When it happens
Blossom usually peaks in Tokyo and Kyoto between late March and early April, earlier in the south and later in the north. Exact dates are forecast only weeks ahead, so we plan a route with flexibility built in.
Where to see it
Tokyo's Shinjuku Gyoen and Meguro river; Kyoto's Philosopher's Path and Maruyama Park; Yoshino's mountainside. Early mornings are calmer everywhere.
Book early
Hotels and ryokan in Kyoto fill six to nine months ahead for blossom season. This is the single most important step.
