Hi, and welcome to Sakura Days!
I live in Japan, in Aichi Prefecture in the heart of the Chubu region, and I spend as much of my free time as I can travelling around this country — from the neon streets of Tokyo to quiet temple towns in the mountains. Sakura Days is where I turn those trips into practical, honest guides for people planning their own.
Japan is a wonderful place to visit, but it can also be a confusing one the first time around. The trains have their own logic, the seasons completely change what a place looks like, and the most famous spots are not always the most rewarding ones. I started this blog to share the kind of information I wish someone had handed me: itineraries that actually flow, seasonal guides timed to real peak dates, and first-timer tips that save you money, time and stress.
My soft spot: Chubu
Most first-time visitors follow the same well-worn route — Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka — and it is a great route. But because I live in Chubu, I have a special affection for the places that route usually skips: Nagoya, a city that is far more fun than its reputation suggests; the Ghibli Park area; the old wooden streets of Takayama; the thatched-roof village of Shirakawa-go; and the maple-filled gorge of Korankei in autumn. You will find plenty of the classics here, but expect Chubu to keep sneaking into these pages.
What you can expect here
- Practical itineraries — day-by-day plans grouped so you spend your time seeing things, not backtracking across cities.
- Seasonal guides — sakura in spring, festivals in summer, fall foliage in autumn, snow in winter — with timing advice based on when places actually peak.
- First-timer tips — the systems, shortcuts and small etiquette points that make a first trip to Japan smooth.
- Honest, original writing — every article here is written for this blog, and the photos are credited to their photographers.
Thanks for stopping by. If you are planning a trip, I hope these pages make it easier — and if you have a question or a suggestion, I would love to hear from you over on the Contact page.