboration with the Embassy of Japan in Singapore, this display brings together some iconic sights of Fukuoka Prefecture. One of them is the recreation of the Phantom Castle light installation, an artistic interpretation of a fortress (that would have existed) above ruins – which is also a popular temporary attraction in Fukuoka during the Sakura viewing season.
While there aren’t night projections and colourful origami lanterns like Sakura 2024, this year’s offerings seem to focus more on a more serene garden atmosphere, with small pathways cutting across the usual garden boundaries, creating more photo opportunities.
To enjoy this floral display with less crowds, you can visit during the last hour (for night viewing) or queue up before it opens for day viewing on a week day.
Bamboo lanterns can be found all over the display, but there is a featured area, a short covered walkway, which looks marvelous at night.
The actual Kokura Castle in Kitakyushu is one of the top spots for cherry blossom viewing in Japan. Now you get to see a miniature replica!
There is also a pathway near the castle that should be enveloped with a stunning canopy when the trees are in full bloom. Expect some waiting here in the coming weeks.
Take a walk around the Flower Dome in this Night Sakura walking vlog and enjoy the yozakura experience:
Now let’s revisit the display again, in the day.
Day Viewing Photo Tour: Sakura 2025
The Phantom Castle also looks beautiful during the day. For this interpretation, Japanese-style patterns were used for the form of the castle, rather than the simple structural lines in the original installation.
Within this “Castle”, you can also view some Japanese art on display.
During the day, without the colourful lights, the viewing experience would largely depend on the state of the bloom. Typically, the Sakura displays in the Flower Dome have the higher blooms several days after the official launch.
Those who love taking photos in the floral display should enjoy this year’s layout – with numerous photo spots in various pockets all over the Flower Field.
With more varieties of cherry blossoms on display this year, you can enjoy the flowers in varying shades of pink, apart from the typical white and near-white varieties.
The Bamboo Lantern walkway installation – it just doesn’t have the same magic in the day!
Also unique for this year’s viewing experience is the perpetual sound of these gongs – struck by these mallets as part of a water fountain.
Kokura Castle in the day. There is a pathway that goes in front of it.
It looks quite bare now, but this will likely be another very popular spot when the sakura trees are in full bloom.
Fortunately, there are already several trees blooming around the Castle.
You might notice striking splashes of pink around. That is the Prunus lannesiana ‘Kawazu-zakura’, with its deep pink hues, making its debut in Gardens by the Bay.
Another highlight this year is the Prunus yedoensis ‘Somei Yoshino’ (Japanese weeping cherry) planted near a Tori Gate, which has not bloomed yet at time of visit. Perhaps sometime in the second half of March.
On rainy and cloudy days, the display also takes on a different mood.
Launch of Sakura 2025
The Sakura 2025 floral display was launched on 9 March 2025 by Minister Mr Tan Kiat How, Gardens by the Bay CEO Mr Felix Loh, and Charge d’affaires of the Embassy of Japan in Singapore Mr Hotta Toru. As usual, there is the auspicious breaking of sake barrel as part of the opening ceremony.
The launch also included a Calligraphy performance.
Anime Garden 2025
Anime Garden is another highlight of the Gardens by the Bay’s Sakura festival. This takes place around the Gardens, and includes activities such as an Anime Marketplace, concerts (by Anisong) and Cosplay competitions. Of course, the gardens will also be filled with cosplayers and anime fans.
During the launch of Sakura 2025, there was also a special Cosplayer Parade, with around 50 cosplayers (including DJ Haru and Thames) forming a colourful cavalcade as they led the VIPs from the Flower Dome to Supertree Grove.
SG60 Wonder Blooms Pass
As part of SG60 Celebrations, Gardens by the Bay is offering a new SG60 Wonder Blooms Pass exclusively for Singapore Residents. The pass is priced at S$22 for adults; and S$15 for seniors (ages 60 and above) and children (ages 3-12).
The SG60 Wonder Blooms Pass is valid from 8 March to 12 October 2025. As a season pass, it includes unlimited admission to the Flower Dome during this period (except special ticketed events). It would cover a period of 6 floral displays, and if you visit the Flower Dome at least 6 times, it works down the cost per visit to less than S$4 per entry.
This offer is only for Singapore residents, and is available for purchase now until 31 March 2025. Don’t miss this incredible offer!
2025 Flower Dome Line-up
After Sakura is the highly anticipated return of Tulipmania in April, followed by the rest in the announced line-up:
Sakura (March – April)
Tulipmania (April – May)
Lilytopia (May – June)
Rose Romance (June – July)
Orchid Extravaganza (August)
Alpine Adventure (September to October)
Sunflower Surprise (October to November)
Christmas Train Show (November to December)
Get your tickets to Gardens by the Bay’s Flower Dome, Cloud Forest and other attractions via Pelago or Klook today!
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