Individual cherry blossoms bloom for about a week, so it’s essential to make the most of the experience. Travelers can wander around the moat of the Imperial Palace, stroll down Cherry Blossom Lane in Osaka, and have a picnic beneath the falling petals in Nara. Throughout the country, sakura flavored treats can be had in almost every form. Cherry blossoms are everywhere in Kyoto — canals, parks, temples — so enjoy some of the finest viewing anywhere in Japan, particularly from the preserved streets of wooden houses in south Higashiyama leading up to Kiyomizu-dera. From sundown, cities like Tokyo and Kyoto illuminate their cherry trees to allow for after-dark flower viewing, taking full advantage of the short-lived season. These are called yozakura —cherry blossoms at night.
