Top 10 Cherry Blossom Spots in JAPAN | First Time Visitors | Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Mt Fuji
hello everyone Welcome to our Travel Channel today we are going to talk about the 10 best places to see Char blossoms in Japan especially for first timers we were lucky enough to stay in Japan for 2 weeks in late March to early April and with our JR Rail Pass we were able to travel to multiple cities and see the Char blossoms at their Peak bloom in every city that we went to for example we went to Tokyo Kyoto Osaka Nara and as well as around Mount Fuji CH blossoms were so beautiful and it’s a must SE at least once in your lifetime I will talk about the 10 best places among those cities that are just spectacular for Char B I’m viewing I’ll go over you know the best time to visit transportation cost if there’s any and just some good things to know when visiting these places so stay tuned I have an extensive list with lots of knowledge and recommendations and please subscribe if you want to learn more about traveling to Japan and other places we’ve been to you know Hawaii South Korea Puerto Rico Aruba and so many other places that we just would love to share our experience and knowledge about so without further Ado let us start with our number one place which is in Tokyo asasa asasa is a very special place that is where senoji Temple is and it’s a quick ride with a train from Tokyo Station as soon as you get out you see these carriages being pulled by people it’s one of those major tourist attractions but then you also make your way down the street to this busy row of shops so busy during Char blossom season of course that’s when a lot of tourist visit so it’s really a short walk but with all these people it feels longer there’s so many shops lined along the walkway delicious snacks and food definitely make sure to stop and grab something but I believe this is one of the first places you can visit when you visit Tokyo regardless of the season but especially during cherry blossom season uh you just have to dodge a lot of people it was rainy because hey it’s spring but you know it’s definitely worth a visit definitely go get your fortune read take your blessings from the incense pot but we went back at night and I would say that’s one of the best times to go is at night because there’s less people as you can see CH blossoms are illuminated and it’s more peaceful and calm we were able to just stop and enjoy everything and not be pushed by people or in a crowd during the rain you can see everything you can take in all the beauty that is to take in it’s so unique the vibe is so nice and I was able to go back and actually do a second round of Fortune um I got good fortune by the way I mean I knew I not good fortun when I was in Japan but you know then we walked around saw the tri blossoms being illuminated s SOI Temple is so beautiful I will definitely put that on your bucket list if you ever visit Japan especially Tokyo one of the places that you can visit during cherry blossom season it’s easily accessible the next stop would be Sam river which is a short walk from senoji Temple so as you can see it’s like an 11 minute walk not the worst thing and Sita river is lined with cherry blossoms and there’s lots of boats like this fancy one here that you can pay to get on unfortunately we weren’t sure that we were going to be at samita River but we accidentally well spontaneously happen to go and we didn’t get our tickets but definitely book these in advance especially if it’s during Peak tourist season like Autumn or cherry blossom season where everyone wants to take a boat ride and see the cherry blossoms along the Suba River but it we went directly after senoji Temple as you can see still raining you know uh March April is known for rain that’s a sah building iconic structure right there but yeah uh definitely go on one of those boats and enjoy those shry blossoms lined I know you can do picnics there when it’s nice out third and one of my favorites is megao river which is 30 minutes away basically from Tokyo Station as well the station is very nice just like typical train stations in Japan it’s clean and also has shops and lots of snacks it was so tempting like I always wanted to buy snacks with all the train stations I go to but look how beautiful uh the river is lined with cherry blossoms just know that it’s an easy walk down because it’s like a it’s like a slope you know so you go down when to go see the river but going up that’s a problem but look how pretty it is is it’s illuminated by these beautiful lanterns along the walkway just note that this is very busy this is such a busy place because chry blossoms are only temporary like what two weeks Max so everyone comes out because it’s so temporary everyone wants to see it in full bloom and besides the locals there are Taurus lots and lots of Taurus for Cherry plasm so just know that when you go there you’re not probably going to get the place by yourself because everyone goes out at night unless you go like like at midnight or something you’ll probably have better luck but then the train stop at midnight so you really have to like probably live closer or have a hotel closer to the river but going up now that’s the issue so like I mention it was like a slope so it’s like a steep walk up and you’ll see it’s going up it doesn’t look too bad yet but just notice when you go wear good shoes don’t walk with a heavy bag take enough water or some liquids to drink and if you need to rest literally just stand there on the side and rest just don’t be in anyone path um you know it’s it’s nice few regardless like I would do it again just have enough water but that’s just to show you how steep it is they have to prop the vening machines up but yeah that’s that’s literally how it is I saw someone with like high heels walk in there I’m like so impressed there she is I’m so impressed um I would next we traveled all the way to Kyoto because we had a Jr pass and Kyoto is one of those iconic spasy CH blossoms it’s about a little bit over 2 hours and you get beautiful views on the bullet train just sit on the right side when you’re traveling from Tokyo to kyotto because you will see Mount Fuji on a nice day and we were so lucky to see it everyone was out there taking like pictures standing up looking through the windows but our first stop was the Fushimi andari Shrine which is in Kyoto highly recommend going to that shrine early in the morning you would beat the crowds look at us there’s like maybe a handful of people there also something to noce that when you go really early we went at Sunrise you would hear crows and it’s usually scary and the place is also known to have bores so just definitely be careful but when you go early you see those cats we saw lots of cats at Fushimi anari and it’s said to be good luck so we were definitely so happy and lucky look at that one I even post a Tik Tok which you can see that all the cats we saw on fimi andari and one of them even follow those up which I still can’t believe it said to be extremely good luck and it was so cute I love it it feels like you were spared away when you go to fimi Inari it’s so magical I can’t describe the feeling especially if you’re there super early and there’s no one there there was no one on the summit with us when we hiked up so it felt so so unreal highly recommend it go early as soon as the sunrises and it’s free so definitely definitely make it a trip to go I mean look at that yeah and when you walk around there’s so many places like visit along fimi andari like little shrines you can tie your for I saw a cat there I wanted to go see the cat but as you notice around atmosphere there’s so many cherry blossom Seas trees so many places to see um Char take pictures just relax rest I think the only thing you have to pay for at fish anari is that if you want to buy a fortune or you want something to drink from the vending machine there’s also little shops there as well so you when it opens later like around probably 8 you can buy breakfast even Ramen green tea and just sit down and relax honestly the view is amazing there’s multiple Lookout points so definitely highly recommend it’s free you just have to wake up early that’s Central Koto then we went to the arashiyama bamboo forest so we stayed closer to Nishiki market and we traveled we wanted to use the Randon line which is a really pretty train there it is right there it’s so small and vintage it’s very unique so that takes us to arashiyama again we woke up and went there super early because you see there’s a handful of people right next to the bamboo forest when you exit on the other side there’s a little Park you can see how pretty it is lined with cherry blossoms there’s lots of hiking trails as well along this park which we took some time and actually did this and there’s a few Lookout points as well here’s one of them one of the major ones and you can really see the valley and the charry blossom trees that are spotted on the mountains those was definitely one of the biggest things um everyone stopped there to take pictures it it was so beautiful you I can’t explain this with words and again this is free you do not you do not have to pay to go in here and this is called a sago romantic train ride I believe and you can definitely book tickets up to this in advance and it takes you along the mountain and you see more cherry blossoms there’s certain parts that are here as well um we didn’t go it was somewhat far away and it was also cold that day and I’m morning so kind of glad we didn’t go but I hear it’s really really great and you definitely can book that in advance then we walked around the different trails and we saw different shrines at different Corners there’s a nice little Pond here cherry blossoms there’s so much different views and this here is a later this is probably like 8 8:30 a.m. and look at all the people that came um you’re going to see YouTubers families couples influencers and you cannot get a spot to yourself here so just note also I mentioned the bamboo forest is free when you come back out right next to it you’re going to see this Shrine this is a tendre g Shrine which is a Buddhist temple or a Buddhist Shrine and this is not free by the way because there is a really beautiful garden being maintained at this Shrine well Temple and it’s like about I think $5 or less um that’s US Dollar by the way but it has so many cherry blossoms and different flowers and plants and the ground discovered Moss look at all the petals in this little Pond everything is so zen-like because it’s kind of one of those zen-like temples and it’s also one of a good resting spot to stay after your walk in the bamboo forest so definitely come here meditate sit down watch the people watch the koi fish enjoy the beautiful spring scenery that you can only get in pan and this is very Zen likee the water is so clear reflective um definitely would love to visit here again sometime and spend a little bit longer the gardens were so huge but yeah look at that wow next um Rama we walk from the bamboo forest in the monkey Park which you can see it’s a 16-minute walk it was a very picturesque walk so just something to note as well this one is not free it’s 600 Yen per adult and 300 Yen per child but the average on the map just now that says it’s a 16-minute walk only shows the 60-minute walk to the ticket boot or to these stairs when you get to the ticket boot it tells you that there’s like maybe a 20 minute walk up the mountain you know it sounds easy we were like oh yeah this is totally doable and it is doable it’s just that it takes longer than 20 minutes minutes especially if you have a heavy backpack which we did so we took about 30 to 40 minutes we had a heavy backpack um just make sure to wear good shoes comfortable clothing maybe layers because sometimes it gets colder you can put your layers on and you can take it off if you’re hot definitely emphasize the comfortable shoes um light backpack please or a purse or something and make sure to take liquids and if you need a stack like a protein bar or something on the way but definitely make sure to not overdo it take your rest there’s multiple resting areas on the way you’re literally literally walking up a mountain so please take your rest also there’s multiple signs along the way that tells you how to behave around these free Ro MAA monkeys because they are free roam like they’re literally coexistent with you on that mountain do not feed them do not like stare at them do not touch them things that will make them aggravated and probably attack you just stay away from that just be respectful and we were just sitting there talking about experience but look how beautiful these monkeys are um behind it it’s like a view of kyto and kyto Tower this is one of the trainers feed in them those are the only people allowed to feed them when they’re outside but if you would like to feed you can go in this room which has like it’s like a cage basically you’re in but not a cage it’s like a room and there’s like little holes where you can buy food special food that is and you can feed them from inside but they’re outside for your own so that’s something you can do but this is one of my favorite places too to see TR blossoms it’s something on Mountain it’s so unique the monkeys plus the Cher blossoms and everything it’s it’s so very nice so interesting like you can spend the whole afternoon here there’s rest in areas and there’s also that playground there I think the monkeys use a playground more to be honest they try to lick whatever is on the the slides I think they’s sap or something that falls but that’s super interesting then obviously it’s easier to walk down so we came down after a few hours and we just like hang out by this River it was like really interesting there’s like really good food and everything around and lots of foot bat I really enjoy the foot bat Japanese or Japan is known for their foot bat so definitely make use of that especially after coming down from that mountain you’ll be tired trust me and it got really hot in the afternoon too so you know you would want to take off your layers but we just walked around and enjoyed a few I everything was so pretty like the raining CH Blossom petals I can’t explain how amazing that felt just stand there have your arms open like the Titanic and just enjoy petals falling on you it’s so magical then you can go on boat rides as well it was a really popular spot I feel like arashiyama in in my opinion is one of the best spots to visit during Tri Blossom and one of my goals is to go back during Autumn cuz that’s my favorite season at arashiyama train station you would see these uh poles basically which is called the kimono Forest basically kimonos are wrapped around poles and you get to see the different kimono designs it’s really nice at night if you look at pictures unfortunately we left around afternoon we didn’t stay at night because we had other things to do but we were just walking around looking at all the different designs everything was so unique I really I really really like some of these designs on the other side of the train station there’s a path that leads you over there there’s a foot bath over there and more Tri blossom trees that you can find something that I noticed to um which was interesting is that there was actually a Jamaican restaurant at arashiyama train station which I was curious about but I was too full for Munch to try but I think next time I go there I want to try a Jamaican Japanese Fusion food I think will be interesting but yeah it’s a really nice place to just relax there’s also snacks and food at arashiyama station so we were just there um hanging out before we took the Randon line back to Central Kyoto to Niki Market which we stayed close to but at night I would really like to see this at night also this is free you just get out of the train and you you see this so don’t definitely don’t have to pay lots of free things that I put on my YouTube video here so definitely take advantage of that and subscribe if you’re liking it so far I would love to make more Japan videos so definitely subscribe please and leave a like and comment let me know what you think so far what’s your favorite thing so far but that’s the random line so next we go to kadera which also isn’t Kyoto one of my other favorite spots and like I said Kyoto is so beautiful it’s honestly has my heart so C is aera also a hike up honestly it’s a really steep walk up but along that walk there is lots of shops lots of things to do lots of things to try I enjoyed all the matcha products Emoji products that I can find I have so many things that I love and would love to eat again but kadera also isn’t free um the front part here is free but if you want to go to that iconic structure which is the C zadera it’s not and you will see why but it’s like I think $3 or less but when you go there everyone would line up and you go pray show your respect take your shoes off that’s what I was doing there and when you’re done you know you put your shoes back on and you go walk along the trails that exist there you go look at all the different shrines and all the different cherry blossoms everything was so iconic look at that you can see multiple shrines and trails from here everyone was just having a great time it was honestly so big we couldn’t finish it all but at nights it illuminates and I think there’s specific tickets for that to come see the nighttime illumination of the Char blossom and here you can even see Kyoto tower that tower all the way there and this is the kadera it was under construction for a while but now look at it how beautiful it is and that’s where we were praying earlier where we took her shoes off but it’s it’s an iconic view for Kyoto and then we just make her way along the different Trails enjoying the cherry blossom trees along the way Japan really has an amazing culture to go see chry blossom trees have picnics with friends and family and just enjoy the spring season all together there’s so many different types of shrines that you find along the way and this was a musl street that I was talking about you have to make your way up to Sea kadera and you make your way down which is one of the easiest Parts but there’s so many shops lined along that you make so many stops by ice cream by Emoji by matcha everything um we had matcha ice cream so much and a m matcha terisu that honestly you feel energized from all the sugar also around this area there’s a gon District which right now has been Banning tourist because of their disrespectful nature to theisha so definitely look that up but you cannot go there anymore it is illegal and you know what that’s fine with me some tourists just don’t know how to behave and they really need to respect other Count’s culture and laws when they go you know not everything you have to take pictures with you have to just be mindful of other people’s culture everyone’s always so busy it’s such a busy season for Spring I’m really curious to know how it is for Autumn anyone been to Japan let me know how it is during Autumn and the different seasons and which one would you recommend but ancient kilo is so beautiful so different than Tokyo I prefer kilo over Toyo honestly even though it’s busy now our next stop we went to Osaka so Kyoto to Osaka is a short ride away and we were still under a Jr R pass so we used it Osaka is really known for its night life it’s food and things like that but I put Osaka because we went to Osaka Castle as seen on the chart right here on the map and it’s a short distance from Osaka station to be honest 30 minutes and Osaka Castle is so beautiful when it comes to Tri blossoms the gardens the outside where the moats are and the river it’s a really nice place to go walk in have a picnic I’ve seen people um bring their families out and have picnics and to just really enjoy this really ancient view of the castle then we made our way in from the different Gates there’s multiple Gates I believe that leads up to the actual castle and that is free honestly so you can walk in and you can see the different Moes and the different plants and Gardens and also more cherry blossoms also outside there’s lots of food options and there’s actually Turtles we saw like the little turtles in that water I know sometimes there’s boats that go around in that water so definitely look that up so This Is Us walking in we were seeing the Char blossoms I think they have nighttime illumination as well so definitely check that out if you’re there we had plans in the afternoon so we were only there that morning before lunch to get to the castle you can take a walk but I know there’s also a little shuttle that you can pay for that takes you directly to the castle so yeah this is us walking to the castle enjoying all the views in between it was a busy day as as well as usual all major tourist attractions such as this one will be busy but here’s the actual castle and oh my God it is so beautiful in person it was also really crowded the line to get into the actual castle was super long so we opted not to go into the castle that day regardless if you have a ticket you still have to wait to be processed I feel that people who were in like tourist groups like tour groups and whatnot they were able to get in with their tour guide so that’s probably a faster way to get in but there was like a nice little performance outside of the castle as well and you could literally just walk around take pictures and enjoy the vibe um there were lots of cherry blossoms around too so and lots of places to sit and have picnics so definitely definitely don’t miss Osaka Castle the next one we went to was Nara Park and we stationed in Osaka and we took a day trip from Osaka station to Nara Park which you can see Nara Park also besides Kyoto is one of my favorite places to go for chry blossoms um you know about those deer that bow to you after you give them crackers well this is it this is where you find all the deer and when you go up more in the mountain to where the shrines are you will see more deer and more chances to feed a deer and de B to you again lots of Taurus but you know there’s lots of deer so just find a spot and feed those deer those crackers also uh they’re the most polite yet aggressive deer so they might bow to you but sometimes if you take long to like give them the crackers they will like hit you with their head um that happened to neran actually he was uh taking too long to feed one of the deer the crackers and one of them just like went in and like just bit him on his butt it wasn’t like anything too dangerous like a like a minor like bite like like a little soft bite but like caught him off guard he like screamed but yeah just be mindful of that they they’re they’re polite yes but you know they want their crackers at the same time but definitely um totally recommend visiting here for the CH blossoms as well look how pretty this little section is there’s multiple sections like this but this is like I by far one of the best and then when the wind blows like everything like blows on you all the petals and it just feels like Tri blossm petal rain it’s really magical to be honest could near and go this is him trying to feed the deer you know they’re really they’re really like those crackers I believe it was like 100 to 200 again for like one of those tack of crackers so that’s like definitely the only thing you have to like pay for but this is like the famous Mochi um that’s usually on social media luckily Nan is like over 6 feet so he was able to take this picture these videos comfortably but it was so crowded like I couldn’t even get get through but look how fast these people work and I think they do this like multiple times a day it’s like a it’s like a performance right but right after we get to eat it so we go pay I think it’s like 100 200 yen again for like a piece and we went there to get those warm Mochi and like when you get it they coat it in um so it’s matcha Mochi and they coat it in roasted soybean flour and when they give it to you it’s so warm because was just pounded and it was like one of the most delicious Mochi I have ever eaten because it was literally just made in front of you um they just like probably reheated it like while while they were pounding it but it was so warm and delicious definitely recommend if you’re around Nara go to the market the next place we’re going to go is Mount Fuji which is kabuchi co station now this is where um Mount Fuji is definitely go there and rent bikes like electric assist bikes and right around the lake we literally had the best time so this was when we were stationed back in Tokyo when our trip was almost over sjuku and then we took the train to Mount Fuji but we took electric assist bikes and we were able to ride around kawaguchiko Lake well not ride away around but we we did as much as we could and we ride around the neighborhoods and saw different views on Mount Fuji around that area too has this really famous team park with this Naruto um Team place as well um I really enjoyed it it’s definitely free to go in um you just need to pay if you want to go on like certain rides but we really enjoyed our bicycle rides around the neighborhood definitely get to see these little shines local businesses just to see how people live um I believe lots of tourists don’t do that like you see like we’re like one of the only ones just like riding around so definitely do that if you could you would just see a different part of um Kao but we were riding along the lake here with our bicycles and this is one of the best things that I remember this is like one of my core memories is right along the lake during cherry blossom season just lined with ch blossoms and see Mount Fuji on the other side it was it was so spectacular it’s definitely one of my core memories that I would never forget and I will definitely want to do this again um maybe during Autumn which is my favorite season but yeah let me know what you think do you think that you would be up to something like this so I think I would like I would love to do this again but look how pretty it is but yeah this brings us to the end of my list let me know what city was your favorite or what activity or what place you think was the best for tri blossoms from my list remember this is just a beginner’s guide so if your first timers it’s perfect for you but if you visit Japan multiple times or you live in Japan there are other unique places and other places that you have to travel probably farther to get to you can go to kushu you can go to Okinawa go to Hokkaido there’s so many places that you can go to for Char blossoms but this is just beginner friendly and the best comprehensive guide that you can get well that concludes my recommendations on where to see cherry blossoms in Japan especially if you’re a first time visitor this is one of the most comprehensive lists that you will find with lots of extra information like best time to visit Transportation good things to know Pro tips so definitely subscribe stay tuned like comment leave you know just share with family friends if you really like Japan let me know in the comments I really love my time there honestly I would love to go back spend longer which I probably will in the future but lots of these activities that I mentioned are free just to go there and watch dry blossoms totally free probably just have to buy some food and just do a picnic but today we explored five different areas in Japan that are really perfect for treay blossoms your main Hub which is in Tokyo definitely go to satka which is where senoji Temple is SAA river and meu river one of my favorites in Kyoto that’s where my heart is Fushimi and arishine the arashiyama bamboo forest and while you’re in arashiyama go to mount you know the monkey Park there’s also kadera which is not in arashiyama that can be another day trip in Osaka there’s Osaka Castle in Nara there’s Nara deare Park and just feed it there b a crackers bow to them and yeah just be mindful some of sometimes they get aggressive and lastly Mount Fuji take the train to kawaguchiko and you will be amazed there’s a really nice team park there as well which I could talk about in another video but M Fuji is so beautiful rent a bicycle and ride around the Lakes go to an onset just have fun do it your way if you like this video please subscribe it would really encourage me to start making more videos like this more comprehensive guides and recommendations and just how my experience went in Japan please like leave a comment let me know what your thoughts are what your favorite place in Japan is and where you would go in from this video If you were to go to what was your favorite part also share with your family and friends and stay tuned for next time where I’ll share more about my Japan experience thank you
Top 10 Cherry Blossom Spots in JAPAN
Welcome to our channel! In this video, we’re taking you on a captivating journey through Japan’s most enchanting cherry blossom spots. From the vibrant streets of Tokyo to the serene landscapes of Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and the iconic Mount Fuji, immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty of sakura season.
Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveler, Japan’s cherry blossoms never fail to captivate with their fleeting beauty. Join us as we unveil the top 10 cherry blossom destinations, each offering a unique blend of tradition, nature, and cultural experiences.
From the bustling city parks adorned with pink petals to the tranquil temple gardens, each location promises an unforgettable encounter with Japan’s most cherished symbol of spring. Discover the best spots for hanami (flower viewing) and soak in the magical atmosphere as we guide you through these picturesque locales.
During cherry blossom season, Tokyo transforms into a kaleidoscope of pink hues with iconic spots like Shinjuku Gyoen and Ueno Park offering mesmerizing displays of sakura against the city skyline. In Kyoto, stroll along the Philosophers’ Path or visit Maruyama Park to witness cherry blossoms framing historic temples and serene gardens. Osaka’s Osaka Castle Park bursts into life with cherry blossoms, creating a picturesque backdrop for hanami picnics and traditional festivities. In Nara, explore Nara Park where deer roam freely amidst cherry trees, adding a touch of enchantment to the scenic landscape. Finally, experience the majesty of Mount Fuji draped in cherry blossoms at locations like Fuji Five Lakes, offering panoramic views of Japan’s most iconic peak amidst a sea of pink blossoms.
So grab your camera, pack your picnic basket, and get ready to experience the wonder of cherry blossoms in Japan like never before. Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more travel inspiration and tips. Arigato gozaimasu (Thank you) for watching! 🌸🇯🇵 #CherryBlossoms #JapanTravel #SakuraSeason