During 7 days in Japan, visitors can go to famous cities and watch cherry blossoms begin to bloom.
According to the forecast of the Japanese meteorological agency, the 2024 cherry blossom season begins at the end of March. However, due to unusual weather changes, the flowers bloom about 7 to 10 days late and are expected to remain brilliant. until early May. If Vietnamese tourists miss Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka, they can see late blooming flowers on Hokkaido island on April 30.
Below is a suggested itinerary for a 7-day trip to Japan to see cherry blossoms on your own. The travel itinerary includes plane, train and Shinkansen high-speed train, according to advice from Thanh Nguyen and Luong Tran, from Hanoi and a travel blogger who has been to Japan many times.
Day 1: Osaka
Move to Osaka, a city in the south of Japan. From Vietnam (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City), there are daily direct flights.
Where to stay: you should choose to stay near train stations like Namba or Shinsaibashi, convenient to move to many famous tourist destinations nearby.
Attraction of the day: Osaka Castle
Places to eat: Ichiran Ramen or other traditional Japanese dishes in the Dotonbori area or Minami area in Namba.
Day 2: Osaka – Kyoto
Attractions: Shitennoji Temple – one of Japan’s oldest temples in Osaka and Gokuraku-jodo Garden, a traditional Japanese garden. If you come here in the fall, you will admire a scene full of yellow and red leaves.
In addition, two other destinations visitors can choose are Tenmangu Shrine and Tenjinbashi-suji, the longest shopping street in Japan, 2.6 km long and 300 years old.
Evening: move to the ancient capital Kyoto. The train from Osaka to Kyoto takes about 15 minutes.
Where to stay in Kyoto: should experience ryokan (traditional Japanese houses).
Tourists come to Kyoto to see the flowers on March 31 when they begin to bloom in southern Japan. Image: Thu Tran
Day 3: Kyoto
Natural spots to see cherry blossoms not to be missed:
Philosopher’s Walk. This is a pedestrian walkway along a small stream at the foot of the mountain west of Kyoto. According to history, Japanese philosopher Kitaro Nishida, a professor at Kyoto University, often walked along this canal to meditate. On both sides, the scenery is peaceful and quiet, with nature interwoven with ancient temples. This is one of the places where cherry blossoms bloom most brilliantly.
In addition, there are also Nanzenji Temple and Keage Incline – beautiful spots to see flowers in Kyoto.
Stroll around Higashiyama and Gion streets – geisha neighborhoods. These are areas that should not be missed when coming to Kyoto. Have dinner at restaurants in town.
Day 4: Kyoto – Tokyo
Have fun at destinations including Nara Park, Kinkakuji (Golden Temple) and the old town of Naramachi or Sagatoriimoto. For families with children, or those who like animals and deer, visitors should go to Nara Park.
Other spots with many cherry blossoms include Nijo Castle, Kyoto Imperial Palace, and Togetsukyo pedestrian bridge.
Arashiyama Bamboo Street is one of the famous places in Kyoto. Visitors need to check in advance to make sure the bamboo trees are at their greenest.
Travel from Kyoto to Tokyo in the evening by Shinkansen (bullet train). Choose a trip between 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. to have a full day in Kyoto.
Suggested accommodation: around major stations such as Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Akihabara, Ueno for convenience of transportation or for more advanced people, you can choose near Shibuya or Shimokitazawa stations.
First cherry blossoms of the season in Kyoto. Photo taken on March 31. Image: Thu Tran
Day 5: Tokyo
Spend a whole day going to cherry blossom viewing spots. Visitors can choose some of the parks with the most beautiful flowers including: Yoyogi, Asakusa, Ueno and Shinjuku Gyoen.
Shinjuku Gyoen Garden is a famous place, dating from the Edo period (1603 to 1868), then becoming a garden belonging to the Japanese Royal Family. Currently this place is a national park.
For visitors with more time, don’t miss the Meguro River, where there is a boat service on the river, on both sides of the river, the most beautiful scenery is when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom.
Places to eat: Ebisu Yokocho drinking alley or Golden Gai in Shinjuku. This is where the scenes in the traditional Japanese cuisine series “Midnight Diner” were filmed. The area has about 30 eateries for visitors to choose from.
Day 6: Tokyo
Visit some popular places in Tokyo such as Meiji Jingu Shrine, Takeshita Street or Asakusa old town.
If visitors arrive at Shibuya Station, at Exit 8 or Hachiko Exit, they will see the statue of the loyal dog Hachiko, one of the famous check-in points in Tokyo.
Dining spots: Shinjuku street, Harajuku walking street. In the evening, go to Roppongi Hills to play and go to the top floor to see the city at night or the New York Bar at the Park Hyatt hotel, where the famous movie “Lost in Translation” was filmed.
One of the other options is to go to Disney Tokyo park. Traveling from the center is quite easy, about 25 minutes. Visitors can use the Japan Rail Pass to take the JR Keiyo line to JR Maihama station. If you come here, you should stay all day.
Cherry blossoms in Shinjuku Gyoen (Tokyo) have just begun to bloom, expected to be brilliant in mid-April. Photo: Thuy Linh
Day 7: Tokyo
Last day in Tokyo, free shopping in famous neighborhoods such as Shibuya, Shinjuku and Ginza. This is where visitors can choose many items familiar to Vietnamese people. In these areas there are also a system of restaurants and eateries ranging from popular to high-end.
Return to Vietnam from Tokyo airport (Haneda or Narita).