According to the ‘Cherry Blooming Forecast’, cherries at the Castle and downtown Matsumoto might begin blooming April 3rd. The event ‘Nighttime Cherry Blossom Viewing’ will be held from three days after cherries begin blooming and continue 8 days (so possibly around April 6th till 13th)
The special illumination for the cherries will start from the same day and will continue two days longer (10 days).

On April 7th, ‘Sumo road-show in Matsumoto’ will be held again. The last year’s road-show was heated because of a new hero ‘Mitake-umi’ from Kiso in Nagano Prefecture. You might see some sumo wrestlers viewing cherries somewhere after the show if you are very lucky.

• Time: 8 am to 3 pm, Thursday 7th, April
• Venue: Matsumoto City General Gymnasium (Google map)
• Ticket: advance-sale tickets are still being sold. I am not sure but walk-up tickets might be sold from the morning (probably there will be a long line)
• Japanese website: https://migoro.mcci.or.jp/feature/detail/2016021400017/