By MOOK Scenic Spots Travel Life Network, Reported by Chen Guanxin
Global online hotel booking platform Agoda.com joins everyone in celebrating Japan’s annual romantic cherry blossom season. Now, Agoda.com is offering great hotel deals, including up to 15% off for stays of 3 nights or more at Hotel New Otani Tokyo and 10% off for stays of 2 nights or more at Hotel Granvia Kyoto Hankyu, inviting travelers to visit Japan and personally experience the charm of cherry blossoms.
Agoda.com invites you to fly to Japan and stroll through the dancing petals of cherry blossom rain. (Image provided by Agoda.com)
Cherry trees in Japan are not only numerous but also densely planted across the country. Most of the time, they quietly serve as greenery, only blooming when spring arrives. Typically, the season begins in the warmer southern regions like Okinawa and gradually moves northward — in parks, along streets, in mountains, and by riverbanks… all the way to Hokkaido. For a time, the entire nation is enveloped in a sea of blooming cherry blossoms, with snow-white, pink, and red hues descending romantically and spectacularly, making everyone feel refreshed. However, beyond their beauty, blooming cherry blossoms also symbolize life, death, unity, and the pursuit of perfection, reflecting the most important spirits and elements of Japanese culture.
Predicting the timing of cherry blossom blooms has become one of Japan’s nationwide events. This year, the Japan Meteorological Agency stated that the best cherry blossom viewing period in 2014 will start from Fukuoka in the last week of March, gradually moving north, reaching Iwaki City, about 200 kilometers north of Tokyo, around early April. Further north, there’s still a chance to see cherry blossoms, with Hokkaido and the Tohoku region expected to bloom around the same time as last year.
When cherry blossoms are in full bloom, people gather at popular cherry blossom spots to take photos. In addition to strolling through the dancing petals, it is also traditional to engage in “hanami” — a centuries-old Japanese custom of flower viewing. Japanese people have picnics under the blooming cherry trees while admiring the flowers. It’s no surprise that such romantic scenes are also popular backdrops for wedding photos, leading to moments where time seems to overlap — couples in traditional kimonos and office workers in sharp suits unwinding after work both enjoy this annual cherry blossom season under the same trees.
For those planning to visit Japan for cherry blossom viewing this year, Agoda.com has selected several popular cherry blossom destinations in Japan with special room offers. These include up to 15% off for 3-night or longer stays in Standard Twin/Double or Triple Rooms at Hotel New Otani Tokyo during the cherry blossom season, starting from TWD 6,449 per night for bookings at Tokyo Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu, up to 10% off for 2-night or longer stays at Osaka Mitsui Garden Hotel Midosuji, up to 15% off for 3-night or longer stays booked 40 days in advance at Hotel Granvia Osaka, up to 10% off for 2-night or longer stays between April 6 and July 31 at Hotel Kanra Kyoto, up to 40% off for bookings made 5 days in advance during the cherry blossom season at Kyoto Comfort Hotel, and up to 10% off for 3-night or longer stays between March 30 and April 27 booked 14 days in advance at Nagoya Marunouchi Marriott Associates Hotel. For more details on these offers, please visit Agoda.com.
● Taipei’s cherry blossoms nearing the end »»
Yangmingshan Flower Festival countdown – A colorful farewell to the cherry blossom snow, until we meet again next year
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