Cherry blossoms in Japan

[drron]

Gday

The passes are almost always worth it. Broadly speaking the cost of the pass works out almost the same as if you bought a simple return 4 hour trip. Individual Shinkansen tickets are very expensive. One thing i can recommend is that the 5 day JR East pass was 5 days out of 14 days. ie they dont have to be consecutive days. It makes the pass even better. If you havent already done so download the 'Japan Trains' app for your mobile. Plug a few trips in and check the ticket costs. If it helps you in your decision- they even have nice ladies selling beer to you on the train- does it get any better?

Pele.

Sadly new rules for JR east pass from 1/4.Split into North and central sections I believe.We were lucky getting ours just before the new rules.

 

[Pele]

Gday

Yep they changed the rules both in 2015 and 2016 around this time of year. Usually it works out worse. Depends on where you want to travel.

Pele.

 

[drron]

We arrived in Akita today and the blossoms are just at peak so definitely not too late but you do need to go north.
But although the Japanese say that Sakura is over in Tokyo for us non Japanese plebs there were still cherry blossoms to view just not the Yoshino cherry so not the ritual that goes with cherry blossom viewing.However this week there were still cherry blossoms but multi petalled varieties and in the Imperial Palace gardens the midori-yoshino cherry with it's green petals.

 

[drron]

If you really want a blossom spectacular then consider Hirosaki.Today we went to the castle with blossoms at peak.Beats Kyoto and Osaka.So definitely late April worth considering.A taste-

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Plus views like this-

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[Sprucegoose]

Enjoying this muchly Ron..