Japan: is the cherry blossom really worth it?
Heyy,
I was able to have the incredible opportunity on my trip and fly to Japan during the cherry blossom season. In Seoul I picked the cheapest flight and went on a new adventure full of surprises.
My route:
After a few days of research my route was fixed: Hiroshima-Kyoto-Osaka-Tokyo. I flew to Fukuoka, because the flight was much cheaper than straight to Hiroshima. Therefore my first official act in Japan was the train ride with a high speed train and what can I say: compared to ÖBB it is really something special.
My travel schedule though was stricktly following the cherry blossom full bloom predictions:
My Timetable:
29.3.-30.3.: Hiroshima;
30.3.-1.4..: Kyoto;
1.4.-4.4.: Osaka;
4.4. - 9th of April, Tokyo.
Total: 12 days.
However, despite good planning, some surprises were waiting for me.
Hiroshima:
After about 1h30 from Fukuoka I have already arrived in Hiroshima and I liked the city very much at first sight. As bizarre as it sounds, the place provides a really peacefull energy. Especially compared to Seoul. However, the traces of the past are still noticeable and visible, in the middle of the city centre is a building that was left standing from the atomic bomb attack of 1945. There is also a free exhibition that brings attention to the theme and of course a memorial. But I also liked the city center. In Japan it's generally common that the shopping streets are all long covered streets where you can find everything you need. But what I really liked about Hiroshima was that it wasn't as crowded as the rest. And that means the prices were also more affordable. In the evening I had my first Japanese ramen and dumplings, for around 6€, which was amazing for a backpacker.
Kyoto:
The next day I went to Kyoto at noon, where I actually wanted to see the peak of the cherry blossom and accordingly I paid for my accommodation "the cherry blossom price" (so much more). Because due to a cold wave the trees did not bloom as expected, no the actual peak flowering period was more than a week late. So no cherry blossoms for me, just a city that was completely full of tourists. I have to be honest, of all the four cities in Japan, I liked Kyoto the worst and that can be reasoned with the massive crowds. On the more well-known footpaths you could hardly make your way through the crowds, markets were completely overcrowded, as were cafes and restaurants. That’s why I let the time go a little quieter and I preferred to avoid the very large crowds. But I tried Japanese street food, as well as Japanese pastries, and I rediscovered Matcha. In Japanese street food, there are often fried noodles and dumplings, but I also tried fried rice or cheese-flavoured pancakes (somehow similar). In general, however, as with any street food, you should also enjoy the Japanese with caution because hygiene was nowhere big written. Of course I also went to the world-famous Fusimi Inari Shrine and there I was able to discover one or another cherry blossom tree in early bloom. In addition, to escape the large crowds, I drove to a smaller park just outside. There used to be these traditional Japanese boats on the river, but there were so many that it had already lost its charm. Nevertheless, I saw some early cherry blossoms again. On the last day in Kyoto I got some pastries from the baker in the morning and lay down by the river to sunbathe and then an eagle stole my muffin. Yea probably not my city to be.
Osaka:
Basically, hostel standards in Japan are relatively high. Most of the time you have your own little cabin with curtain, but this hostel has exceeded all my expectations in terms of privacy. I had a private room with a curtain instead of a door and that for less than 30€ per night. Unfortunately, the mattresses were in each of my accommodations very hard and uncomfortable, I had to get used to it first. In my opinion Osaka is a very young and hip city. The more famous neighborhoods like the Dotombori District or the Shopping Street are very lively and of course also many tourists, but definitely worth it anyway. In addition, there is an unbelievably large selection of Japanese food. The Osaka Castle in the city center is also beautiful and I imagine even more beautiful when the cherry blossoms actually bloom ;). I also made a day trip to Nara. Unfortunately this did not bring me much joy, because the main attraction of this place are deer that bow. However, the visitors hardly pay attention to the deer, just want to quickly take their selfie and then that's it again. I find it morally very difficult to depict animals as a tourist attraction, but you can additionally buy cheap food for them, which I absolutely did not find okay. And as I said before, the way people dealt with the animals was anything but human, so my trip to Nara was over for me. But I think Osaka is otherwise a really great city and you should definitly visit when traveling japan.
Tokyo:
From Osaka I went again with the Shinkansen to Tokyo. Arrived I first checked into my capsule hotel which offered also a great service for it's price. In a great location I had my private small and clean capsule with really great bathrooms etc. I think that is a pretty great concept for people with less budget. On the first day I went straight to Shibuya to the world famous crossing. Watching people walk across the street is actually really entertaining and right there Tokyo impressed me with its modernity. In addition, there is also a road with about 100 cherry blossom trees in Shibuya and you may not believe, this time it was really full bloom.
But the wait was worth it, because the flowers are really just beautiful. Unusually few people were on the road at that time, which is why I was able to take some good pictures. After exploring Shibuya all afternoon, I went to a digital art museum in the evening with a stopover in the Ginza district: Timelabs Borderless. Quite a new experience for me but definitely something really great. Afterwards I drove up to the rooftop of a skyscraper and had a great view of the Tokyo Tower.
My second day was filled with cherry blossoms. Since it was the first days of the bloom, the main spots were totally overcrowded so I couldn't stand it anywhere really long. Nevertheless, I drove around the city and took a few spots and in addition I was in a younger and a bit more hip neighborhood in Harakura Tokyo. The next day, in the evening, I went to Shinjuku district, the party district of Tokyo. Incredibly much to do there, but I was more interested in the cat illustration on the main road. The next day I had actually planned a daytrip to Mount Fuji, but I did not go there, because otherwise it would have been too much for me. Instead I went to Tokyo Harbour and spent a beautiful day in the sun.
My other days were filled with good food, the Asakusa district with lots of culture, climbing the 3rd tallest building in the world - the Tokyo Skytree and lots of ramen. Then it was already time to go to the airport. Nevertheless, Tokyo, or the largest city in the world, will always have a place in my heart, because in addition to its already great charm, good public transport and delicious food, the cherry blossom trees were simply gorgeous even in the city. Another reason why I liked the city so much was the extremely high sense of security, which I am definitly going to miss later in the USA. In Tokyo, every corner is different but it is incredibly fun to explore the different neighborhoods.
Public Transport:
Basically, the high-speed trains are already something nice, but unfortunately meanwhile also very expensive. I had three times Shinkansen ride cost about 200€, the 7-day pass now costs 300€. Price comparison with an Interrail One Country Pass is therefore rather difficult. In addition, the whole ticket concept is a bit complicated and not really thought out. Even if you buy the ticket online in advance, you still have to print it out at a counter or a machine, of which there are far too few at train stations and you always have to wait in line. But as soon as you have a digital IC card on your mobile (Sucia Card) you can load your Shinkansen tickets up and thus you save yourself the queue. Nevertheless, you have an incredible amount of space and comfort in the trains and for example from Tokyo to Osaka you get in 3h30 instead of 8h, which Google shows by car. A comfort that you can treat yourself to.
The subway system in Japan is a bit older, it comes from the time of the great economic upswing. Nevertheless, the punctuality is just incredible. I only had one situation that a tram was about 5 minutes late and the Japanese were already a bit nervous.
Conclusion: Is it worth the cherry blossom?
Basically, yes.
If you are in front of a road full of these trees, the sun is shining and the sky is blue, then it is definitely worth it. Unfortunately, of course, many visitors to Japan had bad luck this year, since the bloom had been delayed. That's something to be reckoned with. I would say, if you book everything in advance, so you also get fair prices, then it is definitely worth taking the risk that you might not see them. However, I find it hard to justify the so-called “Cherry Blossom Prices”. Hotels/hostels often charge double or triple the price for their beds, even though the trees don't even bloom. So plan your trip wisely because the bloom is quite unpredictable.
What you have to be aware of, is that in Japan there are many people living with not enough space for everyone. As a result, large crowds, overcrowded subways and long waiting times occur relatively quickly. In addition, then the mass tourism of the cherry blossom and people with claustrophobia per example do not feel very comfortable anymore. Anyone who, however, copes well with crowds of people will not have a problem in Japan at all.
All in all, Japan is an extremely interesting country from an economic, cultural, culinary and historical point of view, and this is noticeable in every corner. In addition, Japanese are also very friendly, which I cannot say about Koreans. No one would ever start small talk with you, but at least they wouldn't judge you for your existence. The country will definitely get a recommendation from me!
How Japan's economy and society will continue only knows the future, but it is certain that there will also be some changes and until then but enjoy your trip to Japan!
Thank you for making it this far!
Bye,
Valentina