It‘s getting spring and spring in Japan means Sakura and Hanami. Sakura means cherry blossom and Hanami stands for the activity of watching the beautiful blooming trees.
In this article we visit a couple of the most beautiful places for cherry blossom in central Japan. You can just grab single information from it for your next day trip or take the whole itinerary as a template for your next trip to Japan.
On this trip we visit
– vibrant city of Osaka
– ancient capital of Kyoto
– sacred temple in Ise
– industrial city of Nagoya
– a steam train in country side in Shizuoka
Let‘s dive into and enjoy the beauty of Sakura in Japan.
Sakura and Hanami
The start of the cherry blossom, Sakura, is the start of spring in Japan. It feels that the blooming really changes the mind of the people getting out of slow winter. There are incredible many blooming trees around the cities, the villages and the country sides. Some locations features hundreds or even thousands of blooming trees, other have single trees which are huge and couple of hundred years old.
The trees are only in full bloom for two weeks. So you need a good timing when you plan to see them. However full bloom depends on the location. Blooming starts early in the south and moves along the islands towards the north. Also mountain areas with colder temperatures tend to bloom later. Typically the first week of April was always a good time to visit the main island Honshu. However, it can vary each year depending of various factors. Also, not to forget climate change in in general higher temperatures each year.
The Japanese love their cherry blossom and the enjoy it by doing Hanami. Literally this means „Flower watching“. So when doing Hanami you are watching and enjoying the blooming trees. Often this is done by doing a picnic with food and definitely drinks in a park below the blooming trees. It‘s done with friends or by official company Hanami with coworkers. The most popular parks get really packed with people in this time. Typically there are also small foods stalls offering various delicious snacks. Of course Hanami can be done also alone or with your partner by a romantic walk below the trees. A great thing is further that the trees are often light up at night. This gives usually an astonishing view and experience.
Enough for the background of Sakura and Hanami. Let‘s checkout the places
Itinerary
This trips starts in Osaka and ends in Nagoya. Of course you can vary the starts points. Both cities offer and international airport to get in and out.
After enjoying Osaka and it’s Sakura we take the train to Kyoto for some Sakura between the ancient temples and shrines. To get to Nagoya we take a “detour” via Ise in Mie Ken to visit the sacred shrine and amazing Sakura trees at the river banks. From there we hit to Nagoya and to Shizuoka for an extraordinary steam train and small gauge train experiences
Osaka → Kyoto → Ise → Nagoya → Shizuoka
Osaka – Boat ride under Sakura trees
Osaka is the vibriant and modern heart of the Kansai region. It offers sightseeing and other experiences for many days and many visits. It‘s large but not as crowded and packed as Tokyo.
Attractions go from historical like a castle and shrines to modern such as skyscrapers. Food-wise Osaka is great. A couple of unique dishes exists. Also the eating and drinking culture is nice. Osaka is packed with small places where you can grab a quick bite and a drink and then continue to the next one. Often just as a standing bar. So Osaka definitely worth a visit even for seconde and third times as well.
For lunch it‘s a good idea to start with one of Osaka‘s famous food. This is Takoyaki. Literally it means grilled octopus. But it‘s a bit more. Takoyaki balls filled with octopus and other ingredients and grilles on a kind of waffle iron. It‘s a liquid dough which is poured on the hot iron. While backing the ball shape is formed continuously. They are sold at small streets stalls across the city. There are also dedicated restaurants where you can make them yourself. In those restaurants you get the dough prepared. Typically you can choose some of the ingredients. Even if you are not a fan of octopus there might be some options available. Baking and forming the balls then is your job. It‘s challenging but fun. And of course the restaurants staff checks and helps in case you totally fail.
Taking a boat cruise n the Tosahori River can be a relaxing way to see landmarks of the city and soak up the atmosphere. Especially during cherry blossom it‘s great since many river banks are covered with blooming trees. Boats are departing near the Yodoyabashi station which can be reached by subway of Midosuji Line and local trains of the Keihan line.
There are cruises that take about an hour and pass by the important landmarks such as the castle and the red brick Osaka mint bureau which dates back to 1918.
It‘s really a great way to experience the cherry blossom and Hanami as there are many trees along the river banks.
The Tsutenkaku Tower is a well-known landmark in Osaka. It‘s located in an area of nightlife and entertainment. It offers an observation deck which has great views of Osaka from above. Ebisucho station is the closes subway station served by the Sakaisuji line. The tower is nicely light-up and night and views of Osaka at night are astonishing. So a visit of sunset is a recommendation. Admission is currently 900 Yen for adults and 400 Yen for children of 5 years and older.
After darkness also the castles get light up. And of course there are some cherry blossom trees around the castle. If watching the castle only from outside is OK for you, evening is a good time to visit it. There are less people and the light up gives a great atmosphere. It‘s a large park and you can spend some time walking. It‘s a good idea to take the subway to one end, walk through and board a subway at the other end. There are couple of stations around the park.
Dinner options in Osaka a numerous. After an exhausting day of sightseeing you might just want to grab something close to the hotel. So choosing a hotel in Namba is a great idea since there are many restaurants close by. Shabu Shabu could be a choice. This is thin slices of meat cooked quickly in a bowl of hot stock by yourself at the table. It comes also with vegetables. Typically you can finish by adding noodles to the broth that has soaked up all flavor of meat and vegetables. Shabu Shabu is a famous style in Japan and you can get it in various price and quality levels.
Combining Sakura and Hanami by a boat ride with Osaka‘s food culture is definitely one of the best ways to enjoy the blooming cherry trees.
Kyoto – Sakura and ancient temples and shrines
The ancient capital of Kyoto is packed with temples, shrines and historical monuments. And an unbelievable number of beautiful Sakura spots. Many of the temples and shrines are surrounded by parks and gardens with beautifully arranged with many cherry trees. Some of the are hundreds or years old, others are just impressive by the number and blooming colors.
A great location to experience it is the Higashiyama district. Some of most exciting temples and shrines are around there and you can visit them by a longer walk through the district.
Kiyomizu-Dera
A great start is the Kiyomizu-Dera which can be reached by walk or bus from Kyoto station. Kiyomizu-Dera is an iconic Buddhist temple up hill. Its highlight is a huge wooden veranda with scenic views over the city of Kyoto. Kiyomizu-Dera is definitely one of the highlights and best temples in Kyoto and Japan.
After walking down hill and turning to the left there is a beautiful but touristic street with old and traditional buildings hosting many shops and restaurants. As some of the shops are really great and tradtional other are really touristic. Some restaurants offer also a small bite on the hand which is always worth to try if you see something that you like.
Heian Shrine
Walking in north direction leads to the Heian Shrine (平安神宮, Heian Jingū). It has been built in 1895 so its rather young. There is a giant torii gate at the entrance so you can’t miss it. The shrines grounds are spacious with a couple of buildings and a great garden with a varitety of plants and a pond. Many cherry trees are blooming in this garden. The mixture of historical shrine and beautifully trees makes it one of the best Sakura spots in Kyoto.
Philosopher‘s Path
Heading further north leads to the Philosopher’s Path. It’s a stoned path along a canal. That banks of that canal are lined with hundreds of Sakura trees. When these trees are at maximum blossom and incredible beautiful scenery is created. The path is one of Kyoto’s most popular and most beautiful Sakura spots and also one of the best in Japan. Just walking along the canal and watching the blooming trees is simply amazing.
Depending on your speed, fitness and the details of visiting temples this walk can fill half a day to a day.
For dinner Kyoto offers a tremendous number of food option from traditional and high class to modern or quick bites. Many of them are really delicious. A food guide about Kyoto would fill more than another article and will be coming soon.
Maruyama Park
Kyoto has heaps of Sakura spots that are light up during evenings and nights. So visiting one of them is a must. Light-up Sakura trees once a gain give another totally different atmosphere.
Depending one your hotels location again the Higashiyama district can be a great choice. The Maruyama Park has a huge number of cherry trees and it is one or even the most popular spot in Kyoto for picnicking under the trees. So it gets really crowded. Here not only the number of trees is impressive but also one special tree. In the center of the part is a tall and huge weeping cherry tree. This tree gets light-up after dark and looks really impressive and amazing. This makes Maruyama Park also one of the best Sakura spots in Japan.
Arashiyama
Arashiyama (嵐山) is district in the western outskirts of Kyoto. Even tough it is touristy it offers a pleasant atmosphere. It’s already kind of village and rural and mountains and nature starts right after it. It invites simply for walking around and entering a bit in the mountains.
There is an impressive bamboo garden or better to say forest to walk through. These bamboo trees have nothing to do with the thin bamboo you might know from you garden. There a thick and large and make a great atmosphere.
Arashiyama is has also many Sakura trees to enjoy Hanami.
For fans of trains Arashiyama offers something special. A nostalgic sightseeing train called Sagano Torokko. It runs through a scenic valley along the Hozugawa River between Arashiyama and Kameoka stations. It just a seven kilometer journey but it runs at slow pace and takes about 25 minutes. It’s a really cool experience and a great things for those that like trains.
At the Torokko Saga Station there is a small train museum and diorama. So the train fan experience is complete. Sagano Railway is definitely the best thing to do for train fans in Kyoto.
To get from Arayhiyama back to the city the Randen can be used. This is Kyoto’s last remaining tram line. It looks like from a different age but it’s another cool railway experience to take.
Ise – Most sacred shrine and river banks Sakura
There is plenty of ways to get from Kyoto to Nagoya. There is the direct, quick but expensive Shinkansen but there are also other slower but more joyful trains. The Kintetsu line runs through the rural and country side areas of Mie Prefecture. It serves some great rather popular tourists spots in the Ise Shima region. Taking a full day from Kyoto to Nagoya with detour and a stop in Ise city can be a really nice off the beaten track experience. One must say its off the beaten track of international tourists. Domestic tourist know these places well. The banks of Miya River are one of the greatest Sakura spots in Japan when they are in full blooming.
The Kintetsu Kyoto Station is located in the basement of the big Kyoto Station building right across the Shinkansen entrance. From this stations Kintetsu serves services to Osaka, Nara and the Ise Shima area. Kintetsu is a private railway company with a huge variety of limited express train types. Some are brand new others give you a nostalgic feeling. When using Kintetsu often make sure to take different types of trains. The VistaEx is a wagons where the seating is elevated and the windows are in panorama style. The elevated seats offer really great views of the country side passing by. The basement has actually large rooms for groups or families. It can be fun using them however, the view is limited.
The trip from Kyoto to Ise-Shi takes about two hours. Some connections require to change once others are direct. Make sure to take a limited express where you can get a seat reservation.
Naiku – The Inner Shrine
Ise is home of the most sacred shrine in Japan. It consists of the main areas the inner shrine and the outer shrine. The inner shrine is more recommended for the visit. However, it is about 7km outside the city but can be reached easily by bus from Ise station in about 15 minutes. Take a bus with direction Naiku and get off at the final stop.
The shrine is believed to have a history of more than 2000 years. Interestingly it is rebuild from scratch every 20 years. The last rebuild was in 2013 and the next one will be in 2033.
It’s a sacred place and people are praying. So be reasonable and mind others when taking picture. Taking pictures of the actual inner shrine is forbidden.
Right in front the inner shrine is a very nice street of traditional buildings with many shops, restaurants and food stalls. There is one bar which offers local beer and fried oysters. That one is definitely a recommendation for a quick break. Further Ise offers a unique local dish. Ise Udon are very thick and chewy noodles not comparable at all to “normal” udon. They are not served in broth but just in a bit of sauce. The tick noodles take up a lot of the soup which makes a great flavor. The are served with various toppings. The sticky white cream made of smashed yam is delicious.
Miya River
Miya River is a large river passing by and through Ise city. It‘s banks can be reached by bus or a walk from Ise station or Miyamachi station. The river banks are full of unbelievable many cherry trees. In the full bloom its simply an amazing picture to see them and walk through them. They are lined up at least a couple of hundreds meter. Taking a walk below them, relaxing and enjoying the beauty of these blooming trees is a true recommendation. Combined with the shrine experience Ise and Miya River are also one of the best Sakura spots in Japan.
It can be nice to stay a night in Ise and continue sightseeing on the Ise peninsula. Otherwise taking the Kintetsu line to Nagoya brings you back the bigger cities. Direct trains from Ise to Nagoya run frequently about every 30 minutes and take about 80 minutes. Make sure to try another type of limited express such as the Urban Liner or Ise Shima liner. Another special choice would be the Shimakaze which is a special luxury sightseeing train running once a day.
Shizuoka – Steam train experiences
Shizuoka is a city located in the middle of Nagoya and Tokyo. It’s area is greatly famous for green tea plantations. Those plantations give the country side a unique view. The city is also right at the entrance of Mount Fuji. So in good weather you have the chance to spot Mount Fuji from some locations. Shizuoka is served by Shinkansen. The Kodama and Hikari services stop at Shizuoka, the Nozomi service does not.
Instead of taking the direct Shinkansen, it can be a good choice to take a detour by Meitetsu and a stop at Okazaki.
Sakura Boat Cruise in Okazaki
Oakazaki is a city located just outside of Nagoya. There is a nice castle and park. Also the famous red miso, akadashi, of the brand Hacho Miso is produced only here in the traditional factories close to the castle.
The Higashi-Okazaki station is served by the Meitetsu trains. This is another private railway company with a dense network in the area around Nagoya. Some of their trains are rather old but in a cool and flashing red color. One of their limited express has a panorama car at the front. That car is just a couple of panorama seats but they offer really great views while traveling. They are reserved seats so make sure to book them maybe a bit in advance to get the very first row. Trains from Nagoya to Okazaki run every 15 minutes in take about 30 minutes for the trip. Meitetsu trains depart in the basement of Nagoya station.
Oto River is passing through Okazaki. In summer it hosts a very huge fireworks event in in spring it‘s packed with blooming Sakura trees. Boat cruises are offered on the river along the banks of blooming trees. The boats a rather small but depart frequently. On the weekends a reservation would be a good idea. The boats run a round from the departure to the castle park and back. As several trees are lined along the river it‘s a great place for Sakura near Nagoya.
The Meitetsu line continues from Okazaki to Toyohashi which is served by the Kodama Shinkansen service. From Okazaki it takes less than 30 minutes by limited express to Toyohashi. The Kodama than reaches Shizuoka in about 45 minutes.
Nihondaira and Shimizu Port
As the bay of Shizuoka offers great views of Mount Fuji in good weather it‘s a recommendation to check out these views. The mountain Nihondaira and its viewing platform is a good place to do so. Luckily there is a rope-way going uphill so no need to hike too much. There are buses from Shizuoka station to Nihondaira (日本平). The bus stop is next to the rope-way. The plateau of Nihondaira invites for some walks. The viewing platform offers great looks of Mount Fuji in the background of Shimizu Port and the bay. As always with Mount Fuji, you need a bit of luck. In clouded days you might not see anything.
After getting down from Nihondaira going the Shimzu Port is the next good idea. Besides the views to Mount Fuji the port offers a couple of other attractions. One is the S-Pulse Dream Place which hosts the famous Shizuoka Sushi Museum. There are couple of good information on sushi and of course several sushi restaurants. A good choice to experience some good and fresh sushi. The Kashi-no-Ichi fish market is also located there. So if you are up for a more local food experience the restaurants at the fish market can be your choice. Both JR and Shizuoka Railway connect Shimizu with Shizuoka city center. The cute and small trains of Shizuoka Railway are a good choice for experience another style of trains in Japan.
Oigawa Railway
The Oigawa Railway is a private and local company in Shizuoka Prefecuture. It operates trains between Kanaya, Senzu and Ikawa. The great thin about Oigawa is that it operates a steam train as well as an abt system train which runs upstream the Ikawa river. It has been build for construction purposes in the past but now serves as a tourist attraction.
To access the Oigawa Railway first take a JR train from Shizuoka Station to JR Kanaya station. From there are local trains connects in just 4 minutes to Shin-Kanaya station. This is the starting station of the steam train which runs to Senzu. There is the change to the abt system train. That trains runs then through the hills and tea plantations for about 2 hours until Ikawa.
Both the abt system and the steam train are great and unique experience and a must ride for any train fan when being in Japan.
According to an announcement from December 2022 the main line is currently closed due to damage by a typhoon. So make sure to check their website before planning the trip.
https://daitetsu.jp/en/index.html
Be aware of the weather in the hills when taking the trip. In case of typhoon and thunderstorms it‘s not a good choice to ride this small train.
Hotels
To come up.
Trains and Itinerary
The following is a sample travel itinerary for a trip that passes by those places.
| Day | Place | Things to do |
| 1 | Osaka | Grill Takoyaki Boat Cruise under sakura trees Tsutenkaku Tower Castle Park at Night |
| 2 | Kyoto | Kiyomizudera Heian Shrine Philosopher‘s Path Maruyama Park at Night |
| 3 | Kyoto | Arashiyama Sagano Railway |
| 4 | Ise/Nagoya | Inner Shrine at Ise Miya River Sakura Ise Udon |
| 5 | Okazaki/Shizuoka | Sakura Boat Cruise Okazaki Nihondaira and Shimizu Port |
| 6 | Shizuoka/Oigawa | Oigawa Railway |
The following trains need to be taken to reach the destinations
| From | To | Type |
| Osaka | Kyoto | JR or Keihan |
| Kyoto | Ise | Kintetsu Limited Express, e.g. Vista Ex |
| Ise | Nagoya | Kintetsu Limited Express, e.g. Urban Liner |
| Nagoya | Higashi Okazaki | Meitetsu Limited Express |
| Higashi Okazaki | Toyohashi | Meitetsu Limited Express |
| Toyohashi | Shizuoka | Shinkansen Kodama |
| Shimizu Port | Shizuoka | Shizuoka Railway |
| Shizuoka | Kanaya | JR |
| Kanaya | Shin-Kanaya | Oigawa Local |
| Shin-Kanya | Senzu | Oigawa Stream Train |
| Senzu | Ikawa | Oigawa Abt System Train |
Conclusion
There are so many great Sakura spots in Japan and it is difficult to find the best ones. In this article we showed a couple of really great ones. Some of them are off the beaten track and offer some unique and authentic Japan experiences. Also for fans of extraordinary and specials trains there are couple of great things to do in Japan.
Youtube
Watch some of our videos about great trains and delicious ramen on Youtube.