Just landed in Japan via Narita and Haneda — first time back in a year!
The moment I stepped into that soft spring air… my heart did a little happy dance.
Sakura everywhere — like I walked straight into a cherry blossom festival!
Haneda’s Terminal 3 welcomed me with a gorgeous digital panel of Mt. Fuji and falling sakura petals.
Such a perfect “Japan moment.” I’m sure it’s wowing tourists from all over.
Haneda Airport was bursting with sakura displays — total spring vibes that made it impossible not to snap a few pics.
↑ Then headed to Shinjuku Gyoen, and wow… peak hanami season = people, people, people! (A)
But the cherry blossoms? Absolutely worth it.
Left the Tokyo crowds behind — next stop: Kyushu!
Spring adventures are only just beginning.
In the mountain countryside, sakura are bursting into bloom everywhere, like nature just flipped the switch from winter to spring.
↑ The soft pink of the cherry blossoms really pops against the bright yellow of the nanohana (rapeseed flowers).(B)
↑ The old shidare-zakura (weeping cherry tree) at my family home — nearly 100 years old — stands tall and proud. (C)
↑ This quiet mountain village is usually still and empty, but during sakura season, it’s a different story. Local kagura performances celebrate the blossoms, bringing the whole community to life. (D)
↑ A dreamy combo: tulip festival meets cherry blossom season. The place is buzzing with people! (E)
↑ Sakura and a castle in the background, with young people and families in kimono taking photos — capturing memories of spring. (F)
↑ A daimyo procession under the cherry blossoms — like stepping back into history wrapped in petals. (G)
Hanami — cherry blossom viewing — has long been a beloved tradition for people across Japan.
During this season, sakura updates even make the daily news, as the whole country keeps an eye on the blossoms.
Depending on the region, sakura bloom at different times: from late March to early April in Kyushu and the Kanto area, and from mid-April to early May in Tohoku and Hokkaido.
They say cherry blossoms are most beautiful just as they begin to fall — their full bloom lasts only about two weeks.
Even the flurry of petals drifting down is breathtaking, touching the hearts of all who see it.
I feel incredibly lucky to be in Japan during such a beautiful time of year.
Photo location:
(A) Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden: Tokyo Japan
(B) Hakamori Sakura: Kamisakata, Taketa, Oita Prefecture, Japan
(C) Countryside house: Taketa, Oita Prefecture, Japan
(D) Kibaru-Kagura: Taketa, Oita Prefecture, Japan
(E) Tulip Festival: Ogatamachi Harajiri, Bungoono, Oita Prefecture, Japan
(F) Kitsuki Castle: Kitsuki, Oita Prefecture, Japan
(G) Oka Castle Ruins: Taketa, Oita Prefecture, Japan
report by Kayoko B.