Springtime in Japan is exciting and ephemeral. The pastel-pink sakura (cherry blossoms) hold a special significance in Japanese culture as they epitomise the fleeting nature of life and the natural world’s delicate beauty. They mark a time of celebration, with cherry blossom festivals occurring from March to May in towns, cities and islands in bloom.
During the peak flowering period in April 2020, Country Living readers will have the opportunity of a lifetime to see these remarkable displays on a tour of the blossoms. You’ll have the chance to visit buzzing, neon-lit Tokyo for three nights, staying in a four-star hotel, savour modern Japanese cuisine and take two exclusive day trips – one travelling on the famous bullet train to national icon Mount Fuji, from which glowing floral landscapes can be admired.
During our exclusive holiday, you will also take a tour of some of the best spots for cherry blossom viewing, a custom so cherished that it holds its own title in Japanese – hanami. Travelling by cable car on the Komagatake Ropeway and by boat on the serene Lake Ashi, you can admire spectacular views of the pristine nature all around. These areas are beautifully kept and relished by travellers worldwide.
But it’s not just the sights of Tokyo that you will experience on this holiday. Boarding the luxurious cruise ship Celebrity Millennium in Yokohama for an 11-night cruise around Japan’s coastline, you will stop off in Osaka and Kyoto, and in Busan in South Korea. Osaka is famed for its modern architecture, street food and historical castle surrounded by plum, peach and cherry blossom trees in spring.
In Kyoto, Buddhist temples and traditional wooden houses pepper the blossom-lined streets. Here you can eat a renowned kaiseki multi-course meal and see the finely trained geiko performers – what we know as geishas.
The Celebrity Millennium features multiple restaurants, Jacuzzis, outdoor pools, an adults-only solarium and even a big Broadway-style theatre. The intimate luxury of the ship offers a calm space for guests to relax in their rooms and reflect on the mysterious beauty of Japan and its blossoms.
The best way to see the cherry blossom [Countryliving]