Japan Is Already Booked Solid for Cherry Blossom Season. Here’s How You Can Still Go.
After a lifelong fascination with Japan, Elisa Garcia, a retired attorney, dreamt of walking hand-in-hand with her husband under the falling cherry blossoms. But when she went online to reserve a guided tour with Tauck, they were completely sold out—for 2026.
Every year, millions of travelers flock to Japan during sakura season (roughly the end of March to the beginning of April) to watch these baby pink flowers bloom around Kyoto’s temples and in Tokyo’s parks. In 2023, Japan recorded 1.8 million and 1.9 million visitors during March and April, respectively. In 2024, those monthly numbers soared well above three million, with even more visitors expected in 2025, thanks to the weak yen. (It fell to a 38 year low this summer).
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Luxury travel company Black Tomato has already received a warning from its partners in Japan, saying, “I want to advise that we are already finding guide availability to be very difficult for March 27th to early April. Nearly all our top guides that we keep on retainer are already assigned to clients for these dates, and if any new inquiries have the flexibility to come for other dates, that would be better. Clients will get better value at other times, or even booking early for spring 2026.”
The London-based travel company finds that Japan has now eclipsed popular destinations like Italy to such an extent that advisors recommend the planning process start months in advance. “We’re even looking at fall 2025 now, so we make sure that we scoop the best of it all for clients that can’t get there for cherry blossom,” says the company’s head of PR, Brendan Drewniany.
Local companies are securing the top guides early on, leaving some agencies in a sticky situation come sakura season. “There aren’t enough top guides in Japan now,” says Cari Gray, founder and CEO of Gray & Co. “The history is so rich, complicated and interesting. Plus, the language barrier is real.”
Travelers won’t just struggle to find a savvy guide; they’ll also struggle to find a reservation. In a country known for more Michelin stars than any other, it will be hard to book a table at one of Japan’s lauded and limited omakase or kaiseki restaurants.
But one area where agencies and travelers notice plenty of booking breathing room is its hotels. Japan has seen an influx of luxury brands in the past few years, from Six Senses to Bulgari, leaving travelers spoiled for choice.
“Top hotels like Bulgari, Mandarin, Aman, Four Seasons are not sold out, mostly due to the fact that they have put their prices very high over that time period anticipating demand,” says Gray. Black Tomato travel expert Mary Cropper confirms, adding: “The hotel prices are absolutely insane for March. They’re definitely capitalizing on peak season.”
That means that guests willing to call their top hotel’s bluff could see a last-minute steal when it comes to a sakura season stay.
For those out of luck with a guide, many of Japan’s top hotels offer unique cultural experiences a guide couldn’t. At the new Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto, the team takes you to one of the city’s last remaining Noh Mask workshops, where you can learn about this ancient art form from one of its last remaining artisans. They also offer rickshaw rides through Sannenzaka.
At Aman Tokyo, the hotel offers city tours with a local art expert, a cruise along the Sumida River and a hard-to-book visit to a sumo stable to watch the wrestler’s train. But when you make your reservation, inquire about these activities before they reach capacity, too.
It’s a no-brainer that every travel agency and luxury tour company under the rising sun recommends getting in touch immediately. However, many recommend venturing away from Tokyo and Kyoto during peak season for a more unique experience.
Cherry blossoms bloom on the southern island of Okinawa in February, and on the northern island of Hokkaido, these flamingo-pink flowers come out at the end of April.
“I am always somewhat baffled that there seems to be a common belief that you can only see the cherry blossom for two weeks in late March and early April,” says David Lee, founder and CEO of Into Japan Specialist Tours. “Why not come off the peak period for much better value, with fewer crowds, and visit some less well-known locations? This will make for a more treasurable experience in more ways than one.”
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