Mount Fuji – Shibazakura Festival

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Japan spring flowers are an explosion of colors and for those who miss the chance to see the famous Sakura in the cherry season, don’t feel to sad about it!, the Shibazakura Festival -富士芝桜まつり- (Moss Phlox or Moss Pink) season is here, with a 1 ½ month long celebration that usually starts mid-April and finishes at the end of May.
Shibazakura in Japanese literally means “cherry lawn” which refers to the pink carpet created by blooming moss phlox. The plant, native to North America is now cultivated at many places in Japan.
There are plenty of well renowned Shibazakura Matsuri (festival) in Japan, but the most popular Shibazakura festival is held near Lake Motosu at the foot of Mount Fuji, called “Fuji Shibazakura Matsuri” which boasts a total of over 800,000 shibazakura flowers, filling a 2.4 hectare area and spreading out like a brilliant pink carpet, with Mount Fuji in the background.

You will never forget this scenery.

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Japan’s best Sakura spots

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Want to enjoy spring the Japanese way? Join us between March and April — preferably with a packed picnic — for the great cherry-blossom party known as Hanami. Japan has thousands of Sakura spots, but these are some of the best compiled in a ma. We have few availability left for this incredible season. Contact […]

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Koyo viewing on Mount Takao

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“Koyo” is the Japanese word for leaves color change, during the Autumn. Trees, mainly Mapple trees and Ginko change their color from green to yellow, orange, red and make a spectacular view.
All forested mountains become tourists hot spots for autumn color viewing . It doesn’t happen everywhere at the same time though – it occurs over more than two months across Japan.
It starts usually in late September at high altitudes of mountain areas, where temperatures are cooler, and on the northern island of Hokkaido then descends down to the plain areas towards south of Japan.
Mount Takao (599m) is one of the closest natural recreation areas to central Tokyo and late November the mountain becomes one of Tokyo’s most popular koyo spot. Takaosan (Mount Takao) and the surrounding mountain areas also offer attractive hiking opportunities with many well marked hiking trails. It is also the home to an attractive Buddhist temple-Yakuoin.

Join us on a day tour. Contact us for info.

Discovering Kanazawa and Takayama

If your travel trip allows 2 weeks to explore Japan, consider a side trip to the city of Kanazawa located on the Sea of Japan and the surrounding villages. During the Edo Period (1603-1867) the city was a political and cultural center with Kyoto as rival.
Today, the city has well-preserved neighborhoods, great museums and gardens, and keeps its position as one of Japan’s centers of traditional art and culture.
We suggest at least three or four days to explore Kanazawa and the environs, on you trip between Tokyo and Kyoto, from Nagoya with a night in Takayama and a visit to Shirakawago, located between Takayama and Kanazawa and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The city of Kanazawa’s best-known attraction is the Kenrokuen gardens, the Nagamachi former samurai district, the chaya teahouse neighborhood and the Ninja-dera Temple, with its secret doors and traps.
Takayama is a smaller city in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture with a well-preserved Old Town of wooden shops and homes.

We at My Japan Guide can of course help you organizing the trip. Please contact us.