editorial journal

The
Japan Edition

Essays on Japan’s seasons, its places and its table, written by the people who plan, organise and run our tours of Japan.

97
articles
editor’s choice
Red maple leaves over a mountain stream in autumn colourseasons

The Foliage Front: How Japan's Autumn Moves

Japan's autumn colour moves as a front, from the mountains of Hokkaidō in September to the temples of Kyoto in late November. Where it stands in a given week decides where a traveller should be.

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97 articles
latest articles
Cherry trees lit after dark along the Chidorigafuchi moat in Tokyo, rowing boats moored on the still water belowplanningHow to Choose a Japan Cherry Blossom TourEvery cherry blossom tour of Japan promises the same trees. What separates them is how many share the view, where the nights are spent, who leads the days, and whether the departure runs at all.the full article (opens in a new tab)Pink paper bonbori lanterns of the Meguro River cherry blossom festival hung beneath cherry trees in full blossom, TokyoseasonsCherry Blossom Festivals in Japan, 2027Lanterns on the cherry avenue at Ueno, rowing boats under the branches at Chidorigafuchi, the geiko of Kyoto on stage for the spring dances, and the Mint's riverside avenue in Osaka: the festivals of the cherry blossom season, and when they fall.the full article (opens in a new tab)Snow-capped Mount Fuji across Lake Kawaguchi, framed by branches of cherry blossom in full flowerplanningA Twelve-Day Cherry Blossom Itinerary for JapanTokyo, Mount Fuji, Kyoto, the Japan Sea and Osaka: the route a spring journey through Japan follows, how many nights each place deserves, and why the order matters.the full article (opens in a new tab)A branch of white cherry blossom lit against the night skyregionsOsaka in Cherry Blossom SeasonOsaka's cherry blossom belongs to its castle and its river: three thousand trees beneath the keep, four kilometres of them along the Okawa, and the Mint's avenue of late cherries that opens for one week in April.the full article (opens in a new tab)A branch of white cherry blossom reaching across the dark water of the Meguro river in TokyoplanningIs Cherry Blossom Season in Japan Worth It?The cherry blossom fortnight is the most beautiful of the Japanese year, and it belongs to those who know where to be in it, and at what hour.the full article (opens in a new tab)Fallen cherry petals drifted across a stone path in Kyoto, dappled with spring sunlightplanningWhen to Book a Cherry Blossom Trip to Japan for 2027Japan's spring is booked on Japan's calendar: hotels and ryokan open their rooms a year ahead, airlines about 355 days out, the shinkansen a month before. Here is how that calendar falls for the spring of 2027.the full article (opens in a new tab)The Supreme Class cabin for two in car 7 of the N700S shinkansen: a deep reclining seat in tan leather faces a cream sofa with cushions across the cabin, two rounded windows between themplanningSupreme Class: The New Standard in Luxury High-Speed TravelSince 1 October 2026 the bullet train between Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka has carried private cabins above first class. What Supreme Class says about where Japanese luxury is heading, and how Luxury Japan Travel's guests travel in it.the full article (opens in a new tab)Sugatami pond below Asahidake, white steam rising from the fumaroles on the mountain's flank above green alpine slopes, Daisetsuzan National ParkexperiencesHiking in Hokkaido: the Daisetsuzan TraverseThirteen kilometres across the roof of Hokkaidō, from the steam of Asahidake over the island's highest summit and the rim of a caldera to the onsen of Sōunkyō. The pinnacle of hiking in Hokkaidō, step by step.the full article (opens in a new tab)The great wooden hall and stage of Kiyomizu-dera on its hillside, red and orange maples below it and in the foreground, a low sun at the left over the city of KyotoplanningA Japan Itinerary for 10 Days, from Tokyo to OsakaTen days and nine nights in four places: Tokyo, Kyoto with a day in Nara, two nights at the onsen town of Kinosaki and a last night in Osaka. The hotel, the train and the sights for every day.the full article (opens in a new tab)

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Cherry blossom lining the Tokyo palace moat, the water stillSpring

The Classic Cherry Blossom Tour of Japan

12 days30 March to 10 April 2027$22,500per person, twin shareSee the journey
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