Japan in Bloom: Cherry Blossom & the Alps

Today you explore Tokyo in full spring bloom with your guide. You stroll Ueno Park, canopied in pink and thronged with joyful hanami picnickers, and the moat at Chidorigafuchi near the Imperial Palace, where cherry trees lean over the water and rowing boats drift beneath the blossom. You visit old Asakusa, where the flowers frame the great Senso-ji temple and its Nakamise street, and find serenity at the Meiji Shrine in its forest. You take in the modern city too, the famous Shibuya crossing and the towers of Shinjuku, and, if timing allows, the lantern-lit sakura along the Meguro river by night. The blend of blossom and metropolis is magical. This evening, savour Tokyo's incomparable dining. Rest well, ready for more of the capital and its spring beauty tomorrow.

Today you enjoy more of Tokyo at a flexible pace amid the blossom. You might immerse yourself in the dazzling digital art of teamLab, where rooms of light and projected flowers respond to your every movement, a fitting spring wonderland. You could stroll more blossom-viewing spots such as Shinjuku Gyoen or the Sumida riverside near the towering Skytree, graze on the freshest sushi at Tsukiji, browse the electronics and anime of Akihabara, or shop the elegant stores of Ginza. Pop-culture fans explore quirky Harajuku, while others seek calm in a traditional garden. Your guide tailors the day to your interests. As the day ends, you savour a final Tokyo evening, perhaps in a lively izakaya beneath the blossom. Rest well, for tomorrow you travel to Mount Fuji and Hakone.

Today you journey to Hakone, the hot-spring resort in the shadow of Mount Fuji, lovely in spring. You travel by train into the mountains, where, weather permitting, the perfect snow-capped cone of sacred Mount Fuji rises before you, framed in blossom. You may visit the celebrated Chureito pagoda, where a vermilion pagoda, cherry blossom and Fuji align in one of Japan's most famous vistas. You cruise Lake Ashi, the great torii gate of Hakone Shrine rising from the water, and ride the ropeway over the steaming valley of Owakudani. This evening you check into a traditional ryokan inn, sleeping on tatami, wrapping yourself in a yukata robe, dining on an exquisite kaiseki dinner, and soaking in a soothing onsen hot spring with the sacred mountain in view. Rest well in this timeless spring setting.

This morning, after a final onsen soak, you journey into the mountainous heart of Japan, the Japanese Alps, travelling by scenic train through valleys bright with spring green and blossom to the old castle town of Takayama. On arrival you explore its beautifully preserved old quarter, wandering lanes of dark wooden merchant houses, sake breweries and craft shops that evoke Edo-era Japan, especially lovely framed in blossom. You browse the riverside morning markets, sample the region's famous Hida beef and local sake, and take in the crisp alpine air and traditional atmosphere. Takayama's timeless charm is a beautiful contrast to the great cities. This evening you dine on mountain specialities in a cosy local restaurant. Rest well in the heart of the Japanese Alps, ready to discover the thatched villages tomorrow.

This morning you journey to the UNESCO-listed village of Shirakawa-go, tucked amid the mountains, where steep-roofed thatched farmhouses in the distinctive gassho-zukuri style cluster amid rice paddies, an enchanting scene unchanged for centuries and beautiful in spring. You wander the village lanes, step inside a traditional farmhouse to learn about mountain life, and take in the view from the hillside lookout. In the afternoon you journey on towards Kyoto, the ancient imperial capital, arriving by train and transferring to your hotel. Kyoto was Japan's capital for over a thousand years and is the serene heart of traditional Japan, at its most beautiful in blossom season. This evening, take a first stroll through its atmospheric lanes and savour Kyoto's refined cuisine. Rest well, ready to explore the ancient capital and its sakura tomorrow.

Today you immerse yourself in ancient Kyoto, framed in cherry blossom. You walk beneath the thousands of vermilion torii gates that snake up the hillside at Fushimi Inari, one of Japan's most magical sights, and marvel at the shimmering Golden Pavilion of Kinkaku-ji, its gold walls mirrored in a pond and set off by blossom. You visit the wooden terraces of Kiyomizu-dera, with sweeping views over the city, and stroll the weeping cherry trees of Maruyama Park and the temple lanes of Higashiyama, lined with tea houses. As dusk falls you wander atmospheric Gion, the historic geisha district, its lantern-lit wooden lanes evoking old Japan beneath the blossom, where you may glimpse a geisha hurrying by. This evening, savour a refined Kyoto dinner. Rest well amid the beauty of the ancient capital.

Today you explore more of blossom-framed Kyoto. You begin in Arashiyama, walking through the enchanting bamboo grove where towering green stalks soar overhead, and visiting the serene Tenryu-ji temple with its exquisite garden, lovely in spring. You walk the Philosopher's Path, a canal-side lane canopied in cherry blossom, one of Kyoto's most romantic settings, stopping at temples such as the silver-hued Ginkaku-ji. You take part in a traditional tea ceremony, learning the graceful ritual of whisking matcha green tea in a tranquil tatami room, a meditative expression of Japanese aesthetics. You might also visit Nijo Castle of the shoguns. This evening, perhaps explore Pontocho alley, lined with lantern-lit restaurants along the river. Rest well amid the blossom of ancient Kyoto, with more to discover tomorrow.

Today you enjoy a flexible day in beautiful Kyoto amid the blossom. You might visit the raked gravel Zen garden of Ryoan-ji, the moss-and-blossom gardens of temples such as Tofuku-ji or Daigo-ji, famous for their spring flowers, or the Nishiki food market, a narrow arcade brimming with Kyoto delicacies. Craft lovers can try their hand at pottery, indigo dyeing or wagashi sweet-making, while others take a leisurely stroll through Maruyama Park and the Gion lanes, or a day trip is possible to nearby sights. Your guide tailors the day to your interests. As the day ends, you gather your impressions of ancient Kyoto in bloom, perhaps enjoying a final evening stroll beneath lantern-lit cherry trees. This evening, savour a memorable Kyoto dinner. Rest well, for tomorrow you travel to lively Osaka.

This morning you enjoy a final taste of Kyoto, perhaps a last temple or some shopping for crafts, before a short train ride to Osaka, Japan's warm-hearted, fun-loving second city and its capital of street food. On arrival you are transferred to your hotel. You explore mighty Osaka Castle, rising on massive stone ramparts amid moats and gardens, especially beautiful when its grounds blaze with cherry blossom in spring. As evening falls you head to the neon-drenched Dotonbori district, blazing with giant animated signs from the running Glico man to the enormous mechanical crab, reflected in the canal. Here you graze through Osaka's legendary street food, sizzling takoyaki octopus balls, savoury okonomiyaki pancakes and crisp kushikatsu skewers, amid a joyous crowd. Rest well after a delicious evening in Japan's exuberant kitchen.

Today you enjoy a flexible day based in lively Osaka. You might take an easy day trip to nearby Nara, Japan's first permanent capital, meeting the famous free-roaming deer that bow for crackers, marvelling at the colossal bronze Great Buddha in the vast wooden Todai-ji temple, and strolling the blossom and lantern-lined paths of Kasuga Taisha shrine. Alternatively you might explore more of Osaka, from the lively Kuromon Ichiba food market and the shopping of Shinsaibashi to the views from the Umeda Sky Building, or seek out a final blossom-viewing spot. Your guide tailors the day to your interests. As the day ends, you gather your impressions of this beautiful springtime journey through Japan. This evening, savour a final dinner, reflecting on the blossom you have chased across the country. Rest well ahead of your departure tomorrow.

After a final morning in Japan, perhaps some last-minute shopping for souvenirs, ceramics or exquisitely packaged sakura sweets, you are transferred to Osaka's Kansai airport for your onward international departure. You leave having celebrated Japan at its most beautiful, the blossom-lined parks of Tokyo, Mount Fuji rising beyond the sakura at Hakone and Chureito, the old towns of the Japanese Alps at Takayama and Shirakawa-go, and blossom-framed ancient Kyoto with its torii gates, Golden Pavilion and geisha lanes, all linked by the effortless shinkansen. The images stay vivid long after you land, cherry petals drifting over the Kyoto canals, Fuji beyond the flowers, the thatched roofs of Shirakawa-go, and the neon of Dotonbori. Japan in spring offers beauty, romance and joy in abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return to this enchanting land.