Kyoto Cherry Blossom Trail
Seven days in ancient Kyoto during cherry blossom season — the most beautiful week in Japan's most beautiful city.
About this Trip
Cherry blossom season in Kyoto is one of the world's great seasonal spectacles. Our 7-day itinerary is built around the blossom schedule, with hanami picnics in parks the tour buses never find, a private tea ceremony, a dawn bamboo grove walk, and evenings in the lantern-lit lanes of Gion.
Highlights
Itinerary
Arrive at Osaka Itami, Shinkansen to Kyoto, check in to your ryokan in Higashiyama.
Don a yukata and wander the stone-paved lanes of Gion at dusk — keep an eye out for geiko.
Pre-dawn taxi to Arashiyama bamboo grove — walk it alone before the crowds arrive.
Visit Tenryu-ji garden and cross the Togetsukyo Bridge with cherry blossoms reflected in the water below.
Private tea ceremony in a 200-year-old machiya with a licensed tea master.
Afternoon: Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion and Ryoanji rock garden with a private guide.
Evening: sushi omakase dinner.
Private hanami picnic under the famous weeping cherry tree at Maruyama Park.
Bento, sake, and the tree at full bloom.
Afternoon walk along the Philosopher's Path — 400 cherry trees line the canal.
Accommodations
Hiiragiya Ryokan
Day 1–5One of Kyoto's oldest traditional inns, in continuous operation since 1818, in the heart of Gion with 33 tatami rooms.
The Thousand Kyoto
Day 5–7Sleek contemporary hotel steps from Kyoto Station, with a rooftop bar overlooking the city grid and Higashiyama mountains.
Curated Experiences
Private Tea Ceremony
Authentic 90-minute tea ceremony with a licensed tea master in a 200-year-old machiya townhouse in Higashiyama.
Arashiyama Bamboo Dawn Walk
Pre-dawn private walk through the bamboo grove before opening hours — silence, mist, and golden light through the canopy.
Gion Night Walk with Guide
Lantern-lit evening walk through the geisha district with a cultural guide explaining the ochaya system and spotting geiko.
Sushi Omakase Experience
10-course omakase dinner at a 10-seat counter restaurant — seasonal fish, handmade tofu, sake pairing.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Included
- ✓ 6 nights in ryokan and boutique hotel
- ✓ Daily Japanese breakfast and 3 dinners
- ✓ Unlimited JR Kyoto–Osaka day pass
- ✓ All temple entrance fees
- ✓ Private guide for 4 of 7 days
Excluded
- ✕ International flights
- ✕ Travel insurance
- ✕ Bullet train from Tokyo
- ✕ Alcoholic beverages
- ✕ Gratuities
Book This Trip
HOTStarting From
Package Highlights
Starting from
$17,000