Hello all

Our group of 5 adults and 5 small children will be in Japan for 1 week in April.

We have booked Apr 12 - 14 in Tokyo and Apr 16 - 19 in Kyoto.

Checking on the Cherry Blossom season for this year, it sound like we miss or at the very end of this year season when we get to TOkyo or Kyoto. We still have 1 night not yet decided on, April 15. I was planning to stay in an Onsen or Ryokan between Tokyo and Kyoto.

Can I have some recomendation please of where to stay for the night and also catch the Cherry Blossom season in the area also.

Best Reagards

I went during Cherry blossom season last year. There's a lot to see in Kyoto, you could just stay another night there.
I also remember the Himeji Castle was extra beautiful with the cherry blossoms around it.

Gero Onsen. Though I don't know if there is a particularly good spot there. It would be at about the right elevation.

Maybe Takayama. Last April 15 the bloom was still several days away. This 15th will be the last day of the Takayama festival, so the city will be cleared out on that day.

So the Chubu region, the Japan Alps, would be in the general area of your travel. Otherwise look north and or west/north but up in elevation from Tokyo. Nagano maybe. Perhaps Nikko.

gojapan.about.com has good info about cb blooming forecasts. Surely the same or better can be found at japan-guide.com

I think you would be too late for Himeji.

emd, didn't you see cb's in Kyoto last year, around April 12-15?

Good memory, mrw. Actually, my daughter and I walked the Path of Philosphy on 4/17 last year and it was covered in Cherry Blossoms- most of them on the trees, but what seened to be an equal amt. covering the ground like a pink carpet. There were many photographers out taking pictures of the blossoms that day...

And yes, the forecast was that the blossoms were supposed to be mostly all gone by then.

Sakura is elusive, even down to the last day.

and mrw. let me be the first one here to say, "Otanjou-bi omedetou gozaimasu!"... I am leaving for the cruise w/Celine on the morning of the big day and may not get a chance between now and then to say have a happy one.

wow! another year has passed!

omedeto. have one for me.

emd, isn't it your time too? omedeto.

leaving tomorrow, chasing the cb. hope i make it. looking forward to the gtg with ht, laurie, and spouses.

thanks, e, and the same right back to you. Hope you ladies have a great cruise on y/our birthday on Friday. Thursday 3/29 is also 25 year anniversary with the company.

ken, 3/30 is a special day for at least three fodorites! I hope that you have a great trip. Sushi for breakfast at Tsukiji? You've made a believer out of me.

25 years! That is half a lifetime!

Ken, thanks for the good wishes. Hoist some sushi for us on Friday.

Happy birthdays and anniversary to all concerned ! \(^o^)/

Thank you all for yours advices, especially mrwunrlf, will check out Takayama

Mrw is right. Takayama should be perfect. Usually, CB season in Takayama is late April, but since it's warmer than usual, they are expecting to see CB during the Takayama Festival.
My favorite Takayama ryokans are Hanaougi and Honjin Hiranoya. They both have Onsen.
http://www.hanaougi.co.jp/hanaougi/index.html
http://www.honjinhiranoya.com/

It might be difficult to find a room in Takayama during the festival.
Goodluck.

25 years! bill, with todays corporate climate of job cutting, consolidation, and out sourcing, your longivity reflects the value of your cotributuion to the success of your company.

those stock options are looking better, and better.

Here, here, I second that, Ken. If I could find my paper that has the fodors emoticons on it, I'd put a line here of the hands clapping. But I am too damn old and losing everything (and forgetting a lot of things now too)!

thanks, guys

Green Hotel in Takayama has onsen waters (the only onsen in Takayama, I have read) in their v. nice bath.