Sakura season is Japan at its most photographed and most crowded. This itinerary is built to give you both the iconic shots and space to escape the crowds — Ueno Park at sunrise before tour buses arrive, the back lanes of Kyoto's Higashiyama at dusk, and a day trip to Hiroshima that most sakura trips skip.
Bloom dates shift year to year, so we publish a fixed departure window (late March to early April) and provide a live bloom forecast in your pre-trip briefing. If the timing shifts dramatically we can adjust the day order to hit peak bloom at whichever city is peaking when you're there.
01
Arrival: Land at Narita/Haneda. Private transfer to your hotel.
Evening: Settle in. Optional first sakura stroll at Chidorigafuchi if you're arriving during peak bloom.
Overnight: Tokyo.
02
Early Morning: Sunrise at Ueno Park before crowds arrive. One of Japan's most iconic sakura spots, with over 1,000 cherry trees.
Morning: Continue to Chidorigafuchi — rowboats on the moat beneath cherry blossoms in full bloom.
Afternoon: Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden — the most varied sakura collection in Tokyo (over 65 varieties, blooming across an extended season).
Evening: Optional night sakura illumination at Meguro River.
Overnight: Tokyo.
03
Morning: Breakfast at hotel. Depart for the Mount Fuji area (approx. 2 hours).
Late Morning: Visit the Fuji Five Lakes region. Stop at Lake Kawaguchiko, ?shino Hakkai, and Chureito Pagoda — the classic "sakura + Fuji + pagoda" photo.
Afternoon: Continue exploring around the lakes. Return to Tokyo.
Evening: Free time in Tokyo.
Overnight: Tokyo.
04
Morning: Breakfast and check out. Shinkansen to Kyoto (approx. 2h 15m).
Afternoon: Arrival in Kyoto. Check in. Evening sakura walk in Maruyama Park — Kyoto's most famous hanami spot, with the weeping cherry tree (shidarezakura) illuminated at night.
Overnight: Kyoto.
05
Morning: Breakfast at hotel. Guided visit to Kiyomizu-dera and the Higashiyama district. Continue to Ginkaku-ji (Silver Pavilion).
Afternoon: Walk the Philosopher's Path (Tetsugaku-no-Michi) — a 2km canal-side walk lined with cherry trees and small temples.
Evening: Optional evening sakura at Kiyomizu-dera (special spring illuminations).
Overnight: Kyoto.
06
Early Morning: Fushimi Inari at dawn — beat the crowds, walk the lower torii tunnels, and see the shrine in its quietest hour.
Late Morning: Continue to Arashiyama. Walk through the bamboo grove before the tour groups arrive.
Afternoon: Visit Tenry?-ji Temple and the Togetsuky? Bridge. Optional boat ride on the Hozu River.
Evening: Return to Kyoto. Optional Kaiseki dinner.
Overnight: Kyoto.
07
Morning: Breakfast and check out. Shinkansen to Hiroshima (approx. 1h 40m).
Afternoon: Visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum, and the A-Bomb Dome — a sobering and important experience.
Late Afternoon: Ferry to Miyajima Island. Visit Itsukushima Shrine with its iconic floating torii gate, especially beautiful at high tide.
Evening: Free time on Miyajima or back in Hiroshima. Try Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki for dinner.
Overnight: Hiroshima.
08
Morning: Breakfast and check out. Optional revisit to Peace Memorial Museum.
Late Morning: Shinkansen to Osaka (approx. 1h 30m).
Afternoon: Arrival in Osaka. Check in. Visit Osaka Castle and the surrounding park — excellent sakura viewing in early April.
Evening: Food crawl through Dotonbori and Shinsekai.
Overnight: Osaka.
09
Morning: Breakfast at hotel. Train to Nara (35 minutes).
Late Morning: T?dai-ji Temple, Nara Park deer, and Kasuga Taisha Shrine.
Afternoon: Return to Osaka. Free time for last-minute shopping.
Evening: Farewell dinner at leisure.
Overnight: Osaka.
010
Morning: Breakfast. Check out. Private transfer to Kansai International Airport.
Farewell: Depart with sakura memories. Say?nara!
What our clients love about us.
"From the first interaction through a friend referral the service was excellent. Mike was wonderful and timely from airport pick up to drop off. The office staff were great. The tour planning and guidance came handy. Everyone I interacted with was very professional."
"This is an excellent guide and car service which we used in Nairobi and also on an overnight trip to the Homa Peninsula. They came highly recommended by an NGO that works in Kenya and we are glad we hired them. Mike was an exceptional driver on many different road conditions! We travelled in a comfortable Land Cruiser Prado to rural dirt paths and crazy urban traffic jams. He also was very knowledgable. It was reasonably priced and very flexible with our changing schedule."
"The trip was amazing had fun. The driver who is also a guide really helped. The hotel and crew were friendly. Highly recommend to anyone planning for a vacation"
"Being one of the staffs at Hike N Pic Tours and Safaris, i really thank the team for the time we have been together, the knowledge gained can't take it as a granted. I'm a tour guide/tour consultant staff whereby i prepare quotations for our customers, itineraries, air tickets and can offer guiding services when needed. The company also have several fleets that runs in the market with the help of our able captains. We also offer car-hire services. The teamwork for the whole staff is amazing."
"Upon Meeting our driver cum guide, it was a wonderful introduction session then being briefed of our safari. Of course it was amazing to learn more about animals and nature."
