March and April are the busiest months for cruise ships in Japan, and that is no accident: it is cherry blossom season. Most of our own Japan groups came in spring too, a group from the USA in March 2024 and another in April 2026. This post is what we learned from those days, port by port, so you can plan your shore excursions around the blossoms without too many surprises.
The honest part first: you cannot book the blossoms
Cherry blossoms (sakura) open in the south first and move north over about two months. In one place, full bloom lasts about a week, and a day of rain or strong wind can finish it early. Japanese weather companies publish forecasts from late January and update them every week, and we watch them for our groups. But nobody can promise you pink trees on a given date.
In a normal year it goes roughly like this:
- Okinawa (Naha): a different, darker pink cherry flowers in late January and February. By March it is over.
- Kyushu (Kagoshima, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Fukuoka): late March to early April.
- Tokyo, Yokohama, Shimizu, Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto: late March to early April.
- Kanazawa: early April.
- Northern Honshu (Akita, Sakata, Aomori): mid to late April.
- Hokkaido (Hakodate): late April to early May.
So a ship that goes from Tokyo up to Hokkaido in late April can "follow" the blossom north, while a ship in Kyushu in mid April may arrive just after it.
Port by port: where we take you in spring
Tokyo (Yokohama port)
Our Tokyo shore excursion includes the Imperial Palace East Gardens and Asakusa, both nice in blossom time. Ueno Park and the Chidorigafuchi moat are the most famous spots, and very crowded at weekends. If the trees are at their best on your day, we can swap one stop for one of them.
Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto
Osaka Castle park has hundreds of cherry trees around the moats. In Kyoto, the Higashiyama streets near Kiyomizu-dera and the river at Arashiyama (Togetsukyo Bridge) are lovely and also packed. One guest from our April 2026 group wrote that the day felt "maybe a bit rushed". She was right: Kyoto in one day from a ship is a lot, so in peak week we now suggest fewer stops and an early start. See our Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto shore excursions.
Shimizu (Mt Fuji)
Mt Fuji with cherry blossoms in front is the photo everyone wants. The problem is cloud, which is common in spring. Our March 2024 group did not see the top of Fuji at all; the April 2026 group had better luck. Our Shimizu shore excursions are planned so the day is still good without the mountain.
Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima and Fukuoka
Kyushu blooms early, often in the last week of March. Kumamoto Castle is a big blossom spot, and our Kumamoto shore excursion also stops at Sakuranobaba Josaien next to it. In Kagoshima, our March 2024 group visited the Chiran samurai district; see the Kagoshima shore excursions. There are also tours for Nagasaki and Fukuoka and Dazaifu.
Kanazawa
Kenroku-en, one of the most famous gardens in Japan, is on our Kanazawa shore excursion. In early April it is full of blossom, and full of visitors.
Hakodate and Aomori
For late April and early May ships, the north is the place. Goryokaku in Hakodate is a star-shaped fort planted with cherry trees, and you can see the whole shape from Goryokaku Tower; it is on our Hakodate shore excursions. From Aomori, Hirosaki Castle is one of the best-known blossom spots in Japan, about an hour from the port. It is not on our standard Aomori route, but if your ship is there in late April, ask us and we can plan the day around it.
Tips from our spring groups
- Book early. Spring is the busiest time of year for guides and coaches in Japan, especially in Tokyo and Kyoto. Send us your ship and dates as soon as you have them.
- Bring a warm layer. Spring mornings can be chilly, more so in the north.
- Expect crowds at the famous spots, most of all at weekends and in Golden Week (29 April to 5 May), when Japanese families travel too.
- Hanami picnics are part of the show. Japanese families and office groups picnic under the trees. Walking through is fine; please don't shake the branches or pick flowers.
- Rain happens. Our Tokyo guest Peggy wrote that the guide "adapted with the rain" and talked with her about the changes. That is the plan for every group: we change the order of the day, not the quality.
What our guests said
"Communication was superb in every possible way! Met and exceeded expectations." – group travel organiser from the USA, Chiran, March 2024
"Very professional and fun." – Connie, USA, Kobe and Osaka, April 2026
You can read more, and see the scanned feedback forms, on What Our Customers Say.
How to book
All our Japan shore excursions are private, for your group only, from about 5 people in a minivan up to 40 in a full coach, with a licensed English-speaking guide. Tell us your ship, the port dates and your group size by email at info@365aplustravel.com or on WhatsApp +84 986 430 302, and we will send a plan and a price.
