Japan in Cherry Blossom Season

The trip

Cherry blossom season, sakura, lasts only a couple of weeks in each city, and the whole of Japan turns out to enjoy it: picnics under the trees, lantern-lit evening walks, blossom-flavoured everything. Pair that with spotless trains, superb food and some of the finest hotels in Asia and you have a trip that is both exhilarating and easy.

The route

Fly into Tokyo, take the train to the hot springs of Hakone for views of Mount Fuji, then on by bullet train to Kyoto, the heart of traditional Japan, with a day in Nara. Finish in Kanazawa, whose blossom usually arrives a few days after Kyoto's, giving you a second chance if the season runs early, and return to Tokyo for the flight home. Fourteen days is right; ten feels rushed.

Day by day

The plan below moves at an easy pace, with no more than one long train journey in a day. A Japan Rail Pass or individual tickets both work; your advisor will compare.

1. Days 1-3

   Tokyo

   Arrive and settle in. Blossom along the Meguro canal and in Shinjuku Gyoen, the Imperial Palace East Gardens, Asakusa and a first evening of yakitori.

   Stay Hotel in Tokyo

   Travel Airport train or car, about 1 hour

2. Days 4-5

   Hakone

   Lake Ashi by boat, the ropeway over the volcanic valley, the open-air sculpture museum and, on a clear morning, Mount Fuji. Long soaks in hot-spring baths.

   Stay Ryokan in Hakone

   Travel Romancecar train, about 90 minutes

3. Days 6-9

   Kyoto

   The Philosopher's Path, Maruyama Park by night, Kiyomizu-dera, Arashiyama's bamboo grove and a tea ceremony. Day trip to Nara's deer park and great Buddha.

   Stay Hotel or ryokan in Kyoto

   Travel Bullet train from Odawara, about 2 hours

4. Days 10-11

   Kanazawa

   Kenroku-en, one of Japan's three great gardens, the geisha district of Higashi Chaya and the 21st Century Museum. Excellent seafood at Omicho market.

   Stay Hotel in Kanazawa

   Travel Thunderbird and Hokuriku Shinkansen, about 2 hours 15 minutes

5. Days 12-14

   Tokyo

   Last blossom in Ueno Park, a sumo or kabuki afternoon, shopping in Ginza and a farewell kaiseki dinner before the flight home.

   Stay Hotel in Tokyo

   Travel Hokuriku Shinkansen, about 2 hours 30 minutes

When to go

Blossom in Tokyo and Kyoto usually peaks between late March and early April, but it moves a week either way with the weather, and full bloom lasts only about a week in each place. Book flights and hotels for around 25 March to 10 April, and check the official forecasts that appear from January. Kanazawa and the Fuji lakes flower a little later, which gives you a buffer.

Where to stay

Spring is Japan's busiest season, so book as early as you can. Mix a city hotel with at least one night in a ryokan, a traditional inn with tatami rooms and multi-course dinners. Price bands are a typical night for two sharing; expect more at peak dates.

Featured stay

Gora Kadan

Gora, Hakone, Japan

££££

Couples who want Japan's ryokan tradition at its most refined, with a private hot-spring bath.

Gora Kadan stands on the grounds of the summer villa of Prince Kan'in, a member of the Japanese imperial family, high on the mountainside at Gora in Hakone. Hot-spring water flows from its own sources, dinner is an exquisite seasonal kaiseki, and many rooms have their own open-air bath.

Rooms

Rooms and suites, many with open-air hot-spring baths

Food

Kaiseki dinner and breakfast; Sushi Kadan counter

Best time to go

April, November and clear winter days

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What it costs

Allow from about £6,500 per person for 14 days with good four-star hotels, a ryokan night, rail travel and some guiding, excluding international flights. With luxury hotels and private guides throughout, expect £12,000 or more. Spring rates are the highest of the year.

Pace and fitness

Japan is easy to travel: trains are punctual and step-free in most stations, and luggage can be sent ahead between hotels so you never carry a case on the train. Expect a fair amount of walking at temples and gardens, some of it on gravel paths and steps.

How to book

Our advisors plan this trip end to end: flights, hotels, guides and the small details that make the days easy. Tell us your dates and the style of stay you like, and we will build it around you. Speak to an advisor.