As the world emerges from Covid-19, I have been making tentative bookings for travel to other countries in the hope that they will re-open their borders to leisure travel. The accuracy of my predictions is poor and I have had to postpone another sakura viewing (hanami) trip to Japan.
I am left to treasure these memories of a lovely country with beautiful seasonal changes for another year.
Japan’s mountainous centre means that one can enjoy different temperatures and seasons in a short visit.
To make sure you catch the sakura blooms during your trip, plan a drive that traverses many altitudes and temperatures.
One way is to travel from Tokyo through Maebashi to Gunma prefecture.
Another way is to go to Yoshinoyama which has forests of cherry trees ascending the spine of a mountain ridge. “Guaranteed” hanami- if there is such a thing.
The Japanese GPS system is based on the destination’s phone number and no knowledge of kanji is needed. A life saver when driving to small towns.
Of course, sometimes you get the timing absolutely right. I hope that happens in 2023.
