Super adorable！Hundreds of cherry blossom bears take over Tokyo Tower & HowToTrip capitalizes on cute economy to win over Japanese travelers

▲ Reignair flight attendant bear dressed in a kimono for the occasion. (Photo / Provided by Reignair, same below)

Reported by Lai Wenxuan / Taipei

For the first time ever, Reignair’s iconic flight attendant bear made its international debut, with over 100 cherry blossom bears dressed in traditional kimonos taking to Japan’s iconic landmark, Tokyo Tower, on the 29th to vie for Japanese tourist dollars. Jiang Xuxian, General Manager of HowToTrip’s Northeast Asia region, said that since the beginning of this year, the daily number of Japanese passengers flying to Taiwan on Reignair flights has tripled compared to the same period last year. Moreover, Japanese passengers account for half of the total on return flights from Tokyo and Osaka, with those from Tokyo making up the majority.

On the 29th, Reignair held a “Cherry Blossom Bears Bloom with Reignair” press conference at Tokyo Tower in Japan. The Reignair cherry blossom bears took on the role of tourism ambassadors, tapping into the “cute economy.” Following their debut last year aboard the A330 inaugural flight to Tokyo, where they wowed passengers by taking over the cabin, and later transforming into onsen (hot spring) bears during the Hokkaido route expansion late last year, these bears are now cherry blossom-themed — all symbolizing Reignair’s ambitious push into the Japanese market.

▲ Reignair held a “Cherry Blossom Bears Bloom with Reignair” press conference at Tokyo Tower in Japan.

Jiang Xuxian, General Manager of HowToTrip’s Northeast Asia region, said that Japan is Taiwan’s second-largest source of tourists, following only mainland China. Since the start of this year, Reignair has delivered strong performance in carrying Japanese passengers, with the first quarter’s cumulative passenger numbers already surpassing half of last year’s total.

▲ Hundreds of cherry blossom bears take action.

To attract more Japanese visitors to Taiwan, Reignair specially deployed its Japan-exclusive cherry blossom bears to appear at Tokyo Tower. Coinciding with cherry blossom season, the Reignair cherry blossom bears also guided tours to popular cherry blossom spots across Tokyo, including a hidden gem recommended by the bears — Atago Shrine, located within Tokyo’s 23 wards. Built by Tokugawa Ieyasu and dedicated to the Shinto god of fire, it’s said that climbing the shrine’s 86 “Success Stone Steps” will bring good fortune. The site has even hosted celebrity weddings.

▲ Flight attendants visit Atago Shrine, a cherry blossom hidden gem recommended by Reignair’s cherry blossom bears.

While attracting Japanese tourists to Taiwan, Reignair also caters to Taiwanese travelers’ love for shopping in Japan. From now until May 14, passengers flying to Tokyo, Osaka, or Hokkaido on A330-operated flights can enjoy an extra 10 kg of free checked baggage. This brings the allowance to 30 kg for economy class and 40 kg for business class passengers, with room for items weighing up to 20 kg such as rice cookers.

Reignair’s regular routes to Japan include Tokyo, Osaka, Okinawa, as well as Hokkaido cities like Asahikawa, Hakodate, and Sapporo, offering 42 weekly flights between Taiwan and Japan. Currently, there are two daily flights to Tokyo and Osaka, and seven weekly round-trips to Hokkaido and Okinawa. Flights to Hokkaido can depart from or arrive at multiple points including Asahikawa, Sapporo, and Hakodate, offering greater flexibility for itinerary planning. Aircraft used on Japanese routes are mostly wide-body A330s with twin aisles for a more spacious and comfortable flying experience, except for Okinawa flights which use A321 or A320 planes.

▲ Flight attendant bear dressed as a cherry blossom bear visits Tokyo’s famous cherry blossom spots.

Top 6 Cherry Blossom Spots in Tokyo – Led by Reignair’s Cherry Blossom Bears

1. Atago Shrine: Located within Tokyo’s 23 wards, Atago Shrine was built by Tokugawa Ieyasu and is dedicated to the Shinto god of fire. It’s said that climbing the shrine’s 86 “Success Stone Steps” will bring good fortune. The site has also hosted celebrity weddings.

2. Shinjuku Gyoen: Boasts 75 varieties of cherry blossoms, including some 1,500 trees of Ichiyo, Somei Yoshino, Yamazakura, Oshima, and Shidarezakura.

3. Meguro River: Famous for its night cherry blossoms, with about 800 cherry trees stretching along both banks of the river for approximately 3.8 kilometers. Renowned photographer Mika Ninagawa shot scenes here after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake.

4. Sumida River: Located at the origin of Tokyo, it offers cherry blossom viewing by boat with views of the Tokyo skyline.

5. Ueno Park: Tokyo’s largest park, home to 1,200 cherry trees, predominantly Somei Yoshino.

6. Chidorigafuchi: Romantic both day and night, it surrounds the former Imperial Palace moat with around 800 Somei Yoshino and Yamazakura cherry trees.