Sydney,
On Miyajima Island you might want to check out near the Tahoto Pagoda which is a two story pagoda overlooking Itsukushima Shrine. There are close to 300 cherry trees found along the paths to, as well as in a small park on the slope next to the pagoda. Along Itsukushima Shrine and around the Senjokaku are more than 1500 cherry trees which are a sight to see if your timing is right.

Also I remember as our driver was driving us on the forest road(not thru the town) from the dock to the Iwaso Ryokan area there were and abundance of trees along that route.

In Hiroshima there are and abundance of cherry trees that line the river next to and in and around the Peace Park.

Getting close to blastoff time,lol!

Aloha!

Mara, glad to see you are going back to Japan. Is this the 1st trip back since your broken foot ordeal? Step carefully...

emd3, Hi Eileen,good to see you in here again! We miss you. Thinking of going back to Japan anytime soon?

I think Mara did make it back after the foot ordeal but I'll let her answer that one.

Aloha!

Hi emd, no, I went last spring - this time I will do the walk from Magome to Tsumago.....wanna come.... ;-) Yes, I try to be careful all the time.

ooops, forgot the latest cherry blossom update. The excitement is building.....

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011.html

If I didn't still have one teen in the house (who has to be watched, she gets in trouble) and one in a private university, I'd be there in a minute. Return to Japan will have to wait a few more yrs. But walk for me, Mara! (Just be careful bc I slip and fall a lot too.) Take pics to share w/us.

The cherry blossoms have already started to open in Tokyo and Kyoto earlier than predicted except by one person......

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011.html

Good luck to all those who lucky enough to witness the event this year and when are the rest of you going to plan for this. You really don't know what your missing!

Aloha!

So, opening now... Should be at peak by the weekend when that person arrives, is that not the case?

Yippee - perfect timing for me too. Now to hit the jackpot at all destinations.

ht, and everyone else, enjoy!

No no no, not yet! Hold off for one more week!

(Also, thanks HawaiianTraveller for your insight.)

Glad that they have started to open now. We leave in about 24 hrs. time. We might miss the prime time initially in Tokyo and Takayama but should hit it smack bang in Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakone and catch the end of them on our return to Tokyo - so feeling very lucky. Should be lots of wonderful photo opportunities.
Only concern is we are coming from 28 degrees celcius to 10 d celcius lol.

> No no no, not yet! Hold off for one more week!

It's only the beginning now. The peak time will be in one week in Tokyo so you are in luck.

It might be past prime when I reach Tokyo, but We'll be in Hiroshima April 1, Osaka and Kyoto April 2-6 and back in Tokyo April 7-11. Can't wait!

I hope I won't be missing the cherry blossoms! I'll be in Osaka from April 13 through the 19th...

Just received an e-mail from a friend in Tokyo. It's a chilly 9 degrees C there today. So sakura may not be blooming so quickly. Then again a sudden sunny day can change all that.

Aloha kappasan! Yes it will be chilly and rainy in Tokyo Tues, Wed and Thursday but the sun is supposed to show up this Friday, Sat & Sun with warmer temps so......aahhhhhhhhh, I can't wait. We leave tomorrow morning

Gokouun o inorimasu everyone!

and

Aloha!

Safe travels!

We just returned from a wonderful Japan trip-March 18-26. Special thanks to you, Hawaiian Traveler, and other Fodorites for all the generous information which helped make our trip so wonderful. We did enjoy some cherry blossoms during the early days of our visit, but as someone else posted, a few rainy, chilly days around the 23-26 slowed the process. So we hope that those there now enjoy the blossoms in their full splendor!

You are very welcome tomarket! Glad you had a good time. We walked the whole length of the Philosopher's Path in Kyoto yesterday under a full bloom. I can't begin to explain to those who have not seen this how beautiful it really is. Osaka Castle was also about 90% so we have been very lucky. We just got back to Tokyo and see on the news that most of the city is peaking so tomorrow promises to be another wonderful event. The park across the street of our hotel is being set up for all the celebrations tonight and tomorrow. Excitement is in the air.

Kuranosuke, you should have come here instead of Vegas, unless you are winning of course,lol

rhkkmk, Kathie, Craig,simpson510,guenmai,gpanda and all you others really have to put this on your list of things to do. You really don't know what you are missing.


Aloha!

HT I think I will try and get on the wrong plane this evening and end up in Osaka instead of Seoul!