Japan Beneath the Cherry Blossom

This is a beautifully paced spring journey through Japan, combining the country’s most celebrated cherry blossom locations with quieter cultural highlights, traditional accommodation and scenic rail travel throughout.

Begin in Kyoto, where time is included to explore temple districts, historic streets and some of Japan’s finest blossom scenery. Continue west to Kurashiki, a beautifully preserved canal town, before travelling north to Kanazawa, known for its samurai districts, traditional teahouses and elegant gardens.

From Kanazawa, continue to Hakone for mountain scenery, hot spring culture and an overnight stay in a traditional ryokan beneath Mount Fuji.

The journey concludes in Tokyo, where cherry blossom parks, historic neighbourhoods and the energy of Japan’s capital provide a memorable contrast to the quieter atmosphere of the earlier stages of the trip.

Included private guided touring in key locations helps you experience Japan with confidence, while reserved rail tickets throughout make travelling during cherry blossom season straightforward and comfortable.

All of our Japan holidays are tailor-made and can be adjusted to suit your interests, travel pace and budget.

Is this a Private Tour or a Group Tour?

All of our Japan holidays are private tailor-made itineraries, designed around your interests, travel style and budget.

This particular itinerary includes a mixture of independent travel and privately guided sightseeing in Kyoto, Nara, Kanazawa and Tokyo, together with flights, accommodation and all major rail travel arrangements.

What are the departure dates?

As this is a private tailor-made holiday, there are no set departure dates.

Simply let us know your preferred dates of travel and we will advise on the best travel periods for cherry blossom season.

We can also advise on peak travel dates, local holidays and periods where particular destinations may become especially busy.

When is cherry blossom season in Japan?

Cherry blossom season typically runs from late March to mid-April, although exact timing varies slightly each year depending on weather conditions.

Kyoto and Tokyo generally reach peak bloom between the final week of March and the first week of April, while blossom can appear slightly earlier or later depending on the region and seasonal temperatures.

As this is one of Japan's most popular travel periods, we strongly recommend booking early. Hotels, ryokan properties and reserved rail tickets often sell out many months in advance.

While blossom timing can never be guaranteed exactly, our itineraries are planned around the periods which have historically offered the best overall chance of experiencing the cherry blossom at its peak.

Which Airlines do you use?

We work with all major airlines flying between the UK and Japan, including both direct and indirect flight options.

Flight recommendations are based on your preferred departure airport, budget, airline preferences and overall journey time.

Direct flights are available from the UK to Tokyo.

Indirect services via destinations such as Amsterdam, Helsinki, Dubai, Doha, Hong Kong and Singapore can often offer excellent schedules and value, and are typically the most practical option for itineraries beginning in Osaka.

We can arrange flights from regional airports across the UK wherever suitable connections are available.

View itinerary in detail

To get a feel for the trip, choose one of the options below to view a sample day-by-day itinerary. This will open in a new window.

All of our Japan holidays are completely tailor-made, so this is simply a starting point.

We can of course adjust the route, hotels and pace to suit your plans.