Cherry Blossom Japan

Example itinerary

18 Days / 17 Nights

Timed for the March/April blossom

Priced to your dates and route

Japan is the destination our clients ask about more than any other, and this 18-day example itinerary shows it at its best-known moment: cherry blossom season. Tokyo, the snow monkeys of Yudanaka, the Japanese Alps, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima and Mt Fuji, timed for the March and April bloom. Use it as a starting point: we can shorten it, slow it down, add nights or build the whole trip around your own dates.

Where the itinerary goes

The route makes a full loop of Honshu, mixing the famous stops with places most first visits miss.

Tokyo. Three days to start: the Tsukiji fish market with a sushi-making experience, the Imperial Palace, Ueno Park under blossom, Meiji Shrine and Asakusa.
Yudanaka and the Alps. North to Jigokudani Monkey Park, where wild monkeys bathe in steaming hot springs, with a night in a traditional ryokan. Then Zenkoji Temple, Matsumoto Castle and the mountain town of Takayama.
Shirakawa-go and Kanazawa. The UNESCO-listed villages of thatched farmhouses over 250 years old, then Kanazawa's Kenrokuen garden, one of Japan's three great gardens, and a preserved samurai house.
Kyoto and Nara. Two days across Kinkakuji, Ryoanji and Kiyomizu temples, the Arashiyama bamboo grove and Nijo Castle, then Nara's Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Shrine.
Osaka, Kobe and Hiroshima. Osaka's Kaiyukan Aquarium and Umeda, a Kobe sake brewery, then the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and the floating torii gate of Miyajima Island.
Hakone and back to Tokyo. Cable car over Mt Owakudani with views to Mt Fuji, a cruise on Lake Ashi and the Open Air Sculpture Museum, then two final Tokyo days and the farewell dinner.

What a trip like this can include

We can arrange flights from Auckland, hotels and a night in a traditional ryokan, rail travel within Japan, transfers, sightseeing and entrance fees. Travel insurance is a must. Worth knowing before you pack: on longer train days, main luggage often travels ahead by courier and you carry a small overnight bag, and we make sure you know exactly what to pack where before you leave.

What it costs

Every trip we plan is priced to the dates, hotels and pace you choose. Cherry blossom season is Japan's busiest time, so prices move with demand and exchange rates. Tell us roughly when you'd like to go and we'll put together a costed version.

Who this trip suits

Cherry blossom season is Japan at its busiest and most beautiful, and accommodation and rail in sakura season book out far ahead, so planning early matters. The route as written involves a fair amount of walking, with some days around 8 kilometres across temples and gardens; if that's more than you'd like, we can slow the pace or add rest days. Tipping is neither required nor expected in Japan, and New Zealand passport holders do not need a visa, though an online form may be required closer to travel.

How booking through YOU Travel Napier works

Booking through us costs what booking direct costs, with a local agent at 86 Tennyson Street handling the details: the mandatory insurance, any pre or post nights, and the practical briefing that makes a first Japan trip run smoothly. For a different take on Japan, our example Japan itinerary shows another route, and our custom itineraries service builds one around your dates.

Frequently asked questions

Should I join a group tour or travel independently in Japan?

Sakura season is the hardest fortnight of the year to book: hotels, rail and guides sell out months ahead. A small-group tour locks the whole route in one booking; an independent trip gives you your own pace and dates. We plan both, and which fits depends on your dates, your budget and how much organising you want to own.

How does luggage work on the rail days?

Your main suitcase travels ahead by courier on train legs, and you carry a small overnight bag for three nights between Osaka and Tokyo. It is standard practice in Japan and we brief you fully before departure.

Do I need a visa for Japan?

New Zealand passport holders do not need a visa. An online entry form may be required closer to travel, and we confirm the current requirements before you fly.

Japan in pictures

Presented by YOU Travel Napier, 86 Tennyson Street, Napier. An example itinerary for inspiration. Last updated October 2026.