Japan Cherry Blossom
Essence of Spring
13 Days/ 12 Nights – Tokyo / Hakone / Kyoto / Nara / Okayama / Hiroshima / Miyajima / Himeji / Osaka / Kanazawa / Tokyo
From USD700 per person per day
Discover Japan Sakura
The Cherry Blossom or Sakura is the Japanese’s favorite season. This is the period when the ornamental cherry trees of Japan reveal their beautiful flowers.
We invite you to come and admire the cherry trees in various landscapes and in several historic cities of Japan, whether they mingle with skyscrapers, historical monuments or beautiful natural settings.
You will also discover the history, modernity, culture and tradition of the Empire of the Rising Sun.
- A tailor-made itinerary crafted personally for you
- English-Speaking resident tour director and local guides
- Hand-Selected Luxury accommodations
- Large choice of exclusive experiences
- Airport Meet and Greet with private transfers
- Internet access
- Thoughtful customer service
- And more !
Trip Highlights
- Explore Japan’s destinations and travel highlights like a local with your own private tour guide.
- Explore the heart and soul of Japan through curated experiences and gain deeper insight into Japanese culture.
- Step into a world, a unique culture that fascinates many to which even some Japanese people have no access.
Perfect for
- First-time visitors to Japan
- Those who want to discover the beauty of cherry blossom and the essence of Japan in a short time
- Travelers who wish to immerse themselves into Japanese culture while exploring the must-sees spots
When to Visit
- This trip can be enjoyed from ~ March 25 to mid-April
Day 1 – Tokyo Arrival
Yokoso 日本へようこそ！– Welcome to Japan !
After clearing customs and immigration, transfer by private car to your ideally located hotel.
Then you’ll likely spend your first day in Japan just getting settled.
You might want to lock down some of the best food in Tokyo and enjoy a truly unique meal! A multi-course kaiseki, an omakase sushi experience…
Or follow the lead of our guide and enjoy nighttime cherry blossom viewing, known as “yozakura,”
Overnight at your hotel.
Day 2 – Tokyo
After breakfast your guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel.
Tokyo (東京) is a huge, wealthy and fascinating metropolis which brings high-tech visions of the future side by side with glimpses of old Japan, and has something for everyone.
Most visitors to Tokyo will visit the most well-known sights – Asakusa, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku and the Meiji Shrine.
These are all of course worth visiting, but Tokyo also offer a multitude of choices for travelers looking for a less touristy and typical Japanese experience.
The real charm of Tokyo is more discreet. We can discover it in the maze of streets behind the main one, with a village atmosphere, miles away from urban life.
But the highlight of spring in Tokyo is undoubtedly the cherry blossom or Sakura season. And it’s a must-see when visiting Japan in spring!
Overnight at your hotel.
Day 3 – Tokyo
Witness for another day the beauty of cherry blossoms against the backdrop of Tokyo attractions.
During this magical time, Tokyo transforms into a stunning pink and white wonderland as cherry blossoms bloom across the city.
You can join Tokyoites in having fun and welcoming spring at
- The 2 kilometers long promenade Sotobori
- The popular Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
- The sea of pink in Ueno Parc
- Yoyogi Park for a Hanami Picnic
- Meguro-gawa, the sakura river in Tokyo
- …
Overnight at your hotel.
Day 4 – Tokyo / Hakone
Travel by shinkansen (bullet train) or Romance Car to Hakone, also known for its cherry blossom (sakura) during the spring season.
Much of the area surrounding Hakone (箱根) is part of a national park with spectacular views of Mount Fuji (if the weather permit). It is a resort town that boasts a number of museums including the Hakone Open Air Museum with its Picasso exhibit.
You will be charmed by the magnificent scenery of this spa resort, Lake Ashi and its view of Mount Fuji (in good weather!). Not forgetting the volcanic site of Owakudani, accessible by cable car.
At night at the ryokan, you will be treated to a tasty traditional Japanese dinner before retiring to your room and your private hot spring bath.
Overnight at your ryokan.
Day 5 – Hakone / Kyoto
If not done the day before, visit one of the hot spring baths found across the hills and valleys of Hakone.
Transfer to Odawara, then take shinkansen to Kyoto.
In the evening with your guide, you will visit Gion (祇園) part of the Higashiyama or “Eastern Mountain” area of Kyoto and one of the famous geisha (called “geiko” in Kyoto) districts in the city, stretching from Yasaka Shrine in the east to the Kamo River in the west, and from the Shirakawa Canal in the north to Kenninji Temple in the south.
Catching a glimpse of a geiko, with her white face and beautiful kimono, rushing to an appointment in the narrow streets of Kyoto’s Gion district is a moment of pure magic.
And end up the day at Maruyama Park, known for the yozakura of Gion, a cherry tree illuminated to entrance nighttime visitors with its otherworldly charms.
Overnight at your hotel.
Day 6 – Kyoto
After breakfast your guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel.
Kyoto (京都) was the capital of Japan for over a millennium, and has the reputation of being its most beautiful city. However, visitors may be surprised by how much work they will have to do to see Kyoto’s beautiful side.
The first impressions will be of the urban sprawl of central Kyoto, around the ultra-modern glass-and-steel train station, which is itself an example of a city steeped in tradition colliding with the modern world.
Unlike Tokyo, Kyoto was able to keep the customs and traditions of the Old Japan, as it was spared from the bombing of the Second World War and was never affected by earthquakes and other natural disasters.
The sakura cherry blossom season in Kyoto is on the bucket list of visitors in Japan. For a short few weeks, cherry blossom trees bloom on every street corner of the beautiful Ancient Capital.
Overnight at your hotel.
Day 7 – Nara / Yoshino
After breakfast your guide and private car will pick you up at your hotel to visit Nara and Yoshino.
Nara (奈良) was in the 8th century the first fixed capital of Japan, under the name of Heijo-kyo (平城 京), as before, according to the Shinto beliefs, death was impure and it was necessary to destroy everything that was related to the Emperor after his death.
Nara is home to many important historical sites, such as Todai-ji Temple, the world’s largest wooden structure, with its Daibutsuden (Hall of the Great Buddha).
Then discover the Yoshino Sakura, also known as Somei Yoshino, one of the most famous and beloved varieties of cherry blossom in Japan. It is named after the Mont Yoshino (吉野山) a UNESCO World Heritage site, where these cherry trees were first cultivated.
The area is known as “Ichimoku ni senbon”, meaning “the luxury of seeing 1,000 cherry trees”. In fact, there are some 30,000 here.
Overnight at your hotel.
Day 8 – Kyoto / Okayama / Kurashiki
In the morning travel by shinkansen to Okayama, where your driver will be waiting for you.
Okayama (岡山) is the site of Korakuen, known as one of the top three traditional gardens in Japan, along with Kanazawa’s Kenrokuen and Mito’s Kairakuen and Okayama Castle, which is ranked among the best 100 Japanese castles.
Korakuen features about 300 cherry trees in an orchard and spread across the gardens, while the neighboring castle grounds are decorated by another 200 trees.
Spend the evening in Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, that truly shines when the lanterns and streetlights illuminate the narrow streets and traditional buildings.
Overnight at your ryokan.
Day 9 – Okayama / Hiroshima
After breakfast your car will pick you up to drive to the station, where you will board a shinkansen to Hiroshima.
Capital of the prefecture of the same name, Hiroshima (広 島) is the most important city of the Chugoku region.
The most recognizable memorial in Hiroshima, the Atomic Bomb Dome is also known for its beautiful row of cherry blossoms. The beautiful scenery of the blossoms and the river, along with the presence of the dome, create a peaceful yet haunting reminder of the horrors of war.
You will spend the rest of the day and evening in Itsukushima (厳島).
Popularly known as Miyajima, famous for its giant torii gate, which at high tide seems to float on the water. The sight is ranked as one of Japan’s three best views and is lit up from sunset to 11 pm all year.
Overnight at your ryokan.
Day 10 – Hiroshima / Himeji / Osaka
In the morning travel by shinkansen to Himeji.
Himeji (姫 路) is a small town located at the western end of the Kansai region famous for its wooden castle.
The castle grounds Himejoi-jo, nicknamed Hakurojo or Shirasagijo (White Heron Castle) feature a variety of cherry blossom trees, including Somei Yoshino, as well as other cherry blossom varieties.
In the afternoon you will take another shinkansen to Osaka.
Enjoy the evening in Osaka (大阪), the underestimated, nevertheless the capital of Japanese cuisine and a city for gourmets who is proud of its reputation as kuidaore (eat until you drop).
We never get bored in Osaka and its real treasures are in its bustling street life, neon-clad streetscapes, its arcades, markets and and this is after dark Osaka really comes to life, when locals come out for tasty eats, sake and good times.
Overnight at your hotel.
Day 9 – Osaka / Kanazawa
After breakfast travel by train to Kanazawa.
Kanazawa ( (金沢)’s importance grew in the 15th century, when the powerful and militant Ikko sect established its new headquarters there after being chased out of Kyoto by the monks of Mont Hiei.
During the Edo Period, Kanazawa served as the seat of the Maeda clan, the second most powerful clan after the Tokugawa in terms of rice production and fief size. Accordingly, Kanazawa grew to become a town of great cultural achievements, rivaling Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo).
Kenrokuen (兼六園) is justifiably classified as one of Japan’s “three most beautiful landscape gardens” alongside Mito’s Kairakuen and Okayama‘s Korakuen. Come back at night during the garden’s light up event.
In the evening explore the Geisha districts after dark, hear the tales of what actually went on in this district during the Edo period on our private evening tour.
Overnight at your hotel.
Day 9 – Tokyo / Kanazawa
You may want to skip breakfast at your hotel and get one at Omicho Market (近江町市場) which has been Kanazawa’s largest fresh food market since the Edo Period.
Take your pick from squid, octopus, ikura (salmon roe), and even fresh iwagaki (rock oysters) and uni (sea urchins) that you can eat right on the spot.
And before heading back to Tokyo, you may want to do some shopping.
Kanazawa is particularly well known for confectionery, sake rice wine, goods decorated with gold leaf, kutani-yaki style ceramics, and shikki style lacquerware.
Then in the afternoon take a shinkansen for Tokyo for your last evening in the land of the rising sun.
Overnight at your hotel.
Day 13 – International return flight
Depending on your departure time, you may want to do some last shopping.
Tokyo is a shopper’s paradise with several famous shopping districts.
With world-class shopping districts found across Tokyo, ensure you head home with plenty of gifts alongside an unforgettable experience.
Transfer by private car to Haneda or Narita airport for your flight back home.
Customized sightseeing tours
Explore Japan’s destinations and travel highlights like a local with your own private tour guide.
Experience Japanese Culture
Explore the heart and soul of Japan through curated experiences and gain deeper insight into Japanese culture.
Curated Insights Japan
Step into a world, a unique culture that fascinates many to which even some Japanese people have no access.
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