Tired of viewing cherry blossoms from the ground? No worries, let's admire them from above! AirX, which developed the AirX Sky Walker Project, is offering a limited-time "Yoshino Senbon Sakura Helicopter Tour" during cherry blossom season.

Departing from Yao Airport in Osaka, the tour takes you to Yoshino, a famous cherry blossom viewing spot where you can see the magnificent Takada Senbon Sakura. You can also choose a more luxurious option to fly around the ancient capital of Nara. Both options allow you to enjoy a bird's eye view of the romantic pink hue of Mt. Yoshino.

Mount Yoshino is pretty much swathed in cherry blossoms from bottom to top, making every spot a perfect one for blossom viewing. And when they light up the trees at night? Absolutely magical. Plus, you get this killer view of the World Heritage site "Kimpusen-ji Temple" from up there. So yeah, it gets super crowded with people every cherry blossom season, but here’s a pro tip: hop on a helicopter, and you can dodge the masses for a seriously luxe cherry blossom experience!

Every year, around the beginning of April, Mount Yoshino hits its cherry blossom peak. Based on the cherry blossom forecast, Nara is looking at starting to bloom around March 25th and hitting full bloom by April 1st, 2024, so that’s the sweet spot for planning your visit!

Arashiyama Sagano is right up there as one of Japan's ultimate sightseeing spots, boasting not just the World Heritage "Tenryu-ji Temple" but also the iconic bamboo grove paths among its photo-worthy spots. When cherry blossom season rolls around, it's not just about "Tenryu-ji Temple" and "Former Imperial Villa Nijo Castle" showing off their blooms. Centered around Togetsukyo Bridge, Arashiyama turns into a cherry blossom paradise for pretty much all of April. You've got mountain cherry blossoms popping at Hirose Pond and Osawa Pond in early April; Jiō-ji Temple's own cherry blossoms making a scene in mid-April; and by the end of April, the Fugenzo cherry blossoms at Nison-in Temple hit their viewing peak, ensuring you won’t miss the yearly cherry blossom extravaganza!

And if you want to mix up your cherry blossom viewing with something a little different from the usual stroll, why not hop on the Sagano Scenic Railway for a breezy journey through a dreamy cherry blossom tunnel? Arashiyama's cherry blossoms usually reach their prime from mid-March to the end of April. Based on the cherry blossom forecast, Kyoto's Arashiyama is expected to start blooming around March 27th, with full bloom around April 2nd, 2024!

The Sagano Scenic Railway was originally a small freight train that transported goods, but now it serves as a sightseeing train that takes passengers along the Hozugawa River for an up-close view of the beautiful scenery throughout the seasons. The fifth car, called "The Rich," has no windows and is an open-air car, allowing passengers to directly feel the changes in sunlight, wind, and climate, making it very popular among tourists.

All carriages of the Sagano Scenic Railway are reserved seating, and you cannot get off midway. You can buy advance tickets or same-day tickets.

・For Advance Ticket Purchases:
Tickets are available for reservation from 10 a.m., one month in advance, and can be purchased on the Sagano Scenic Railway's official website.

・For Same-Day Ticket Purchases:
At the service counters of the train stations (excluding Saga Station, Arashiyama Station, Kameoka Station, and Hozukyo Station).
(*Same-day tickets can only be bought with cash, credit cards (VISA, MASTER, JCB, Diners, American Express, Discover Card), or transportation IC cards (ICOCA, Suica, etc.), cash, ICOCA, Suica, Kitaca, toica, SUGOCA.)
(*PiTaPa, Debit Card, JR PASS, Seishun 18 Ticket, PASMO, various credit cards, Japan Rail Pass, and Seishun 18 are not accepted.)

If you're worried about the difficulty of purchasing tickets on-site during the busy season, besides buying tickets in advance on the official website, you can also consider booking a half-day package tour through the reservation platform below. This way, you not only get to ride the Arashiyama Scenic Railway but also experience the popular Hozugawa River Boat Tour!

In addition to taking a scenic ride on the mountain railway, visitors to Arashiyama can also enjoy a cherry blossom viewing boat ride on the Hozu River.

The Hozu River Boat Ride has a history of approximately 400 years. Initially, it was developed as a water transportation system by wealthy merchant Suminokura Ryoi to transport timber and charcoal from Tanba to Kyoto.

However, as railway and automobiles replaced water transportation, the boats transformed into sightseeing boats for passengers to enjoy the beautiful seasonal scenery of the valley.

Hop on the "Hozugawa River Boat Tour" from the boarding area near JR Kameoka Station, and let's ride the winds and waves to admire the cherry blossoms blooming along both riverbanks. The cherry blossoms here have a more "wild" vibe compared to those on land, and you'll also catch sights like the guardian Fudo Myo-o statue and the Sagano Scenic Railway, making for a truly unique experience! Arashiyama's cherry blossoms typically reach their peak from mid-March to the end of April. Based on the cherry blossom forecast, Kyoto's Arashiyama is expected to start blooming around March 27th, with full bloom by April 2nd, 2024!

To ensure your spot before traveling to Japan, you can purchase boat tickets in advance on the reservation website. Buying tickets beforehand is very convenient, and you can purchase them here if you need to.

Besides Kyoto's "Hozugawa River Boat Tour," Osaka offers a cherry blossom viewing experience that perfectly matches the city's waterside image: a graceful cherry blossom viewing on the "Osaka Aqua-Liner" water bus. The Aqua-Liner cruises on the Okawa River, touring various famous Osaka sights. During the cherry blossom season, it even has a special route starting from Osaka Castle Port to destinations like Tenmabashi and Sakuranomiya, some of Osaka's renowned cherry blossom spots. This allows you to comfortably enjoy Osaka's cherry blossom scenery away from the crowds, and the captain will even share tips on capturing unique photos of Osaka Castle from the water!

Osaka's cherry blossoms are expected to start blooming around March 25th this year, with full bloom by April 1st, so if you're in Osaka during this period, why not hop on a boat for some cherry blossom viewing.

Osaka Castle Pier (3 minutes walk from Osakajokoen Station on the JR Osaka Loop Line)
*The ticket counter is in front of the ferry terminal

From March 8th to April 7th, 2024, you can join the evening cherry blossom viewing event "NAKED Sakura Festival 2024 at World Heritage Nijo Castle." Here, you'll get to enjoy around 300 cherry trees of 50 different varieties, along with night-time cherry blossom illuminations, important cultural property Karakami cherry blossom projection mapping, and digital art themed around the Kano school murals inside the national treasure Ninomaru Palace. Additionally, there's a dining area surrounded by cherry blossom art, with a menu that includes alcoholic cherry blossom beverages, regular drinks, desserts, and more.

Kyoto's cherry blossoms are expected to start blooming around March 23rd this year, with full bloom around March 31st, making it a perfect time to join this cherry blossom feast.

To join this splendid event, you can purchase tickets in advance through the online reservation website, which is cheaper than buying them at the venue! Additionally, there are package deals for renting a kimono. Dress up in a beautiful kimono and join the evening cherry blossom viewing tea party at Nijo Castle!

Source: PR TIMES

Cherry blossom viewing isn't just for the daytime; night-time offers a whole other experience with illuminated cherry blossoms that, under the glow of lights, have a more mature and sophisticated ambiance. Our editor has specially selected a few spots in Kyoto worth checking out for night-time cherry blossom viewing. You can enjoy these enchanting night-time views around the expected bloom start date of March 23rd in Kyoto!

Gion Maruyama Park is one of the top cherry blossom viewing spots in Gion, known for its sprawling Japanese-style gardens dotted with restaurants and tea houses. It's the oldest park in Kyoto city. Last year, the star of the night cherry blossoms, the weeping cherry trees, nearly finished blooming by early April. While this year's schedule hasn't been announced yet, it's essential to act quickly and seize the opportunity once it does!

Kodai-ji Temple was constructed by Nene, the wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and features seasonal nighttime illumination events throughout the year. This year's theme is "Light of Remembrance." The fourth-generation weeping cherry tree planted in the Hassoku-no-niwa (Waves' Heart Garden) is particularly famous and shouldn't be missed!

・Special Spring Evening Viewing in 2024
・Period: March 15th - May 6th, 2024
Time: Illumination starts at 5 PM - 10 PM (Last entry at 9:30 PM)
* Itinerary subject to change without notice.
・Admission: Adults 600 yen, High school and middle school students 250 yen

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, To-ji Temple boasts around 200 cherry blossom trees, including Somei Yoshino and Kawazu Sakura varieties, making it one of Kyoto's prime cherry blossom viewing spots. Among them, the spectacular Yae-beni Shidare-zakura, known as the "Mt. Fuji Cherry Blossom," is particularly impressive!

・Special Evening Viewing of Cherry Blossoms in the Kondo and Lecture Hall
・Period: March 16th - April 14th, 2024
・Time: 6 PM - 9:30 PM (Last admission at 9 PM)
・Closed: Open daily during the event period
・Admission: Adults/High school students 1,000 yen, Junior high school students and younger 500 yen

If you want to visit these three cherry blossom viewing spots with ease, you can refer to KKday's itinerary, which includes a sightseeing bus and dinner. This hassle-free experience allows you to enjoy the night cherry blossoms without worrying about getting lost or where to eat. Plus, since the tour is at night, you can still run other activities during the day. It's highly recommended for those who want a convenient cherry blossom viewing experience!

In recent years, the ways to enjoy cherry blossom viewing have become more diverse than ever! Whether it's gracefully viewing cherry blossoms on a water bus or attending a night-time cherry blossom festival to experience light projection art, the options are truly varied. Have you started to find cherry blossom viewing a bit monotonous? Then it's time to try out these trendy cherry blossom viewing experiences. They're sure to bring a fresh and exciting twist to your spring!

(*This article was produced in March 2023 and updated in February 2024. For the latest information, please refer to the official websites.)