I went there in 2018 and yes its very crowded with old Japanese people, if that's not a problem with you I think its worth it. I missed the peak cherry blossom season by few days and theres only some tree with flowers left but even then I still think it was worth it going all the way here. I hiked from Shimo Senbon(lower) to Naka Senbon(middle) area and spent few hours hanami-ing with random strangers there. buses are available on cherry blossom season and there's a ropeway too, but it was not working when I was there. If you are with family I would avoid the hiking trail, its not hard but isn't suitable for people with family.

Yeah it was really crowded even at the end of the season. I arrived early at 9am from Kyoto when the crowd was moderate, when I was hiking down around 1pm I was bumping shoulders with people at the town area.
Bus should be the easiest since there will be plenty of them, even without the ropeway I think the crowd should still be fine and orderly. They provide English speaking foreign helper outside Yoshino station where you take the bus, so there shouldn't be any problem.
2018 was a weird year with snowstorm in the middle of Tokyo creating snow cherry blossoms, cherry blossom came earlier by a week than most prediction.

Global warming decided to fuk me upside down so I came back this year to experience mankai period