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LOOKING FOR JAPAN`S BEST CHERRY BLOSSOMS? INTRODUCING OUR TAKATO CASTLE PARK CHERRY BLOSSOM TOUR!
  • LOOKING FOR JAPAN`S BEST CHERRY BLOSSOMS? INTRODUCING OUR TAKATO CASTLE PARK CHERRY BLOSSOM TOUR!

    Springtime in Japan means one thing – cherry blossoms! With the weather quickly warming and people turning their attention to this year`s blossom forecast, we are happy to announce our new 1-Day Takato Castle Park Cherry Blossom Tour on April 9th 2019.

    Takato Castle Park Cherry Blossoms 4

    Consistently heralded as one of Japan`s Top 3 cherry blossom-viewing spots, the famous blossoms of Takato are forecast to reach peak bloom on April 9 to 10th – a spectacular sight and highlight of any visit to Japan this spring!

    Takato Castle Park Cherry Blossoms 3

    Starting from JR Nagano Station at 9:35AM, your guide will greet you and quickly have you on your way toward the blossoms. Arriving nearby the park at approximately 12PM you will first enjoy a filling Japanese lunch before you make the brief walk into the park itself. Located on the ruins of what was Takato Castle, the park has been open to the public since 1875 and is now spectacularly populated by an estimated 1500 `Kohigan` cherry blossom trees.

    Takato Castle Park Cherry Blossoms 2

    Forecast to be in peak bloom on April 9th and 10th, Kohigan blossoms are a unique local variety with a soft reddish-pink hue and abundant flowering*. Often claimed as the most beautiful cherry blossom variety in Japan, the full bloom of the park`s 1500 trees – many of which are 130 to 150 years old – makes this one of the Top 3 viewing sites in the entire country!

    Matsumoto Castle Cherry Blossom 2

    Known as `hanami` in Japanese, flower-viewing has been enjoyed for countless generations with the fleeting bloom and fragile beauty of cherry blossoms seen as symbolic of life. Once in the park, you can wander freely, indulge in the many seasonal snacks on sale at food vendors, or simply sit and soak in the atmosphere of the spectacular canopy above.

    Matsumoto Castle Cherry Blossom

    From the park the tour then heads to Matsumoto Castle. As one of the last remaining original castles in Japan, this registered National Treasure is one of the country`s most iconic buildings and another of Nagano`s most famous blossom-viewing spots. With individual trees illuminated through the week of peak bloom and nightly traditional music performances, your guide will accompany you into the castle grounds to enjoy up to an hours exploration of this stunning location.

    Matsumoto Castle Cherry Blossom 5

    At approximately 6:30PM your guide will collect you and begin your journey back to Nagano, with the tour scheduled to conclude between 7:30-8PM at JR Nagano Station.**

     

    Located less than 2 hours from Tokyo using the Hokuriku Shinkansen line, Nagano Station is a convenient start and end point from guests travelling from the capital, from Kanazawa to the north, and everywhere inbetween! Scheduled to coincide with the full bloom of Takato`s famous blossom trees, this one-day only event promises to be one our most popular tours of the year!

     

    Date:  Tuesday April 9th 2019 / Time: 9:35AM until 7:30-8PM / Price: JPY17,800 per adult (13+); JPY13,300 per child (6-12); Infants (0-5) are free of charge.

     

    For a full descprition and booking please visit our 1-Day Event: Takato Castle Park Cherry Blossom Tour page.

     

    Unable to join us on April 9th? Don`t despair!

     

    The very next day sees our 1-Day Snow Monkey & Cherry Blossom in Nagano Tour kick into action for 2019!

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    Running from April 10th to 26th 2019 (with a possible extension until April 30th depending on the condition of the blossoms), this popular tour combines a visit to Nagano`s famous Snow Monkey Park and lunch with afternoon blossom-viewing at local sites known for their beauty and abundance (but less well-known for international visitors!). With daily sites selected on the condition of their bloom and distinctive character, this tour delivers a truly local Japanese experience.

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    We hope you can join us! If last year`s tours were anything to judge by, it`s going to be a spectacular couple of weeks here in Nagano!

     

    *Takato Castle Park is forecast to reach full bloom on April 9-10th 2019. The tour is scheduled to coincide with this however we cannot guarantee the condition of the blossoms on the day.

     

    **Takato Castle Park and Matsumoto Castle are popular blossom-viewing sites and likely to be busy on the day of this tour. This may affect traffic conditions and impact on our arrival times at both locations and the tour end time at JR Nagano Station.