I made five mistakes when I went to Japan for the first time that I've been left regretting
For a few fleeting weeks each spring, hotspots across Japan transform into a sea of soft pink as cherry blossoms bloom, for a period known as sakura season.
Parks, rivers and entire city streets are lined in gorgeous pastel, and it’s every bit as magical as it looks online.
Seeing it for myself had been on my bucket list for years, so last spring I finally made it happen, spending three incredible weeks traveling around Japan to catch the famous blossoms in bloom.
And judging by the crowds, I’m far from the only one with that dream. Every year, more than 60 million people travel across the country to catch a glimpse.
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According to the latest forecast from the Japan National Tourism Organization, this year’s sakura are expected to bloom from as early as March 20 in Fukuoka in the south, around March 21 in Tokyo and March 24 in Osaka, stretching all the way to May 10 in Kushiro up north.
But while the flowers might be what first draws visitors in, there’s far more to the country than cherry blossom season alone.
And while my three-week trip was unforgettable, not everything went exactly to plan.
So if you’re heading to Japan for cherry blossom season - or honestly, any time of year - here are a few lessons you can learn from me.
Don’t pre-book a Mount Fuji tour if you want guaranteed pictures
One of the main draws of visiting Tokyo is catching a glimpse of the iconic Mount Fuji.
When planning my itinerary in advance, I was desperate to include a multi-stop trip to admire the mountain from a range of stunning backdrops.
In hindsight, I wish I hadn't bothered.
Obviously, no one can control the weather, and our tour guide must have sensed our cynicism as we loaded onto the coach on a dull, cloudy morning.
He checked the weather app and told us Mount Fuji had '100 percent visibility,' probably in a bid to boost our spirits.
While it was great to see some different sites, Mount Fuji wasn't exactly one of them. In fact, our best photo of Mount Fuji was taken sitting on the coach in between stops - and it's not even that great.
A few days later, I made friends at a Golden Gai bar and was jealous to see their pristine views of Fuji taken on a clear, sunny day.
On my next visit, I won't lock myself into a tour day weeks in advance.
Instead, I’ll just keep an eye on the forecast and head to a good viewpoint when the weather’s actually clear - and I'd recommend you do the same.
Know what to book for - and what to leave room for
Japan is one of those places where you can plan endlessly and still feel like you’ve missed something.
While a Mount Fuji tour is something I wish I hadn’t locked in weeks ahead, there were other experiences I missed precisely because I didn’t plan far enough in advance.
Sometimes you just can't win!
For example, we kept seeing adverts for real Sumo matches but never actually committed to going. The same goes for a traditional Japanese matcha tea ceremony, something I’d vaguely assumed we could book on the fly, only to realize most of them were fully booked weeks ahead.
Then there were the smaller things I somehow just… walked past.
I regret not stepping into one of the countless arcades we kept seeing on most street corners, even if they're not always worth the hype.
Like the Sumo wrestling, we added it to our mental ‘to-do’ list and just never actually did it.
That said, some bookings worked out perfectly. We didn’t manage to get sunset tickets for Shibuya Sky, the viewpoint at the top of the iconic Shibuya Scramble crossing, but even in the daytime, it was a highlight.
The view over the Tokyo skyline is breathtaking, and we got lucky this time with clear weather.
We also booked a trip to Kyoto’s viral Macho Bar, an intentionally over-the-top spot where muscular men serve your food and drinks while flexing, posing and blasting dramatic music. It’s a total gimmick, but still chaotic, hilarious and impossible not to enjoy.
One of my favorite moments, however, happened completely by accident.
We wandered into Tokyo's Ueno Park on a Friday afternoon and realized we’d stumbled straight into a sakura festival, complete with food stalls, live music, and people picnicking under the cherry blossoms. It was an incredible experience.
That’s the balance most vacations require, but particularly Japan; book the things that truly require it, but leave enough space for the unexpected.
The spontaneous moments are often the ones you remember most.
Don’t fumble your favorite artist
This one still annoys me.
While I was traveling through Osaka, I realized too late that my favorite DJ, Alison Wonderland, was playing a set in the city that very night.
She'd only announced the show a few weeks prior, which I'd missed amid my last-minute vacation scramble.
I mean, just what were the chances!? My favorite artist, who's based in the US, happening to play in the very city I, usually based in the UK, was visiting for four days of a three-week long trip?
Sadly, I was unable to buy tickets the day of the gig. But if I’d realized even 12 hours earlier, I absolutely could’ve secured some and gone.
Next time you're abroad, check what shows are happening locally. You might get absurdly lucky like I almost did.
Don’t get lost in translation
Japan is incredibly welcoming, but the language barrier can still catch you out, and my high-school level Japanese didn’t exactly cut it.
Later in the trip, a lovely Uber driver told us all about his life and Japanese pop culture via an app called VoiceTra.
It translates speech in real time and made conversations so much easier.
It would’ve saved us some awkward moments on the metro and while out shopping.
The app translates between different languages, too, so it’s useful beyond Japan.
Spend more time than you think you’ll need in Tokyo
If anything, my biggest regret is not making more time for Tokyo.
We spent a whole week there, but it still wasn't enough.
The city is just endless. Food, bars, tiny hidden spots everywhere, and not to mention shopping at the department store Shibuya 109.
You could spend weeks there and still find new things.
Then again, I suppose that's to be expected of a city as huge as Tokyo.
Places like Golden Gai’s famous bar strip alone deserve multiple nights. Every bar has its own personality, and half the fun is simply wandering into somewhere random and seeing what happens.
One of my favorite spots ended up being MC Masa's bar, which had an incredible atmosphere and was the perfect place to strike up conversations with people from all over the world. And to sample some top sake, let's not forget...
Tokyo also has so many things beyond the usual tourist checklist - like the arcades, sumo events, and countless niche attractions that you only discover once you’re there.
By comparison, I almost wish we’d spent a little less time in Osaka. It's still a great city and it worked brilliantly as a base for visiting places like Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Nara Deer Park.
But as someone who isn’t massively food-focused when traveling, I probably didn’t get the absolute most out of it. Your mileage may vary, though, especially if you're a big foodie.
Final thoughts
Despite the slight regrets, Japan was one of the best trips I’ve ever taken.
Even the things I 'missed' just feel like reasons to go back.
Japan is certainly one of those destinations that requires more than one visit.
And that’s the beauty of traveling, after all; figuring things out as you go and using them to inform your next trip...
Topics: Japan, Travel, World News, UK News, US News, Weather
Ellie Kemp