Japan, like Europe, has four very distinct and wonderful seasons. Winter can be very cold, but springtime is famous for the candy pink cherry blossom - known as sakura – which hangs heavy on millions of trees, and is considered a great time to visit. The blooms usually appear between mid-March and early May, though the exact timing can vary slightly each year. 

 

Throughout the season, there are many locations across Japan where the sakura can be admired, from smaller gardens to much larger parks. The old imperial capital, Kyoto, is the epicentre of the seasonal celebrations, and the view of Mount Fuji - a highlight for first-time travellers to Japan – framed by pink blossom, is particularly stunning from Lake Kawaguchi at this time of year. 

 

Whether you visit in spring, summer or autumn though, Japan is sure to be bursting with colour. May and June are quieter and warmer, with flowers and plants in full bloom in countless gardens. July and August are the festival months, a time of colourful processions, whilst autumn is breathtaking, with the vibrant red and orange hues of maple trees everywhere you look. 

 

Discover the best of the country's stunning temples and shrines, fast-paced cities, incredible cuisine and outstanding natural beauty. 

 

Experience more with so much included ... 

 

See the famous sights of Tokyo including the Meiji shrine, Omotesando Street, fashion-setting Harajuku and the Akihabara electronic town. 

Enjoy astonishing views of Mount Fuji from Lake Kawaguchi and the hot-spring, mountain spa resort of Hakone 

Travel at 189 mph on the incomparable high-speed bullet trains. 

Reflect on the horrors of war at Hiroshima’s Peace Park and museum. 

Explore Kyoto on a guided tour, experiencing the former imperial capital and the essence of traditional Japan 

Discover the ‘Way of Tea’ with a Japanese tea ceremony. 

Discover Nara, Japan’s first capital with its huge bronze Buddha, on a guided tour. 

Stay in hand-picked four-star accommodation, including all local taxes, with breakfast and three meals. 

Japan is truly a land of extraordinary contrasts. An archipelago made up of 6,852 islands, its cities are densely populated but its areas of mountains, forests and national parks are vast. An ancient culture of emperors, samurai warriors and brutal martial arts - the legacy of 700 years of feudal shogunate rule - it’s also a place of gentle geishas, colourful kimonos, quiet tea ceremonies, exquisite garden design and Zen Buddhism. Wooden temples and shrines and the ancient arts of origami and calligraphy seem somehow to sit quite easily alongside the country’s dominance of world industries from cars and video games to electronics and robotics. 

 

It’s this enigmatic mix that will make your tour of Japan so endlessly fascinating, and so incredibly rewarding. Tokyo is a microcosm of this enchanting mix. Gleaming skyscrapers and luxury shops tempting you with the latest outrageous fashions are just minutes away from a Shinto shrine. Dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, it’s set in a parkland where traditional Japanese marriages still take place. Kyoto too is a wonderful treasure trove with its Golden Pavilion, 

 

Temple of the Dragon at Peace, bamboo forest and Nijo Castle. Mount Fuji is yet another unmissable sight on your tour of Japan, surrounded as it is by thick forests and spectacular lakes. There are visits to dramatic waterfalls and volcanic valleys. There’s the poignant Hiroshima Peace Park and museum. You’ll travel everywhere in style – including a ride on an aerial gondola, a Japanese pirate ship, and a gleaming bullet train. You can Personalise Your Holiday and take a lesson in origami, flower arranging or Japanese cooking, dress as a geisha, sleep on a tatami futon, or bathe in a hot spring. There are so many possibilities on your tour of Japan – the land of the rising sun.