Hi all, I have a bit of dilemma about when to visit Japan and would be grateful for some advice.
I’ve been wanting to travel to Japan for quite a while now, especially for the Sakura / cherry blossom season, and the opportunity has finally come. However, I have left things last minute (as usual).
I would like to go for a minimum of 4 weeks (maybe 5 or 6 weeks) and I have found a relatively cheaper flight for next week returning mid-end April.
I am considering two options:
1. Book it last minute and go for the cherry blossom season.
2. Wait until autumn around November time. I have read that it’s quieter and still beautiful to visit during this period, so I am also open to this.
Option 1 is ideal as I am currently not working, but it’s last minute to sort everything out…flights, tours, transport, accommodation. I have read about the JR pass price increases and so I may leave that out. I’d have to quickly book some accommodation (I’d be travelling solo from UK so I’ll be mainly looking at staying in hostels) and think about which cities I want to visit and in which order. I know I’ll start in Tokyo (as I understand most do), before travelling to Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Shizuoka. Beyond these places I only have rough ideas of nice places to see, but little idea on the order.
Option 2 gives me a lot more time to plan, but I don’t get to see cherry blossom and I have no other plans, so have lots of time to spare.
Some questions:
* If I went with option 1, do you think it’s doable to plan a 4-6 week trip in the next 6 days and book everything I need, especially during the busier cherry blossom season? How much time would you spend planning a trip to Japan of this length?
* Would I need to book all trains in advance and how far in advance? I would use a mix of the bullet train and other train / routes.
* Is autumn good for events / festivals? What kind of cultural / traditional events are there to attend? I have read that there are more festivals happening in the spring and summer time.
Thanks for any and all advice you can offer.
by Jack_442B