View Japan’s cherry blossoms at two of Tokyo's hot spots this spring on a 3-hour walking tour with an informative local guide. Enjoy a stroll through beautiful Ueno Park, where rows of Japanese cherry trees have awed visitors for more than a century with their stunning blooms! Sip tea and sample traditional sweets before meandering through the historical Yanaka district, where cherry blossoms burst forth along tree-lined lanes. You’ll spot monuments from the Edo period, including Kaneiji Temple, and pass through Yanaka Cemetery along the way.
Please note: This tour is seasonal and will run on select dates in March and April; availability for 2014 has not yet been released.
In the morning, meet your friendly local guide at Hamamatsucho Bus Terminal and depart for Ueno Station by local train. When you arrive at the station, head to Ueno Park on foot.
Start your walking tour with a jaunt through famous Ueno Park, one of Tokyo’s most popular places to view Japan’s cherry blossoms each spring. As you meander through the spacious park with your guide, revel in the energetic, festive atmosphere during this time of year – referred to as sakura (cherry blossom) season.
1,100 trees have decorated Ueno Park for almost 150 years! Admire the rows of beautiful cherry blossom trees in full bloom as you walk, standing beneath the blossoms and marveling at their lovely petals.
Next, stop at Izuei Umegawatei to enjoy some Japanese snacks and tea with your guide. During your 30-minute snack break at this traditional restaurant, you’ll taste classic Japanese sweets and sip delicious green tea.
Afterward, head to Kaneiji Temple for a 15-minute stop. Your guide will inform you about the temple, founded in 1625 and once part of a vast complex in what is now Ueno Park. Along the way, view Karamon Gate, a Chinese-style gate with copper lanterns.
Then, continue on foot to the historical Yanaka neighborhood – an old area of Tokyo where more Buddhist temples and buildings from the Edo period still remain. Stroll through the history-laden streets of Yanaka under additional rows of cherry trees, their blossoms creating a breathtaking canopy of delicate white and pink.
Your guide will point out some of the area's temples and buildings as well as the Yanaka Cemetery, the final resting place for a number of historical figures such as the last Tokugawa shogun.
Your tour ends when you arrive at Nippori Station around noon; your guide will give your directions to return to your hotel.
